Abgrallaspis aguacatae Evans, Watson

Evans, Gregory A., Watson, Gillian W. & Miller, And Douglass R., 2009, A new species of armored scale (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Diaspididae) found on avocado fruit from Mexico and a key to the species of armored scales found on avocado worldwide, Zootaxa 1991, pp. 57-68 : 58-61

Abgrallaspis aguacatae Evans, Watson , and Miller spec. nov.

( Fig. 1 )

Description of Adult Female

Appearance in life: scale cover fairly flat, more or less broadly oval with central or subcentral exuviae. Secreted scale material thin, flexible, mid-brown, blending into color of ripe fruit skin. Exuviae more yellow to reddish brown than secreted material. First instar exuviae surrounded by a raised circle of dark grey secretion, but this sometimes gets rubbed off the scale cover. Adult female beneath scale cover pale creamy yellow; pygidium yellowish brown, darker towards apex.

Slide-mounted adult female ( Fig. 1 ) broadly oval, length of holotype 1378, range (n=10): 846–1378, mean 1140.5; maximum width of holotype: 1045; range (n=10) 649–1078, mean 886.6.

Pygidium: Lobes — posterior margin with 3 pairs of well-sclerotized lobes; median lobes (L1) large, convergent, each hoof-shaped, with inner border short and straight, outer border long and curved with small indentation at base, sometimes with several small teeth along posterior margin. Second lobe (L2) shorter than L1, often wider than long, usually with 3 or 4 small teeth along outer margin. Third lobe (L3) sometimes slightly longer than wide, usually with 2 or 3 teeth along outer margin. Paraphyses — 4 pairs of paraphyses present (formula 2-2-0): (1) L1 with a medium-sized paraphysis (PL1) with a clubbed inner end originating at anterolateral base; (2) L2 with a slightly smaller paraphysis (PL2), similar in shape to PL1, originating at L2 anteromesad base; (3) a smaller paraphysis (PL3) present between L2 and L3; and (4) a small paraphysis (PL4) originating at anteromesad base of L3. Ventral area anterior to L1 with large, triangular basal sclerotization arising from mesad half of lobe, longer than wide, longest on mesad margin, laterad margin often rather irregular. Plates — two slender plates present between L1, each about as long as L1 (these appear to have pointed apices, often obscured by convergent L1); 2 plates with fringed apices present between L1 and L2 on each side, each slightly longer than L1, much longer than L2; 3 plates with fringed apices present between L2 and L3 on each side, each plate about 2 to 3 x as long as L3; plates anterior to L3 each with a median internal microduct and base wider than an interlobular plate, with a lateral tine on either side of microduct, each tine slightly fringed along the margins. Ducts — 11 or 12 pairs of macroducts present on dorsum in submarginal and marginal areas of segments 5 and 6. Anal opening — small, slightly longer than wide (12.2 μm long x 10.6 μm wide in holotype), located about 1.7x its diameter from anterolateral base of L1. Perivulvar pores — absent, but sclerotized frame surrounding vulva present, longer than wide.

Prepygidium: dorsum with ducts of 2 sizes; macroducts along dorsolateral margin each about 2x as long as microducts sometimes present on submargin; abdominal segments 1 – 3 each with 1 – 5 macroducts on each lateral margin. Cephalothorax: each posterior spiracle with 2 microducts situated on medial and lateral sides, and 2 or 3 microducts on ventral lateral margin laterad of the spiracle. Each anterior spiracle with one or two microducts laterad of the spiracle, and about 8 microducts on dorsolateral margin between anterior spiracle and apex of head; pores absent from near spiracles. Setae along margin long and slender with pointed apices. Eyes very small, round and inconspicuous; antennae each bearing 1 conspicuous seta.

Specimens examined

Type material is deposited at the following institutions: Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Mexico City, Mexico (MCM); National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. (USNM); California State Collection of Arthropods, Sacramento, California, U.S.A. (CSCA); Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A. (FSCA); University of California at Riverside, California, U.S.A. (UCR); and The Natural History Museum, London, U.K. (BMNH). Voucher specimens from the DNA study by Morse et al. (in preparation) have a DNA extraction number given in [square parentheses]. Paratype specimens are mounted individually on slides unless specified otherwise.

Holotype. Adult female mounted in Canada balsam, MEXICO, Michoacán, Nuevo Parangaricutiro, Huerto (=Orchard) Mesa de Gallegos, on fruit of Persea americana var. Hass, E. Campoverde, 31 March 2007, deposited in the MCM.

Allotype. One adult male (allotype specimen), 1 male pupa, 1 male nymph and 1 adult female paratype, all together on one slide, ex Mexico, intercepted at California, Blythe Border Station, Hafen, on avocado fruit, 18 March 2007, deposited in the CSCA.

Paratypes:

Specimens deposited in the MCM. Collected in MEXICO: 1 adult female, Michoacán, Uruapan, Cherangueran, on tronco [=trunk] of Persea americana var. Hass, Ma. R. Perez, 15 MAY 2007; 1 adult female, Michoacán, Taretan, Huerto El Uro, on rama [=branch] of Persea americana var. Hass, L. Adame E, 30 March 2007; 3 adult females, Michoacán, Nuevo Parangaricutiro, Traspatio, on branch of Persea americana var. Hass, P. Cortes, 30 March 2007. Intercepted from MEXICO: 1 adult female, intercepted at California, Blythe Inspection Station, ex Persea americana fruit, Villa, 10 February 2007 (PDR#11376459 [DNA AS 013]; 1 adult female, intercepted in California, on Persea americana, W. Burkey , 8 May 2007 (SD 0 43623 CA).

