Asterococcus yunnanensis Borchsenius

Asterococcus yunnanensis Borchsenius 1960: 115 –117.

Type details. CHINA, Yunnan, Kunming, on Gardenia sp., 4.vi.1957. Depository: ZIAS: 1/1 paratype adf (+ 10 non-type specimens)—all other type specimens were deposited in China, including the holotype (I. Gavrilov, pers. comm.). For a discussion of the whereabouts of Borchsenius’ material, see under A. quercicola above.

Material studied. CHINA, Kunming, on Gardenia sp. ( Rubiaceae), 4.vi.1957, N. Borchsenius (BMNH): 1/1adf (f–p).

Comment. The main character-states diagnosing the adult female of A. yunnanensis are: (i) anteroventral sclerotizations on anal lobes absent; (ii) anal lobes sclerotized throughout; (iii) four spinose setae present on inner margin of each anal lobe; (iv) multilocular disc-pores present on abdominal segments II–VIII and on metathorax, with a complete band on segment VII; (v) dorsum with two sizes of tubular ducts, narrower ducts medially on head and thorax and broader ducts restricted to abdominal segments anterior to anal plate; (vi) tubular ducts very sparse or even absent medially on venter; (vii) cribriform plates absent; (viii) leg stubs small; (ix) small 8-shaped pores present sparsely on dorsum; (x) 8-shaped pores with three closed pores (“trilocular”) present associated with most stigmatic pore bands, and (xi) transverse bands of dorsal 8-shaped pores present on about abdominal segments III, IV and VII. This species is possibly closest to A. scleroglutaeus —see under that species above.