Phenacoccus bromi, Moghaddam, 2018

Moghaddam, Masumeh, 2018, Three new mealybug species (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) from Iran, Zootaxa 4420 (2), pp. 180-188 : 185-187

Phenacoccus bromi sp. n.

( Figs 3 , 4 )

Material examined. Holotype, adult female: IRAN, left label: 2875/ Markazi province, Arak/ Haftad-Gholleh Protected Area/ Latehdar/ 3.vi.2017 / Alt. 2291 m / N33˚59′39.1″/ E50˚06′56.8″; right label: Holotype/ Phenacoccus bromi sp. n. / on Bromus sp. ( Poaceae )/ coll. M. Moghaddam (HMIM). Paratypes: IRAN, 20 adult females mounted singly on slides, each slide left label with same data as holotype slide; right label: Paratype/ Phenacoccus bromi sp. n. (HMIM).

Live adult female. Body broadly oval, greyish, covered with white powdery wax, with 1 pair of short waxy filaments at posterior end of body; body segmentation apparent ( Fig. 3 ).

Slide-mounted adult female ( Fig. 4 ). Body oval to broadly oval, 2.52–2.81 mm long, 1.12–1.60 mm wide, anal lobes poorly developed. Eye situated on margin, 40–54 µm wide. Antennae each 9 segmented, 375–416 µm long; apical segment 52–58 µm long, 22–24 µm wide. Circulus oval, sclerotized, situated between abdominal segments III and IV, divided by an intersegmental line, 90–124 µm wide. Legs well developed; measurements for posterior legs: trochanter + femur 244–260 µm long, tibia + tarsus 288–320 µm, claw 32–36 µm. Ratio of lengths of tibia + tarsus to trochanter + femur 1.18–1.23:1; ratio of lengths of tibia to tarsus 1.60–1.96:1; ratio of length of hind trochanter + femur to greatest width of femur 3.82–4.06:1. Tarsal and claw digitules both knobbed; claw digitules longer than claw. Hind tibia with 0–11 inconspicuous translucent pores. Anterior and posterior ostioles each with a total for both lips of 16–21 trilocular pores and 5–7 setae. Anal ring 66–82 µm wide, with 2 rows of pores and 6 setae, each seta 130–158 µm long. Cerarii numbering 18 pairs; anal lobe cerarii each containing 5 lanceolate setae, each about 24 µm long, 12–18 trilocular pores and 4 or 5 spine-like auxiliary setae, all situated on a sclerotized area; penultimate cerarius with 3 or 4 lanceolate setae and 4 or 5 trilocular pores; anterior cerarii each with 2 lanceolate setae and 2 trilocular pores, except frontal and ocular cerarii each with 3 setae.

Dorsum with lanceolate setae, mostly each 31–32 µm long; some minute setae present, each scarcely longer than a setal collar; setae distributed mainly across segments; some setae each with a trilocular pore situated near setal collar. Oral collar tubular ducts absent. Trilocular pores, each about 3.5 µm in diameter, scattered over entire body. Minute discoidal pores scattered throughout.

Venter with setae normal and flagellate, each 10–140 µm long, except for some short lanceolate setae present on margins. Apical seta on each anal lobe 150–180 µm long. Multilocular disc pores and quinquelocular pores absent from all specimens examined. Trilocular pores same size as on dorsum, scattered throughout. Minute discoidal pores scattered throughout. Oral collar tubular ducts a few, numbering 1–3 (varying between individuals), present on abdominal segments VI-VIII, each duct 5–8 µm long, 2–3 µm wide.

Comments. Phenacoccus bromi is characterised by the complete absence of ventral multilocular disc pores. It comes closest to P. giuliae , described from Sardinia on Umbilicus rupestris (Crassulaceae) ; P. larvalis , from Tadzhikistan on four host plant families ( Apiaceae , Caryophyllaceae , Hypericaceae , and Lamiaceae ); and P. memorabilis , from Uzbekistan on 2 host plant families ( Cyperaceae and Poaceae ). A summary of the shared and distinguishing characters of these species are presented in Table 1.

*Seta associated with 1 or 2 trilocUlar pores at base.

Based on Table 1, P. bromi is closest to P. memorabilis , in having the anal lobe cerarii with 7 or 8 setae; but it differs as follows (character states on P. memorabilis in brackets): (i) quinqulocular pores absent (present), (ii) some of dorsal setae with one trilocular pore at base (absent), antenna 9-segmented (8-segmented).

Etymology. The species epithet is based on the Latin genitive of the host plant name, Bromus , a genus of grasses.

Figures

FIGURE 3. (A and B) Live adult females of Phenacoccus bromi Moghaddam sp. n. on Bromus sp.

FIGURE 4. Adult female of Phenacoccus bromi Moghaddam sp. n.