Icerya samaraia (Morrison)

Unruh, Corinne M. & Gullan, Penny J., 2008, Identification guide to species in the scale insect tribe Iceryini (Coccoidea: Monophlebidae), Zootaxa 1803 (1), pp. 1-106 : 95

Icerya samaraia (Morrison)

Steatococcus samaraius Morrison, 1927: 109 .

Icerya samaraia (Morrison) ; Unruh & Gullan (2008: 42) .

Unmounted material. Adult female with "pale-yellow body covered in white to sulphur-yellow flocculent wax, tinged with white" ( Williams & Watson, 1990: 33).

Slide-mounted material. Adult female oval, 2.9–5.0 mm long, 2.4–4.0 mm wide (holotype 2.9 mm long, 2.4 mm wide). Antennae 9 to 11 segmented (holotype with 9 segments). Eyes, mouthparts and legs as for tribe. Thoracic spiracles as for genus. Hair-like setae scattered on derm, longest setae in clusters around margin. Flagellate setae distributed as for genus. Open-centre pores, each 20–24 µm in diameter, 21–23 µm long, with 12–14 outer loculi and sclerotized inner rim, present in clusters of 2–6 around margin. Simple multilocular pores, each with elongate or bilocular (rarely trilocular) centre and 6–10 outer loculi, scattered across dorsal surface. Marsupial band round at posterior end, 3 or 4 pores wide, becoming sclerotized with age, formed by simple multilocular pores, each 8–10 µm in diameter, with bilocular (rarely trilocular) centre and 4–8 outer loculi; anterior edge transverse, with a band of pores, 3 or 4 wide, not becoming sclerotized, formed by same pores as on posterior edge of band; anterior edges of posterior band not quite reaching anterior transverse row of marsupial band. Simple multilocular pores, each 7–9 µm in diameter, with bilocular, trilocular or quadrilocular centre (rarely quinquelocular) and 4–12 outer loculi, and appearing bluish when stained, scattered in marsupial cavity and around edges of marsupial band, and sparsely scattered on ventral surface; similar pores, but each pore with bilocular centre (appearing reniform) and 4–6 outer loculi, scattered on ventromedial head and thorax. Vulvar opening as for genus. Cicatrices oval to round, numbering 3, central cicatrix slightly larger than lateral cicatrices. Abdominal spiracles in 3 pairs. Anal tube as for genus; anal opening as for genus, surrounded by robust hair-like setae and typical simple multilocular pores with round centre and 8–12 round outer loculi.

Type data. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Samarai (G. Compere).

Type material. Holotype: ad ♀, “ Steatococcus /samaraius/n.sp./ Samaria [sic],/ New Guinea /Geo. Compere, Coll.” ( USNM) . Paratypes: 2 ad ♀♀ (same slide as holotype); 6 1 st -instar nymphs (one slide), 3 ♀, 2 1 st - instar nymphs (nymphs and females on one slide) (same data as holotype) ( USNM) ; partially destroyed ♀ and nymphs (one slide), “ Icerya / Steatococcus /samaraius nsp./ On Citrus trees/ Samria [sic], New Guine./Geo. Compere, Coll./Comp. Coll # Comp 343” ( USNM) ; dry material ( USNM).

Taxonomic notes. Refer to the taxonomic notes of I. assamensis and I. nudata group for a discussion of similar species.

The holotype female is encircled on the slide and has a line leading to it and the word “ holotype ”. The holotype female has 6 first-instar nymphs present in her marsupium. Williams and Watson (1990) described the dorsal pores of this species as having a bilocular or trilocular centre. We found that pores with a trilocular centre are very rare and that the derm is covered with simple multilocular pores with an elongate or bilocular centre.