Paleolepidotus macrocolus, Poinar & Vega & Schneider, 2020

Poinar, George, Vega, Fernando E. & Schneider, Scott A., 2020, A mid-Cretaceous female scale insect (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccomorpha) in Burmese amber, Zootaxa 4810 (3), pp. 511-522 : 512-520

Paleolepidotus macrocolus sp. n.

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:51BB873E-9738-4E28-A7BF-32D3C1CF57DF

( Figs. 1–10 )

Holotype: MYANMAR (Burma) / state of Kachin / Noije bum 2001 Summit Site amber mine in the Hukawng Valley / SW of Maingkhwan (26º 20´N, 96º 36´E). A single specimen in one piece of amber, accession number B/He/34, deposited in the Poinar amber collection maintained at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.A.

Diagnosis: as for genus.

Description of holotype female

Specimen complete. Body ferruginous; with about 25 long, broad lateral wax pencils extending radially around entire margin, appearing to have 12 lateral pairs and one arising from posterior apex of body; base of each pencil supported by 2 or 3 long flagellate setae ( Figs. 1–3 ). Dorsal and ventral surfaces apparently lacking large wax structures; wax-producing pores and ducts indiscernible. Body length, including wax pencils, 4.0 mm; body length without pencils, 1.8 mm; body width including wax pencils 3.3 mm; body width without pencils, 0.8 mm. Length of individual wax pencils, 0.5‒1.8 mm. Antenna appears to be 7-segmented; segment I 175 µm long, segment II 159 µm, segment III 169 µm, segment IV 175 µm, segment V 159 µm, segment VI 175 µm, and terminal segment VII 284 µm long, overall length 1.3 mm; each segment with numerous stout flagellate setae; unusual sensilla or empty setal collars present near base of segment VII at juncture with VI, with dual sockets ( Fig. 4 ); distal half of terminal antennomere swollen, with slight constriction near apex forming knob-like tip 23 µm long; apex of antennomere with lanceolate terminal spine 22 µm long and 3 or 4 falcate sensory setae ( Figs. 4 and 5 ). Legs long, each sub-equal in length to body; each leg segment distinct, without fusion between trochanter and femur or between tibia and tarsus; hind femur 641 µm long, hind tibia 770 µm long, hind tarsus 346 µm long ( Fig. 3 ); tibial and tarsal segments each with numerous stout flagellate setae; each tarsus slender and articulated at base, bearing a single claw with bifid tip and well-developed plantar denticle near middle; hind claw 95 µm long; with single pointed digitule present at inner base of claw, 26 µm long ( Fig. 6 ); trochanteral pores indiscernible. Eyes round, black, protruding from head, detached from base of antenna, each about 58 µm in diameter ( Fig. 7 ). Rostrum 3-segmented, conical to triangular, arising between forelegs, 590 µm long ( Fig. 8 ). Anal opening with tube-like structure, probably constructed of wax, arising from anal ring at posterior apex of body, wax tube curved ventrally ( Fig. 9 ). Apparent waxy ovisac present, with evidence of immature forms within ( Figs. 9 and 10 ). Abdominal and thoracic spiracles and cuticular pores and ducts not discernible.

Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the Greek “ macro ” = long and the Greek “ kolon ” = leg, in reference to the long legs of the fossil.

Comments: Due to the small size of the insect and the surrounding wax pencils, it is not possible to determine certain fine morphological details like the presence or absence of abdominal spiracles or the form(s) of cuticular pores. Due to the lack of this information, and the presence of other features (the elongate antennae and legs, sturdy rostrum, and bifid claws with a single digitule) it is not possible to comfortably place the specimen in any extant or extinct family. As for its habit, the stout, heavy rostrum of Paleolepidotus suggests that the female was feeding on a woody substrate, such as the stem or trunk of a tree or shrub.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal view of Paleolepidotus macrocolus gen. et sp. n. in Burmese amber. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 2. Ventral view of Paleolepidotus macrocolus gen. et sp. n. in Burmese amber. B= rostrum. O = ovisac. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 3. Lateral view of Paleolepidotus macrocolus gen. et sp. n. in Burmese amber. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 4. Detail of terminal antennomere of Paleolepidotus macrocolus gen. et sp. n. in Burmese amber; image and illustration of claw. Arrow shows constricted “knob” at tip. Scale bar = 57 µm.

FIGURE 5. Protarsus (T) and terminal antennomere (A) of Paleolepidotus macrocolus gen. et sp. n. in Burmese amber. Scale bar = 235 µm.

FIGURE 6. Tarsus with single claw of Paleolepidotus macrocolus gen. et sp. n. in Burmese amber; image and illustration. Scale bar = 84 µm. Insert shows detail of bifid claw. Arrowhead shows digitule. Arrow shows denticle. Scale bar = 32 µm.

FIGURE 7. Eyes of Paleolepidotus macrocolus gen. et sp. n. in Burmese amber; image and illustration of eye. Scale bar = 22 µm.

FIGURE 8. A Rostrum (arrows) of Paleolepidotus macrocolus gen. et sp. n. in Burmese amber; B duplicate image with overlaid dotted outline of rostrum and interpretation of segmentation adopted in description. Scale bar = 560 µm.

FIGURE 9. Posterior body portion of Paleolepidotus macrocolus gen. et sp. n. in Burmese amber. A = Anal opening. O = ovisac with developing larvae. Scale bar = 685 µm.

FIGURE 10. Section of ovisac of Paleolepidotus macrocolus gen. et sp. n. in Burmese amber showing outline of a larva (arrow). Scale bar = 140 µm.