Specimens deposited in the USNM. Collected in MEXICO: 1 adult female, Michoacán, Salvador Escalante, Huerto Los Trojes, on fruit of Persea americana var. Hass, R. Gudiño M, 30 March 2007; 2 adult females, Michoacán, Salvador Escalante, Huerto Puente Alto, on fruit of Persea americana var. Hass, Control Calidad, GWP, 30 March 2007; 4 adult females (2 females on fruit, 1 female on leaf, 1 female on trunk), Michoacán, Uruapan, Cherangueren, on branch of Persea americana var. Hass, R. Perez, 15 May 2007; 1 adult female, Michoacán, Nuevo Parangaricutiro, Huerto La Loma, on fruit of Persea americana var. Hass, H. Toral U, 30 March 2007; 1 adult female, Michoacán, Nuevo Parangaricutiro, Huerto El Centenario, on fruit of Persea americana var. Hass, H. Toral U, 30 March 2007. Intercepted from MEXICO: 1 adult female, intercepted at California, Blythe Inspection station, on Persea americana, J. Morse , 18 May 2007 [DNA study AS 281].

Specimens deposited in the CSCA. Collected in MEXICO: 1 adult female, Michoacán, Los Jacales, Tacambaro, Huerto Las Tijeras, on fruit of Persea americana var. Hass, L. Adam E., 5 March 2007; 2 adult females, Uruapan, Jicalam, on branch of Persea americana var. Hass, R. Perez, 6 June 1985 [sic? 2007]. Intercepted from MEXICO: 2 adult females, quar. California, Blythe Inspection Station, ex avocado, Villa, 10 February 2005 (PDR#1293144); 1 adult female, via Arizona, at California, Blythe Inspection Station, ex Persea americana fruit Villa, 9 March 2007 (PDR#1376456) [DNA AS 015]; 1 adult female, at California, Blythe Inspection Station, ex Persea americana fruit, Villa, 10 March 2007 (PDR#1376459) [DNA AS 014]; 2 adult females, intercepted in California, on Persea americana, R. Concepción , 8 May 2007 (SD 043622); 1 adult female, intercepted in California, on Persea americana, W. Burkey , 8 May 2007 (SD 043623); 2 adult females, intercepted in California, on Persea americana, A. Shifefaw , 7 May 2007 (SD 043624); 1 adult female, at California, Blythe Inspection station, on Persea americana fruit, Gonzales/Herrera, 6 March 2007 [DNA AS 024] (PDR#1353338); 8 adult females (4 on each of 2 slides), intercepted at California, Vidal Inspection Station, ex Persea americana on fruit skin, R. Duarte, 7 March 2007 (PDR# 1386212); 3 adult females and 1 immature together on 1 slide, intercepted at California, Needles Inspection Station, on avocado fruit, Y. Rodriguez, 28 July 2007 (PDR#1467028). Specimens from GUATEMALA: 1 adult female, quarantine at California, U.C. Riverside, ex budwood of Persea sp. ‘B’, coll. J. Chandler and D. Elsweci, 13 December 1988 (CDFA #827343); 6 adult females (4 on one slide, 2 on second slide), Antigua, quarantine at California, U.C. Riverside, ex avocado budwood, J. Chandler, 16 September 1985 (CDFA#85523-27).

Specimens deposited in the UCR. Intercepted from MEXICO: 2 females, intercepted at California, Blythe Inspection station, on Persea americana, J. Morse , 18 May 2007 [DNA AS 277, AS 292].

Specimens deposited in the FSCA. Collected in MEXICO: 1 adult female, Michoacán, Nuevo Parangaricutiro, Huerto La Hierbabuena, on fruit of Persea americana var. Hass, E. Campoverde, 30 March 2007; 1 adult female, Michoacán, Nuevo Parangaricutiro, Huerto La Hierbabuena, on fruit of Persea americana var. Hass, L. Adams E., 3 March 2007.

Specimens deposited in BMNH. Collected in MEXICO: 1 adult female, Michoacán, Uruapan, Yácatas, on rama [=branch] of Persea americana var. Hass, Ma. R. Perez, 7 June 2007; 1 adult female, Michoacán, Tancitaro, Huerto Panzinda, on fruit of Persea americana var. Hass, B. Gonzalez, 30 March 2007.

NON-TYPE SPECIMENS. All non-type specimens listed below are deposited in the USNM. Intercepted from MEXICO: 5 adult females, intercepted in Texas, on Persea americana, D. McCoy , 6 April 2007; 6 adult females, intercepted at California, Blythe Inspection Station, on Persea americana, J. Morse , 18 May 2007 [DNA AS 278, AS 282, AS 283, AS 286, AS 288, AS 290].

Figures

FIGURE 1. Abgrallaspis aguacatae Evans, Watson, and Miller, spec. nov. adult female. A) habitus, B) pygidium, C) detail of pygidial lobes, D) detail of pygidial plates.