Cerochiton ficoides (Green) Green, 2016

Chris J. Hodgson & Douglas J. Williams, 2016, (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha, Coccomorpha) with particular reference to species from the Afrotropical, western Palaearctic and western Oriental Regions, with the revival of Antecerococcus Green and description of a new genus and fifteen new species, and with ten new synonomies, Zootaxa 4091 (1), pp. 1-175 : 147-149

Cerochiton ficoides (Green) , comb. nov.

( Fig. 52 )

Cerococcus ficoides Green 1899: 225 ..

Cerococcus ficoïdes Green ; Balachowsky 1932: 34. Misspelling of species name. Phenacobryum ficoides (Green) ; Tang & Hao 1995: 238. Change of combination.

Type details. INDIA, Assam, Duars, on Theaceae, G. Watt. Depositories : BMNH: lectotype adf (designated by Lambdin & Kosztarab, 1977: 109) + 1/4 adff (same data, labelled “ Type ” (assumed paralectotypes). USNM: as for lectotype: 1/2 or 3 paralectotype adff (very p) + 2/7 first-instar nymphs.

Material studied. Lectotype f: INDIA, Duars, recd 7.viii.1905, on Tea ( Thea sp., Theaceae ), G. Wyatt (BMNH): 1/1adf (fg). Also: same data, labelled “ Type ” (assumed paralectotypes) (BMNH): 1/4adff (f–p). Also: TAIWAN (as Formosa), Taihoku, no host, 14.xii.1930, R. Takahashi no. 9 (BMNH): 1/2adff (f–p).

Note: description applies to the Indian material unless stated otherwise.

Mounted material. Body slightly elongate pear-shaped, 1.5-2.5 mm long, 1.5-2.3 mm wide.

Dorsum. Eight-shaped pores of 3 sizes: (i) larger pores, each 11–13 x 7.5–8.0 µm, present in a circle around apex of each stigmatic pore band plus a few sunken pores, slightly smaller, each 10 x 6.5–7.0 µm, in centre of group as follows: each anterior apex with 16–22 large pores in outer circle and 7–10 in centre; each middle apex with 13–16 pores in outer ring and 5–8 centrally, and posterior-most apex with 12–15 pores in outer circle and 3 or 4 in centre; (ii) intermediate pores each 6– 8 x 4.0–4.5 µm, present sparsely in a wide marginal/submarginal band and in a transverse band around cribriform plates (in the type specimen, these appear to be of the large type but are intermediate in the other four specimens); and (iii) smallest pores unusually small, each 4– 5 x 2.5 µm, in fairly dense lines forming a lace-like pattern, as follows: in 5 pairs of wavy lines extending radially from margin, meeting a roughly circular line of pores submedially; also with a transverse line across centre, about level with posterior spiracle; small pores also very sparse throughout medial area of dorsum; without large 8-shaped pores along margin of posterior abdominal segments. Simple pores very sparse, each 1.5–2.0 µm wide. Cribriform plates small, each about 12 µm wide, with a fairly small area of large micropores; with a single pair of plates present in a medial group (Taiwanese material with 2 submedial groups of 3–7 plates, some fused). Dorsal setae extremely few, each setose, and mainly 5 µm long but with a single fleshy seta just mesad to each group of sunken pores in each stigmatic pore apex. Tubular ducts of two widths, narrow ducts about 1.3 µm wide and about 16 µm long, present throughout; broader ducts about 2.5 µm wide and about 20 µm long, restricted to a line parallel to each side of lattice-like lines of 8-shaped pores; absent from posterior abdominal segments. Anal lobes 80–100 µm long, membranous when young (lectotype) becoming sclerotized when older (paralectotypes); inner margin distinctly sclerotized on all specimens; apex of each lobe tending to bend outwards; each lobe with a short apical seta, each 50–60 µm long; each inner margin with 3 setose setae, each 15–25 µm long, and two fleshy bullet-shaped dorsal setae near apex, each 6–8 µm long; ventral surface without a setose seta near apex but with two short setose setae more anteriorly, each 10–12 µm long; apparently without an outer margin seta; each lobe with a line of 5 or 6 small 8-shaped pores dorsally and ventrally. Median anal plate roundly triangular, 46–52 µm long, 75–80 µm wide at base; usual basal sclerotization narrow. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each about 100 µm long, each narrowing gradually towards apex.

