Pseudotectococcus Hempel 1934

Hodgson, Chris, 2020, A review of neococcid scale insects (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccomorpha) based on the morphology of the adult males, Zootaxa 4765 (1), pp. 1-264 : 94

Pseudotectococcus Hempel 1934

Pseudotectococcus Hempel 1934 , 139. Type species: Pseudotectococcus anonae Hempel by monotypy and original designation.

Introduction. Little is known about the two species in this South American genus. However, galls of both sexes occur on the upper leaf surface of Annonaceae , those of females slightly rounder and blunter than those of males. The gall openings are all on the ventral surface of the leaf. Full descriptions of the adult females of both species and the adult male of P. rolliniae Hodgson & Gonçalves , are given in Hodgson et al. (2004) and Hodgson and Miller (2010) (where the figure is incorrectly labelled as P. anonae Hempel ).

Generic diagnosis based on adult male morphology of Pseudotectococcus rolliniae ( Fig. 37 ). Body: abdomen narrowing gradually; stout fs present on abdomen in addition to antennae and legs; loculate pores absent apart from in glandular pouches. Head: simple pores absent; ocular sclerite with very few striations or reticulations; dorsal mid-cranial ridge short; preocular ridge absent; genal setae present, both fs and hs; postoccipital ridge well developed, but anterior arm short; antennae 8 segmented; flagellar segments with both hs and fs, latter rather plump; capitate setae present only on apical antennal segment and perhaps previous segment, each apical segment with 7–10 capitate setae. Thorax: prosternal median ridge poorly developed; prescutum with or without prescutal setae; scutal setae present laterally; scutellum with scutellar setae; postmesospiracular setae present, all fs; basisternum with a few setae; metasternum with few setae; metaprecoxal ridge absent; postmetaspiracular setae present; tibia with 2 spurs; tibia and tarsus with a few stout fs; tarsi 2 segmented; claw digitules capitate; claws elongate, without a denticle. Abdomen: stout fs present on both tergites and sternites; glandular pouches present on segment VIII; setae on segment IX and style few; penial sheath quite long, with segment IX about 2/3rds length of style; style broad anteriorly, becoming sharply pointed posteriorly and about twice as long as basal width of segment IX.

Comment. As pointed out above, adult male P. rolliniae are rather similar to those of Calycicoccus merwei from South Africa. For main differences, see under the latter species and also the key to Gondwanan eriococcids above.

Figures

FIGURE 37. Pseudotectococcus rolliniae Hodgson & Gonçalves. Macropterous male. (Eriococcidae, Gondwanan group).Where A=cranial apophysis, B=dorsal and ventral view of posterior abdominal segments and penial sheath, C=simple pore, D=fleshy seta, E=apical four segments of antenna and F=tibia and tarsus of metathoracic leg. For abbreviations, see p. 8.