Paralecanium leei Hodgson

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 : 103-105

Paralecanium leei Hodgson spec. n.

( Fig. 42 )

Material examined. Holotype f and paratypes: CHINA, Hong Kong: left label: teneral f, imm / Paralecanium / leei Hodgson / Holotype f + paratype ff; right label: Neottopteris / nitidus / (Fern, upper / surfaces of lvs) / HONG KONG: N.T. / Tai Tong, Yuen / Long, 29.iii.2011 / C.L. Lee coll ( BMNH): 1/5adff (g) + 2 second-instar males (g) (Holotype specimen top left specimen, clearly labelled). Paratypes: Hong Kong: as previous but labelled paratypes ( BMNH): 5/14adff (fg, mature specimens) + 2 slides with 8 first-instar nymphs, 1 second-instar male and 1 second/third-instar female nymphs.

Other material. CHINA, Hong Kong, Botanic gardens, on Asplenium nidus , 1.viii.1936, R.H. Le Pelley ( USNM): 1/1adf (fg). Tai Tam Country Park, on Gnetum luofuense , 24.ii.2010, C.S.K. Lau ( BMNH): 4/10adff (1 young and unsclerotised), 2 second/third-instar females + 3 second-instar male nymphs (g).

Note. The description is based mainly on several young, less sclerotised specimens in the type series. Data in [..] refer to the specimen off Asplenium where different.

Slide-mounted adult female. Body broadest posteriorly and slightly more pointed anteriorly; venter often showing distinct asymmetry. Length 1.4–2.75 mm, width 1.2–2.0 mm.

Dorsum. Derm membranous when young but becoming rather uniformly sclerotised on more mature specimens, with faint oval areolations marginally and submarginally, these rapidly becoming absent more medially. Marginal radial lines indistinct on young specimens, mainly indicated by distribution of dorsal setae, but distinct on mature specimens; several lines quite long and fusing submedially, as follows: 11 lines anteriorly between anterior stigmatic clefts, each side with 3 between clefts and 11 on abdomen, none from each stigmatic cleft. Derm otherwise without patternation but with minute pale spots. With 4 pairs of clear areas on abdomen (only visible on more mature specimens). A sparse polygonal pattern present, shown most obviously by distribution of dorsal setae and pores. Dorsal setae each 5–7 [4–6] µm long, more or less parallel-sided with a bluntly pointed, slightly clavate apex; most frequent in each marginal radial line but also extending onto dorsum and present in 5 or 6 very sparse transverse lines medially. Dorsal pores of 3 sizes present: (i) large, each 5–6 µm wide with micropores and a broad sclerotised margin, present in 2 sparse submedial bands, with 20–27 [16–17] on each side; (ii) smaller pores, perhaps microducts, each slightly oval, about 2.0 µm wide and appearing to be bilocular, and (iii) minute simple pores, each about 1 µm wide, appearing as a clear spot on mature specimens; both smaller pore types present throughout, perhaps in a sparse polygonal pattern. Anal plates each with a sharp bend in outer margin; each plate with 1 or 2 small pores medially and possibly 4 small setae near apex; length of plates 128–140 [125] µm, combined width 100–110 µm. Anogenital fold with 1 pair of small setae along anterior margin, each lateral margin with 1 seta anteriorly and another posteriorly.

Margin. Marginal ornamentation present as corrugations, each corrugation with a stout short radial line or arrowhead, with 2–4 corrugations between marginal setae. Marginal setae fan-shaped and oval; width of each fan 28–38 µm, length 20–25 µm; with about 77–94 [69] setae anteriorly between anterior stigmatic clefts, each side with 30–35 [27] between stigmatic clefts, and 67–80 [61] along abdominal margin. Stigmatic clefts narrow but quite shallow, each with a sclerotised inner margin and 3 blunt, parallel-sided stigmatic spines; median spine just longest, each 33–38 [40–45] µm long, each lateral spine 28–35 µm long. Eyespots each more or less round; width of socket about 63–75 µm at its widest, diameter of lens about 26–33 µm.

Venter. Older specimens with a marginal band about 100 µm wide [50–60 µm]; with broad dark finger-like markings extending radially from margin (absent on young specimens). Multilocular disc-pores present around genital opening and on preceding 2 segments only, each side with 12–18 on abdominal segment VII; 15–19 on segment VI and 1–5 on segment V. Spiracular disc-pores present in a narrow band between margin and each spiracle, with 10–19 pores in each band. Ventral microducts very small, not concentrated in a group just posterior to mouthparts but sparse throughout. Ventral setae: with 2 pairs of interantennal setae; a pair of long pregenital setae on abdominal segments VII, plus pairs of shorter setae medially on more anterior abdominal and thoracic segments; without a group of long setae on each side of anal opening; submarginal setae few and short; other setae very sparse. Antennae each 6 segmented; total length 240–265 [225] µm; apical segment 40–50 µm long; apical seta each about 17–20 µm long; segments IV and V each with a setose seta. Clypeolabral shield small, 100–105 µm long. Spiracles: width of each peritreme 23–27 µm. Legs well developed; dimensions of hind leg (µm): coxa 79–83 [70–85], trochanter + femur 125 [110–116], tibia + tarsus 185–190 [128–135]; claw about 10; tarsal digitules subequal in length to claw digitules; claw digitules both broad but with one slightly broader than other; claw without a denticle; setal distribution: coxa 5; trochanter 1, quite long; femur 2; tibia 2 and tarsus 3 or 4.

Comments. The specimens off Asplenium have slightly shorter legs but are otherwise extremely similar to the type series

In having rather distinct marginal radial lines, adult female P. leei are similar to P. calophylli , P. frenchii , P. neoguineense , P. ovatum , P. palawanense and P. peradeniyense . The adult female of P. leei differs from these species in having the following combination of features: (i) capitate dorsal setae, these extending medially, (ii) marginal ornamentation as sclerotised dashes, (iii) fairly distinct abdominal clear areas, and (iv) some multilocular disc-pores in abdominal segment V.

Host-plants. Neottopteris nidus , Asplenium nidus (Aspleniaceae) ; Gnetum luofuense (Gnetaceae) .

Name derivation. This species is named after the collector, Lee Chi Ling, a retired field officer from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, Hong Kong, who is still helping with pest surveillance work.

Figures

FIGURE 42. Paralecanium leei Hodgson, spec. n., adult female.