Allocotaphis minensis Zhang, Chen, Zhong & Li, 1999

Stekolshchikov, Andrey V. & Qiao, Ge-Xia, 2023, Revision of the genus Allocotaphis Börner, 1950 (Hemiptera, Homoptera, Aphididae, Macrosiphini), Zootaxa 5227 (1), pp. 63-99 : 66-74

Allocotaphis minensis Zhang, Chen, Zhong & Li, 1999

( Figs. 1–29 , Tabl. 1 )

Material examined. Holotype: gynopara, No. 8731-1-1 (collection number of IOZ CAS), “8731-1-1, Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd. , Northwest China, Gansu Province, Min County, 86.10.3” . Additional materials: No. 8726-1, 19 gynoparae, Arctium lappa L., Northwest China, Gansu Province, Dangchang County, 30.ix.1986 ; No. 8744-1, one gynopara, four males, nine oviparous females, Berberis thunbergii DC. , Northwest China, Gansu Province, Min County, 4.x.1986 ; No. 8755-1, five gynoparae, one male, Pyrus xerophila T.T.Yu , Northwest China, Gansu Province, Min County, 7.x.1986 .

Etymology. The adjectival (feminine) specific epithet refers to the type locality, Min County, Gansu, China.

The gynopara is described in greatest detail below. For the other morphs, the differences from gynopara are pointed out.

Description. Gynopara ( Figs. 1–10 ). Body broadly elliptical, 1.7–2.9 times as long as wide. Color when alive unknown. Cleared specimens with head, thorax, antennal segments I–V and base of VI, coxae, distal three-quarters of femora and apices of tibia dark brown; processus terminalis, ultimate rostral segments, tibiae (except apices), tarsi, siphunculi, and subgenital and anal plates brown; trochanters, basal one-quarter of femora and cauda lightbrown. Abdomen with large marginal sclerites on segments I–VII, large muscle plates on tergites I–VI, sclerites on tergites I–III and sclerotized bands on tergites IV–VIII; submarginal sclerites on tergite III usually large; sometimes bands on tergites IV and VII, and rarely on tergite VIII, interrupted in the middle; bands on tergites V–VI often fused into patch. Surface of head, thoracic dorsum and abdominal tergites I–VI smooth or weakly wrinkled, sometimes with sparse small pointed spinules, especially on marginal sclerites; surface of abdominal tergite VII–VIII and postsiphuncular sclerites with scales formed by small pointed or smoothed partially fused spinules; cuticle on ventral side of thorax and abdomen smooth, only sternites VI–VII and subgenital plate with long rows of small pointed spinules. Setae on the whole body and appendages mostly finely pointed, only those on antennal segments III–VI pointed or slightly blunt. Head without traces of epicranial suture. Antennal tubercles distinct, relatively high, median tubercle distinct but much lower than antennal.Antennae 6-segmented, antennal segment III with 59–119 secondary rhinaria spaced evenly along the segment, segment IV with 21–50 and segment V with 6–20; external diameter of secondary rhinaria 1.7–4.0 times as long as high. Rostrum reaching meso- or metathorax. Ultimate rostral segment elongated, wedge-shaped, 2.0–3.2 times as long as its basal width. Peritremes on abdominal segments I and II fused. Siphunculi straight or very weakly curved outwards, conically wider at base, cylindrical for most of the length and very slightly widened towards apex in the distal half and occasionally (15% of specimens) with 1–2 setae. Cauda rounded, escutcheon-shaped.

Male ( Figs. 11–19 ). Alate. Body elongated elliptical, 2.1–2.6 times as long as wide. Color when alive unknown. Abdomen with large marginal sclerites on segments I–VII, large muscle plates on tergites I–VI, small and rare sclerites on tergite I, bands on tergites II–VIII, and medium-sized sclerites at the edges of sternites III–VI; bands on tergites II–IV always interrupted in the middle, bands on tergites V–VI sometimes also interrupted in the middle, but rarely not interrupted and can fused one with the other in the area of the midline. Antennal segment III with 87–113, segment IV with 38–48 and segment V with 18–29 secondary rhinaria. Ultimate rostral segment 2.5–2.8 times as long as its basal width. Peritremes on abdominal segments I and II fused or sometimes separated by a distance less than diameter of peritreme.

