Kuwania bipora Borchsenius 1960, 2008

Zheng, Xinyi & Wu, San’An, 2022, Updated description of the adult male of Kuwania bipora Borchsenius (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Kuwaniidae) with a discussion on the relationships of Kuwania with some other archaeococcoid genera, Zootaxa 5200 (2), pp. 470-478 : 472-475

Kuwania bipora Borchsenius 1960

Kuwania bipora Borchsenius, Wu 2008: 207–214 .

Material examined. CHINA, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City , on Castanopsis fissa (Fagaceae), 6.ii.2017, coll. Shaobin Huang; 5 ♂♂ on 3 slides and 4 ♂♂ preserved in glycerine ( BFUC) .

Updated description of adult male

Unmounted material. Body bright red, compound eyes dark brown, forewings transparent except for red anterior margin ( Fig. 1 ). Antennae, legs and forewings well-developed. Posterior of abdomen with two tufts of long wax filaments dorsally on segments VI and VII.

Cleared specimens, either slide-mounted material or in glycerine ( Fig. 2 ) (n=9). Body small and slender, 1.10–1.19 mm long, 0.34–0.41 mm wide across scutum. Head with 1 pair of prominent compound eyes laterally, 1 pair of ocelli dorsally, and a sclerotized series of ridges forming a five-armed star ventrally. Antennae filiform, each 10-segmented, 1.03–1.13 mm long. Forewings developed, with part of anterior margin sclerotized; hamulohalteres nearly fusiform, each with a single hamulus on apex. Legs fully developed, each with tarsus 1-segmented, claw with a small denticle near apex, and claw digitules knobbed, longer than claw. Abdominal spiracles poorly sclerotized, numbering possibly 6 pairs. Dorsum of abdominal segments VI and VII each with a row of large tubular ducts. Abdomen without caudal extensions but segments VII and VIII each with rounded and slightly protruding lateral margins. Penial sheath extending posteriorly from beneath segment VIII. Loculate pores absent.

Head broadly oval in dorsal view, 150–175 μm long, 325–375 μm wide across compound eyes. Dorsal part of epicranium mainly membranous, with 14 or 15 hair-like setae, each about 5 μm long; postoccipital suture sclerotized. A pair of ocelli, each 23–30 μm wide, present on dorsum positioned next to middle part of each compound eye. Compound eyes prominent laterally, each 160–165 μm long and with 60–70 ommatidia, each ommatidium 15–25 µm in diameter. Ocular sclerite weakly sclerotized with reticular pattern, ventral projection present. Venter with 5 strongly sclerotised ridges fused medially, forming a 5-armed star, composed of: (i) ventral midcranial ridge anteriorly; (ii) a pair of lateral preocular ridges antero-laterally; and (iii) a pair of preoral ridges postero-laterally; derm between midcranial ridge and lateral preocular ridges with a reticular pattern proximally. Cranial apophysis short and broad. Remaining ventral part of epicranium membranous. Ventral part of epicranium with 6–22 setae, each about 15 μm long. Mouth not detected. Ventral sclerites, anterior tentorial arms, posterior tentorial arms and tentorial bridge absent.

Antennae each 10-segmented, slightly shorter than body, 1.03–1.13 mm long, ratio of total-body length to antennal length 1: 0.95; dermal surface of antenna with transverse ridges. Scape cylindrical and wider than long, 43–45 µm long, 53–63 µm wide, with 6–10 short hair-like setae on dorsal surface proximally, each seta about 3 µm long; remaining setae longer, each 7–15 µm long. Pedicel cylindrical, 50–53 µm long, 38–48 µm wide; with 3 or 4 campaniform sensilla dorsally; setae on pedicel similar in size to longer setae on scape. Flagellar segments III –X each parallel-sided, about 16–29 µm wide, segments becoming slightly shorter towards apex; segment lengths (µm): III, 95–110; IV, 133–142; V, 153–165; VI, 155–168; VII, 138–150; VIII, 121–125; IX, 108–118; and X, 105–115; each flagellar segment with numerous fleshy setae (fs), except segment III with only a few fleshy setae on apex + about 5 hair-like setae; segments VI –IX each with 2 bristles near apex, segment X with 4 bristles; segments VI or VII –IX each with 1 long seta near apex; segment X with 4 long setae near apex, in 1 specimen these long setae with capitate apices. Bifurcated setae absent. Fleshy setae each 25–30 µm long, bristles each 27–33 µm long, long setae each about 43 µm long .

