Geococcus satellitum Williams, 2004

Gavrilov-Zimin, Ilya A., 2020, Chromosomal and reproductive features of some Oriental and Australasian scale insects (Homoptera, Coccinea), Comparative Cytogenetics 14 (3), pp. 339-352 : 339

Geococcus satellitum Williams, 2004 Fig. 2

Material.

K 1382, Laos, Pak Beng, on roots of dicotyledonous herb, 13.VI.2017, I.A. Gavrilov-Zimin.

New data.

All studied embryos from 3 available females were unsuitable for chromosomal studies due to numerous yolk inclusions. Eggs are laid in loose ovisac at the stage of anatrepsis suggesting incomplete ovoviviparity. Female reproductive system is characterized by an extremely small number of ovarioles and the absence of a spermatheca (Fig. 2 ).

Comments.

Up to now, the genus Geococcus Green, 1902 (14 species) has not been studied in terms of cytogenetics and reproductive biology. This is the case with most other related genera of tribe Rhizoecini (or group of the genus Rhizoecus Künckel d’Herculais, 1878). Diploid chromosome numbers, 8, 10, and 12, are known only for 5 species of Rhizoecus (Danzig & Gavrilov-Zimin 2015: 428-429); all these species are characterized by a Lecanoid genetic system and bisexual reproduction.

G. satellitum was previously known from the type localities in China and Thailand only. This is the first record of this species for Laos.

Figures

Figure 2. General anatomy of the female (or female-like hermaphrodite in Steatococcus samaraius) reproductive system in the studied species (Margarodidae, Pseudococcidae, Eriococcidae).