Venter. Eight-shaped pores of two types: intermediate-sized pore, similar to those on dorsum, in a sparse submarginal band in head and thorax, and also medially on anterior abdominal segments; small pores, similar to those on dorsum, in a lattice-like pattern with radial lines meeting those from dorsum, and extending to a semicircular band submedially, with two transverse bands posteriorly, 1 on about abdominal segment II and other on about segment IV; small pores also present across posterior abdominal segments and on anal lobes. Simple pores, similar to those on dorsum, very sparse. Small bilocular pores, each 3.0–4.0 x 2.5 µm, frequent medially on head and thorax. Spiracular disc-pores small, each 3–4 µm wide, mainly with 5 loculi near each spiracle but with mainly 8 loculi near apex of each band; posterior band bifurcated; with very few pores near each spiracle (2–4); each band sparse but then forming an almost round apical group on dorsum; approximate totals for each band: anterior 35–36, median 30–32 and posterior 15–25; each apical group distinctive, with an outer ring of large 8-shaped pores and a group of sunken 8-shaped pores in centre of apex, as described under dorsum above. Also with a group of 9–13 pores, mainly 5-locular, laterad to each antenna. Multilocular disc-pores, each 5–7 µm wide and with mainly 7 or 8 (a few 10) loculi, distributed on abdomen as follows: VIII possibly none; VII 12 in a transverse band; VI 3 laterally + 14 medially; occasionally 1 present submedially in?IV; none found more anteriorly. Tubular ducts similar to narrow type on dorsum, present throughout. Ventral setae slightly more abundant than on dorsum on posterior abdominal segments but all setose and short; preanal setae each about 50 µm long; companion setae quite long, each about 28 µm long. Leg stubs absent. Antennae unsegmented, very short, each about 20 µm wide, with about 7 or 8 setose and fleshy setae; without either a cone-like apex or a distinct setal cavity. Clypeolabral shield 145 µm long. Spiracular peritreme each 26–30 µm wide.

Comment. The adult female of C. ficoides is clearly closely similar to those of C. bernardi and C. javanensis , sharing with them: (i) stigmatic pore bands with the same structured apex; (ii) fleshy setae associated with each stigmatic pore apex, and (iii) at least two sizes of tubular ducts on the dorsum, the larger present on each side of the lattice-like lines of 8-shaped pores. For further comparison, see under C. bernardi above.

The adult female of C. ficoides is characterised by the following combination of character-states: (i) anteroventral sclerotizations absent; (ii) three finely spinose setae present along inner margin of each anal lobe; (iii) dorsal fleshy setae on anal lobes rather spinose and bullet-shaped; (iv) posteroventral seta on each anal lobe absent; (v) dorsum with three sizes of 8-shaped pore; (vi) smallest 8-shaped pores forming a lace-like pattern throughout dorsum and margins of venter; (vii) largest 8-shaped pores restricted to within and around apices of each stigmatic band; (viii) apex of each stigmatic pore band with round groups of 4–10 sunken 8-shaped pores in centre; (ix) lateral margins of posterior abdominal segments without large 8-shaped pores; (x) cribriform plates represented by a single plate medially on abdominal segment IV (Taiwanese material with a submedial group of 3–7 plates on each side); (xi) stigmatic bands quite long and extending onto dorsum; (xii) tubular ducts of two sizes on dorsum, broadest in a line on either side of each lace-like pattern and medially on posterior abdominal segments; (xiii) leg stubs absent; (xiv) stigmatic pore bands bifurcated; (xv) multilocular disc-pores present on posterior abdominal segments; (xvi) spiracular disc-pores extremely few near spiracles but quite abundant in each stigmatic pore band apex, and (xvii) antennae without either a cone-like apex or setal cavily.

Figures

FIGURE 52. Cerochiton ficoides (Green). Adult female.