Ferrisia pitcairnia Kaydan & Gullan, 2012

Kaydan, M. B. & Gullan, P. J., 2012, 3543, Zootaxa 3543, pp. 1-65 : 39-41

Ferrisia pitcairnia Kaydan & Gullan sp. n.

( Fig. 16)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9387D25D-0AC6-41E8-827D-9C904B603A9F

Type material. Holotype: adult ♀ ex Pitcairnia sp., PUERTO RICO, Maricao, Road # 120, km 17.5, 5.xi.2003, D.R. Miller, UCDC type # 1791 ( BME) . Paratypes: PUERTO RICO: 8 adult ♀ (8 slides), 1 second-instar nymph (1 slide), same data as holotype ( BME including DNA voucher ♀ FBK020, 1 adult ♀ BMNH) ; 27 ♀ (14 slides), 3 third-instar ♀ (3 slides), ex Pitcairnia angustifolia, Maricao, Reserva Forestal , 21.vii.1977, S. Nakahara, N-77-107 ( USNM) ; 6 adult ♀ (5 slides), 1 third-instar ♀ (1 slide), 1 second-instar nymph (on slide with 2 adult ♀), ex tender inner leaf whorl of Pitcairnia angustifolia, Maricao, Maricao State Forest, Rt 120, km 9.5, 18°08’04”N, 66°57’18”W, 5.x.2006, Alex Segarra ( BME including DNA voucher ♀ FBK044) ; 1 adult ♀ + 2 second-instar nymphs (all on 1 slide), on Bromeliaceae , quarantine intercept at DC., 1.viii.1935, C.E. Prince Jr., E.Q. No. 037200 ( USNM) .

ADULT FEMALE. Diagnosis. Ferrisia pitcairnia can be diagnosed by the following combination of features: small body size; absence of clusters of small oral-collar tubular ducts on ventral margins of abdominal segments; ventral oral-collar tubular ducts generally associated with 1 or 2 minute discoidal pores around the rim (each pore slightly larger than duct opening, 3–4 µm in diameter); dorsal enlarged tubular ducts totalling 13–27 throughout dorsum, rim of each duct often with 1 or 2 oval discoidal pores usually adjacent to duct opening; number of multilocular disc pores on venter as follows: 0–4 on abdominal segment V, 5–9 on VI, 12–27 on VII, and 12–23 on VIII + IX, sometimes 1 pore between labium and anterior spiracle on each side; both pairs of ostioles present and well developed; antennae 7 or 8 (mostly 7) segmented.

Ferrisia pitcairnia is most similar to F. colombiana but the two species can be easily separated by the much smaller size of F. pitcairnia (1.3–1.8 mm long, 0.5–1.0 mm wide) compared to F. colombiana (1.9–2.1 mm long, 1.0– 1.2 mm wide); absence of translucent pores on hind legs (present in F. colombiana ); and by the smaller number of ventral oral-collar tubular ducts (15–23 in F. pitcairnia and 55–75 in F. colombiana ).

Description of slide-mounted specimens (based on holotype and 16 adult female paratypes; Fig. 16). Body elongate oval, 1.30–1.78 mm long (holotype 1.29 mm), 0.54–0.96 mm wide (holotype 0.68 mm). Eye marginal, 37.5–50 µm wide. Antenna 7 or 8 segmented, 275–350 µm long; apical segment 75–85 µm long, 25–33 µm wide. Clypeolabral shield 130–170 µm long, 135–160 µm wide. Labium 110–145 µm long, 85–120 µm wide. Anterior spiracles 42–55 µm long, 22–30 µm wide across atrium; posterior spiracles 52–70 µm long, 25–33 µm wide across atrium. Circulus quadrate, 72–85 µm wide, divided by an intersegmental line. Legs well developed; hind trochanter + femur 210–260 µm long, hind tibia + tarsus 215–265 µm long, hind claw 25–30 µm long. Ratio of lengths of hind tibia + tarsus to hind trochanter + femur 0.97–1.1, ratio of lengths of hind tibia to tarsus 1.50–1.86, ratio of length of hind trochanter + femur to greatest width of femur 2.77–3.57. Tarsal digitules subequal, each 37–50 µm long. Claw digitules subequal, each 25–35 µm long. Translucent pores absent on hind legs. Ostioles: both pairs present; each anterior ostiole with 18–27 trilocular pores and 5–6 setae; each posterior ostiole with 19–28 trilocular pores and 5–12 setae. Anal ring 67–83 µm wide, with 6 anal ring setae, each seta 125–213 µm long.

Dorsum. Anal lobe cerarii each with 2 conical setae, 17–28 µm long, with 21–25 trilocular pores and 3–7 auxiliary setae. Dorsal body setae short and slender, each 12–63 µm long. Trilocular pores each 3–4 µm in diameter. Enlarged tubular ducts totalling 13–27 on dorsum, each duct 23–27 µm long, 5.0–6.5 µm wide at midlength, duct opening 6.5–8.0 µm in diameter, surrounded by a sclerotised circular rim 13–23 µm in diameter and typically enclosing 1 or 2 oval discoidal pores which are generally adjacent to duct opening, and with 1–5 (generally 2 or 3) setae, each 20–30 µm long, usually either within rim (especially on abdomen) or on edge of rim (especially on head); ducts distributed only marginally on head, thorax and abdominal segments; each segment with 0–2 enlarged ducts, but with 2 or 3 ducts on each side of abdominal segment VII.

Venter. Body setae slender, each 13–130 µm long, longest setae medially on head; apical seta of anal lobe 177–210 µm long. Distibution of multilocular disc pores as follows: 0–4 pores on abdominal segment V, 3–8 on segment VI, 12–18 on segment VII, 11–26 on segments VIII + IX, and sometimes 1 pore between anterior spiracle and labium; each pore 7–10 (mostly 8–9) µm in diameter. Trilocular pores each 2.5–4.0 µm in diameter. Minute discoidal pores each 2.5–4.0 µm in diameter scattered on venter and generally associated with oral-collar tubular ducts. Oral-collar tubular ducts minute, each 6.2–8.3 µm long, 2.5 µm wide, totalling 15–23, mostly together with 1 discoidal pore (rarely 2), distributed as follows: 5–8 on head and thorax, and on each abdominal segment: 0–3 total on segments I–III; 0–1 on IV; 0–1 on V; 1–3 on VI; 3–6 on VII; 0 or 1 (generally none) on VIII.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the genus name of host plant Pitcairnia. The name should be treated as a noun in apposition.

Biological note. The collection of this species made by Alex Segarra on 5 October 2006 was from a clump of plants of Pitcairnia angustifolia growing on the ground under heavy shade at 2,600 feet [793 m] elevation on a SW facing slope, and most of mealybugs were protected within the tender inner leaf whorls (few on the exterior) and they were tended by small ants (A. Segarra, personal communication).