Paralecanium neomaritimum Takahashi

Chris J. Hodgson & Douglas J. Williams, 2018, Revision of the soft scale genus Paralecanium (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) with the introduction of three new genera and twenty new species, Zootaxa 4443 (1), pp. 1-162 : 120-122

Paralecanium neomaritimum Takahashi

( Fig. 50 )

Paralecanium neomaritimum Takahashi, 1950 , 49. Type data: Malaysia, Selangor, Morib, on Avicennia sp. (mangrove), 30.i.1944. Type depository: BMNH, London, U.K.

Material examined. Lectotype f and paralectotype f (here designated): MALAYSIA: top labels: Type in red on small round label + lectotype in red on narrow label; bottom label: Paralecanium / neomariti- / mum / Takahashi / 30.I.1944 / Morib / Selangor / mangrove / R. Takahashi ( BMNH): 1/2adff (g; lectotype bottom right specimen).

Other material. INDONESIA, Sulawesi Utara, Dumoga-Bone National Park, Torant Base Camp area , nr. Tumpah River , on upper surface of leaves of Eugenia cf. calucob [probably calubcob 10.iii.1985, J.H. Martin # 4632 [Leider 6602] ( BMNH): 3/3adff (g-fg) + 1 adf Eucalymnatus tessellatus (Sign.) . Sulawesi Utara, Dumoga- Bone N. P., Tumpah Riverside, Torant, about 215m alt., on Eugenia cf. calucob, (probably calubcob), 10.iii.1985, J.H. Martin #4632 ( BMNH): 2/14adff (fg).

BRUNEI, Muara , on mangroves, 8.xi.1992, J.H. Martin #6210 ( BMNH): 1/1adf (f).

Note. The description is mainly based on the type specimens; data for non-type specimens in [..] brackets where significantly different.

Unmounted material. Derm black (J. Martin, pers. com.).

Slide-mounted adult female. Body broadest posteriorly; sometimes showing some asymmetry, particularly ventrally. Length 2.2–2.4 mm, width 1.8–1.9 mm.

Dorsum. Derm barely sclerotised on younger specimen but becoming rather uniformly sclerotised on older specimen; submarginally with quite large, faint oval areolations, each 17–25 µm wide with a darker border, these becoming more obscure medially; all of derm with minute pale spots, each about 0.5 µm wide. Marginal radial lines membranous, short, each about 65 µm long, as follows: with 11 lines on head, each side with 3 between stigmatic clefts and 11 on abdomen. Clear areas obscure or absent on younger specimens but clearly present on mature specimens. Dorsal setae rather short, curved with a blunt apex, each about 4–5 µm long in a small setal socket about 3 µm wide; frequent in a submarginal band (mainly within marginal radial lines) but apparently absent more medially; on older specimen, basal socket can be hard to separate from simple pores. Large dorsal pores few, each 4–5 µm wide with indistinct micropores, in a sparse submedial band; with 9–15 on each side; position of each pore rather variable. Small simple pores, each about 2 µm wide in a clear, unstained area of derm, sparse throughout, more or less in a polygonal pattern; also present sparsely along margin. Anal plates rather small, together quadrate, each with a somewhat rounded outer angle, and with anterior margin subequal to or slightly shorter than posterior margin [subequal]; each with 1 small pore and 1 seta about 8 µm long, in middle of each plate [placed more posteriorly] and perhaps 3 obscure setae on apex; length of each plate 120–140 µm, combined widths 80–105 µm. Anogenital fold with 1 pair of small setae along anterior margin, each lateral margin with 0 or 1 seta anteriorly and 1 posteriorly. Anal ring with 3 pairs of setae, ventral pair much stouter and longer than dorsal pair, ventral setae each about 235 µm long; anal tube a little longer than anal plates.

Margin. Marginal ornamentation: margin slightly wavy, with 2 or 3 shallow sclerotisations between setae but youngest specimen with corrugations, each with a shallow sclerotisation, becoming wavy on older specimens. Marginal setae oval and fan-shaped; width of each fan about 30–35 µm, length 20–23 µm; with 60–61 setae anteriorly between anterior stigmatic clefts, each side with 21–25 between stigmatic clefts, and 57–61 along abdominal margin. Stigmatic clefts quite deep, each with a sclerotised inner margin and 3 parallel-sided blunt stigmatic spines, sometimes more club-shaped; median spines longer than lateral spines but none extending out of cleft; length of median spines 25–35 µm; lateral spines each 15–25 µm long. Eyespots each rather oval; width of socket about 50–60 µm, diameter of lens 16–18 µm.

Venter. With a complete, quite narrow, darker marginal border about 40–85 µm wide, with dark radial “fingers”. Multilocular disc-pores present in groups around genital opening and in preceding segment only, each side with 3–10 (mainly 7–10) in abdominal segment VII, and 10–18 on segment VI. Spiracular disc-pores present in a narrow band of 8–14 between margin and each spiracle. Ventral microducts very small, present throughout but most abundant posterior to labium. Ventral setae: with 2 pairs of interantennal setae; 1 pair of long setae in abdominal segment VII, each seta about 90 µm long, and slightly shorter setae present medially in other abdominal and thoracic segments; submarginal setae infrequent and short. Antennae well developed, with 6 segments; total length 185–230 µm, apical segment about 39–46 µm long; apical seta 15 µm long; setal distribution normal. Clypeolabral shield small, 85–90 µm long. Spiracles small, width of each peritreme 16–18 µm. Legs well developed but small; dimensions of hind leg (µm): coxa 70–72; trochanter + femur 93–106; tibia 46–55; tarsus 50– 55, and claw very short, 8; tarsal digitules fairly long and capitate; claw digitules subequal in length to tarsal digitule, broad but one narrower than other, particularly towards base; claw without a denticle; setal distribution: coxae 5; trochanter 1; femur 2; tibia 2 and tarsus 3.

Comments. Adult female P. neomaritimum are morphologically very similar to those of P. hainanense and P. machili . Paralecanium neomaritimum differs from P. hainanense as follows (character-states for P. hainanense in brackets): (i) a long seta is present on the ventral surface of each trochanter (absent); (ii) the anal plates are clearly longer than their combined widths (plates approximately as long as their combined widths), and (iii) the large dorsal pores are about 4–5 µm wide (about 7 µm wide). Paralecanium neomaritimum differs from P. machili in the presence of large dorsal pores (absent on P. machili ) and in having dissimilar claw digitules (similar on P. machili ).

Host-plants. Eugenia calubcob ( Myrtaceae ); mangroves ( Rhizophora sp., Rhizophoraceae ). Unconfirmed host plant: Avicennia sp. ( Acanthaceae ).

Figures

FIGURE 50. Paralecanium neomaritimum Takahashi, adult female.