Thorax. Prothorax separated from head by large membranous area with a narrow neck. Dorsum with a small pair of post-tergites, sclerotized and angled obliquely upward, each 15–20 µm long; pronotal ridge absent. Laterally, cervical sclerites narrow and sclerotized, each articulating anteriorly with posterior ventral projection of ocular sclerite; proepimeron narrow; pleural ridge extending from articulation with coxa of foreleg; pleural apophysis distinct. Ventrally, prosternum with a well-sclerotized median ridge, 118–125 µm long, slightly broader at posterior end. Prothorax without setae.

Mesothorax well sclerotized. Dorsally, prescutum approximately oval, 105–120 µm long, 173–180 µm wide. Scutum with 4–7scutal setae on each side medially, distance from prescutum to scutellum about 80–125µm. Scutellum triangular to pentagonal (triangular in 5 specimens, subpentagonal in 3 and pentagonal in 1), without membranous areas or setae. A narrow membranous area present between scutellum and mesopostnotum; mesopostnotum long, but more than half of its area covered by membranous area of metathorax. Laterally, prealare narrow; tegula slightly sclerotized, with about 5 setae. Mesopleural ridge and pleural apophysis developed; mesepisternum sclerotized with reticular pattern anteriorly. Mesothoracic spiracles distinct, without associated setae, each peritreme 15–18 µm wide and muscle plate 23–28 µm long. Ventrally, basisternum sclerotised, 400–485 µm long, 190–215 µm wide, without a sclerotized median ridge, anterior and lateral margins unsclerotized or weakly sclerotized, but precoxal ridges well-developed; furca developed, with strongly divergent arms. Venter without setae.

Metathorax almost entirely membranous.Dorsally, metapostnotum absent.Laterally, a small suspensorial sclerite present near each hamulohaltere; pleural ridge and pleural apophyses developed; precoxal ridge well developed, 90–105 µm long; postcoxal ridge present. Posterior spiracles similar in structure and size to anterior pair. Ventrally, metasternum slightly sclerotized, with distinct lateral metasternal apophysis. Metathorax without setae.

Wings large and well developed, 1.20–1.33 mm long, 0.56– 0.47 mm wide, ratio of body length to wing length 1: 0.91; ratio of wing length to wing width 1: 0.40. A group of 5–6 circular sensoria (sens) near subcostal ridge (scr) base but without alar setae (als); subcostal ridge (scr) developed and sclerotized, weak towards wing tip, with 8–9 circular sensoria (sens) along scr. Area between anterior margin and subcostal ridge (scr) with another vein, rising from wing base and disappearing about half-way along wing; alar fold (alf) represented by a sclerotized fold along proximal posterior margin. Rest of wing membranous; radial sector (rs) weak, forming a clear line, short and slender near wing apex but only visible in fresh specimens, completely disappearing after slide mounting; anterior flexing patch (afx) clear, originates from scr at about 1/5 wing length and runs obliquely to wing apex; cubital ridge (cur) originating from scr at about 1/6 along wing length and extending obliquely towards posterior of wing, short, very weak in fresh specimens, but completely disappearing after slide mounting; posterior flexing patch (pfx) originating from wing base and extending obliquely to posterior wing margin. Hamulohalteres each leaf-like, wide in the middle and narrow at both ends, 139–160 µm long, slightly sclerotized, with some diagonal sclerotized folds; apex of hamulohaltere twisted and pointed to form a small hamulus, each hamulus 6–7 µm long.