Oviparous female ( Figs. 20–29 ). Body broadly elliptical, 1.5–1.7 times as long as wide. Color when alive unknown. Cleared specimens with head, sclerotized bands on thorax and abdomen, antennal segment I, coxae, femora (except basal one-quarter), bases and apices of tibia, siphunculi and subgenital plate dark brown; antennae (except antennal segment I), III and ultimate rostral segment, trochanters, basal one-quarter of femora, tibia (except bases and apices), tarsi, anal plate and cauda light-brown. All tergites of the thorax and abdomen with wide sclerotized bands, which almost always fused with marginal sclerites and peritremes and sometimes on tergites III–V partially fused with each other. Surface of abdominal tergite VIII with sparse rows of smoothed partially fused spinules; cuticle on ventral side of abdomen smooth. Head rarely with weak traces of epicranial suture. Antennal tubercles low, weakly expressed, median tubercle wide but very low, almost inconspicuous. Antennae 6- or rarely 5-segmented, without secondary rhinaria. Rostrum reaching metathorax—abdominal segment I. Ultimate rostral segment 1.8–2.2 times as long as its basal width. Peritremes on abdominal segments I and II separated by a distance more than diameter of peritreme. Siphunculi slightly narrowed at the base, cylindrical in the basal half, and slightly tapering towards the apex in the distal half, without setae. Cauda rounded escutcheon-shaped, almost semicircular. Hind tibiae more or less distinctly swollen with 133–185 round or oval pheromone plates.

Systematic relationships. The differences between A. minensis and A. quaestionis are given in the key. For a comparison between A. minensis and A. multisetosa , see the description of the last species.

Distribution. China: Gansu Province: Dingxi City, Min County and Longnan City, Dangchang County.

Biology. Twenty gynoparae of A. minensis were collected on September 30, 1986 from Arctium lappa in Dangchang County. Later, on October 3 and 7, 1986, gynoparae and males were collected from two species of Pyrus , P. bretschneideri and P. xerophila , in Min County, and there on October 4, one gynopara, 4 males, and 9 oviparous females were collected from Berberis thunbergii . This allows us to state with a high degree of confidence that A. minensis has a dioecious life cycle and its secondary hosts are plants in the Asteraceae family, which is also typical for A. quaestionis , and possibly for A. multisetosa . Although all three autumn morphs of the species were collected from Berberis , it seems more likely that Pyrus is the primary host of A. minensis , since the migration from apple to Asteraceae has already been established within the genus. Further research is needed to establish if A. minensis is indeed able to live on Berberis and confirm that this record is not an accident or a mistake.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Gynoparae of Allocotaphis minensis Zhang, Chen, Zhong et Li, 1999 (holotype), habitus.

FIGURE 2. Gynoparae of Allocotaphis minensis Zhang, Chen, Zhong et Li, 1999, habitus.

FIGURES 3–10. Allocotaphis minensis Zhang, Chen, Zhong et Li, 1999, gynoparae. 3, antennae; 4, antennal segment III; 5, antennal segment VI; 6, head; 7, ultimate rostral segment; 8, hind tarsus; 9, siphunculus; 10, cauda.

FIGURE 11. Male of Allocotaphis minensis Zhang, Chen, Zhong et Li, 1999, habitus.

FIGURES 12–19. Allocotaphis minensis Zhang, Chen, Zhong et Li, 1999, male. 12, antennae; 13, antennal segment III; 14, antennal segment VI; 15, head; 16, ultimate rostral segment; 17, hind tarsus; 18, siphunculus; 19, cauda.

FIGURE 20. Oviparous female of Allocotaphis minensis Zhang, Chen, Zhong et Li, 1999, habitus.

FIGURES 21–29. Allocotaphis minensis Zhang, Chen, Zhong et Li, 1999, oviparous female. 21, antennae; 22, antennal segment III; 23, last antennal segment; 24, head; 25, ultimate rostral segment; 26, hind tibia; 27, hind tarsus; 28, siphunculus; 29, cauda.