Legs well developed and slender, subequal in length. Leg measurements (µm): fore leg (I) 880–990 long, middle leg ( II) 900–930, hind leg ( III) 900–1020; coxae: I, 150–163; II, 115–125; III, 125–138; trochanter + femur: I, 285–305; II, 280–295; III, 280–300; tibia: I, 305–330; II, 340–370; III, 340–385; tarsi: I, 170–190; II, 170–175; III, 160–185; claws 25–29. Hind trochanter + femur 0.51–0.57 times as long as hind tibia + tarsus; ratio of length of hind tibia to hind tarsus 2.03–2.37: 1. Leg surfaces with transverse ridges except on claw. Each coxa with a group of 7–9 short setae proximally on each side, each seta about 5 µm long, plus about 6 longer hair-like setae near apex. Each trochanter with 4 campaniform sensilla on each side, and about 5 hair-like setae but no long setae. Each femur with about 10 hs on both surfaces, 4–6 setae on outer margin spur-like, each 8–13 µm long. Each tibia with about 7 hs on both surfaces, lateral setae spur-like, tibia with about 5 spur-like setae on apex, each 13–15 µm long. Tarsus 1-segmented, with only 1 hair-like seta on venter, rest of setae spur-like, each 8–13 µm long. Hair-like setae on legs each 7–8 µm long, tarsal digitules absent. Claw broad and curved, with a small denticle near apex; claw digitules capitate, longer than claw, each about 25 µm long.

Abdomen. Derm mainly membranous; caudal extensions absent, but lateral margins of segments VII and VIII rounded and prominent; setae few, all hair-like. Dorsally, tergites absent; segments VI and VII each with a row of large tubular ducts, each duct 15–18 µm long and 6–8 µm in diameter; each ductule with inner longitudinal ridges; segment VI with 8–11 tubular ducts and segment VII with 5–8 tubular ducts. Number of dorsal abdominal setae per segment: I & II, 0; III, about 4; IV, about 6; V, about 5; VI & VII each with about 6; VIII, 6 or 7. Laterally, pleurites absent. Abdominal spiracles present but unsclerotized and difficult to see, possibly present on segments I– VI. Pleural setae difficult to separate into dorsal and ventral pleural setae, but perhaps with 1 hair-like seta on each of segments IV– VIII. Ventrally, segment I present; sternites slightly sclerotized, some posterior sternites more strongly sclerotized. Number of ventral abdominal setae per segment: I, 0; II, about 3; III, about 4; IV, about 6; V, 5–9; VI, 7 or 8; VII, about 10; VIII, 7–10. Each segment on venter with the 2 medial setae significantly longer, each about 20 µm long, other setae on abdomen each 6–8 µm long.

Genital segment. Anal opening with sclerotized rim, situated near apex of segment VIII dorsally, 20–25 µm wide. Penial sheath subtriangular and sclerotized, extending posteriorly from beneath segment VIII, 98–113 µm long, widest near base (50–53 µm wide), tapering towards apex; with a large opening ventrally through which aedeagus emerges. Aedeagus membranous and broad, 93–100 µm long. Eversible endophallus absent. Penial sheath without setae.

Remarks. Wu (2008) described the adult male of K. bipora , also collected from Guangzhou city, Guangdong province, China, but those slides are in poor condition with faded colours, and with many features invisible, so they were not used in this study. The above description differs from that of Wu (2008) (character states for specimen in Wu (2008) in parentheses) as follows: (i) pedicel with 3 or 4 campaniform sensilla dorsally (pedicel with 2 campaniform sensilla); (ii) antennal segment X with 2 capitate setae (with no capitate setae); and (iii) abdominal spiracles on segments I–VI possibly present (abdominal spiracles absent, only one specimen with indistinct trachea on margin of abdominal segment IV).

Figures

FIGURE 1. The adult male of Kuwania bipora Borchsenius in life.

FIGURE 2. Kuwania bipora Borchsenius, adult male: A. variation in shape of scutellum, triangular to subpentagonal; B. hamulohaltere; C. large tubular duct; D. abdominal spiracle; E. lateral view of genital segment; F. ventral view of genital segment; G. dorsal view of genital segment; H. hair-like seta; I. fleshy seta; J. bristle; K. claw.