Pseudoferrisia floridana (Ferris) Kaydan & Gullan, 2012

Kaydan, M. B. & Gullan, P. J., 2012, 3543, Zootaxa 3543, pp. 1-65 : 60-62

Pseudoferrisia floridana (Ferris) comb. n.

( Fig. 23)

Ferrisiana floridana Ferris, 1953: 360 .

Ferrisia floridana ; McKenzie, 1967: 179. Change of combination.

Type material examined. Holotype of Ferrisiana floridana Ferris : adult ♀ on slide labelled: “ Ferrisiana / floridana n. sp. / TYPE/ Host. Grass roots / Cross City, Fla. (7 ms. N.) / coll. T. H. Hubbell / Berlese funnel / - XI- 1925 / 22756”, UCD type # 640 ( BME). Two paratypes could not be located.

Other material examined: U.S.A., Florida : 1 adult ♀, ex sedge, Columbia Co., Hwy 94, 16.vii.1983, R. Beshear (HHT-2-83) ( FSCA) ; 1 adult ♀, ex grass roots, Cross City (7 ms. N.), xi.1925, T.H. Hubbell, Berlese funnel, 22756 ( USNM) ; 1 adult ♀, ex sweeping, Dade Co., Everglades Nat. Park , E. entrance, 7.v.1975, R.F. Denno, J.A. Davidson, D.R. Miller, 2969 ( USNM) ; 1 adult ♀, ex Dichromena colorata [now Rhynchospora colorata ], Fellsmere , 13.ix.1982, E.W. Campbell ( FSCA) ; 1 adult ♀, ex Dichromena colorata, Fellsmere , 20.ix.1982, E.W. Campbell ( FSCA) ; 2 adult ♀ (2 slides), ex Dichromena sp. , Fellsmere , 18.x.1982, E.W. Campbell ( FSCA) ; 2 adult ♀ (2 slides), ex Rhynchospora divergens, Hobe Sound , 4.x.1978, E.W. Campbell ( FSCA) ; 1 adult ♀, ex Juncus effusus, Palatka , 17.vii.1980, K. Elliott ( FSCA) ; 2 adult ♀ (2 slides), ex Rhynchospora sp. , Palm City , 12.ix.1978, E.W. Campbell ( FSCA) ; 1adult ♀, ex Veronica sp. , Palm City , 19.x.1978, E.W. Campbell ( FSCA) ; 6 adult ♀ + 1 first-instar nymph (7 slides), ex Bulbostylis ciliatifolia, Port Saint Lucie , 13.xii.1977 and 25.xii.1977, E.W. Campbell ( FSCA & USNM) ; 1 adult ♀, ex Carex sp. , Port Saint Lucie , 3.vii.1977, E.W. Campbell ( FSCA) ; 1 adult ♀, ex Rhynchospora sp. , Port Saint Lucie , 12.v.1978, E.W. Campbell ( FSCA) ; 3 adult ♀ (3 slides), ex sedge, Port Saint Lucie , 10.x.1989, A. Hamon, M. Williams et al. ( FSCA) ; 2 adult ♀ (2 slides), ex Bulbostylis sp. , Stuart , 13.v.1978, E.W. Campbell ( FSCA) ; 1 adult ♀, ex Rhynchospora sp. , Vero Beach , 21.xii.1982, E.W. Campbell ( FSCA) ; U.S.A., Georgia: 1 adult ♀, ex unidentified grass, Charlton Co., 25.i.1975. R. Beshear ( USNM) .

This species is known only from grasses ( Poaceae ), rushes ( Juncaceae ), sedges ( Cyperaceae ) and shrubs in Florida and Georgia, U.S.A. The original description ( Ferris 1953) records the species based on three females, one (explicitly specified as ‘type’) from the roots of an unidentified grass and two from the crop of a quail, both in Florida, but only the type specimen from Cross City, Florida, could be located in the BME where Ferris’ collection is housed. There is one slide in the USNM with the same data as the holotype and, although the label says “original collection”, this specimen is not referred to by Ferris (1953) and thus we do not consider it to have any type status. The USNM also has several other specimens from Florida collected either on grass roots, on the sedge B. ciliatifolia , or by sweeping vegetation, and one specimen from the adjoining state of Georgia. The FSCA has specimens from sedges, a rush and a shrub of Veronica (Plantaginaceae) and all collected in Florida. It is not known whether the mealybugs in the FSCA were found on the roots, crown or aerial parts of the plants.

Ferris (1953) described and illustrated the adult female, but we provide a revised description based on additional specimens as well as a new illustration ( Fig. 23). Males of P. floridana have not been recorded but the USNM has one slide of a single first-instar nymph.

ADULT FEMALE. Diagnosis. As for genus.

Description of slide-mounted specimens (based on holotype and 10 other females: Fig. 23). Body elongate oval, 2.46–4.68 mm long (holotype 4.60 mm), 1.34–2.36 mm wide (holotype 2.25 mm). Eye marginal, 45–70 µm wide. Antenna 6 segmented, 290–380 µm long; apical segment 70–80 µm long, 30–33 µm wide. Clypeolabral shield 160–185 µm long, 170–185 µm wide. Labium 135–190 µm long, 110–180 µm wide. Anterior spiracles 65–90 µm long, 30–60 µm wide across atrium; posterior spiracles 80–100 µm long, 40–85 µm wide across atrium. Circulus absent. Legs well developed; hind trochanter + femur 270–360 µm long, hind tibia + tarsus 255–340 µm long, hind claw 25–45 µm long. Ratio of lengths of hind tibia + tarsus to hind trochanter + femur 0.88–1.06; ratio of lengths of hind tibia to tarsus 1.84–2.40; ratio of length of hind trochanter + femur to greatest width of femur 3.05–5.20. Tarsal digitules subequal, each 40–57 µm long. Claw digitules subequal, each 25–40 µm long. Translucent pores present on hind coxa, mostly dorsal; on coxa totalling 16–30 pit-like ‘pores’. Ostioles: both pairs present; each anterior ostiole, with 12–24 trilocular pores and 3–10 setae (setae on the posterior lips only); each posterior ostiole with 22–38 trilocular pores and 6–10 setae (setae on the posterior lips only). Anal ring 95–105 µm wide, with 6 anal ring setae, each seta 170–225 µm long.

Dorsum. Anal lobe cerarii present, each with 9–18 slender conical setae, 15–40 µm long, with 15–24 trilocular pores; penultimate cerarii (segment VII) each with 4–10 setae; cerarii on abdominal segment VI with 3–7 setae; sometimes scattered, slender cerarian-type setae present more anteriorly on abdominal margin and occasionally on head. Dorsal body setae short, each 7.5–12.5 µm long, and slender with blunt apex. Trilocular pores each 4–5 µm in diameter. Enlarged tubular ducts totalling 14–19 on dorsum, each duct 20–25 µm long, 7–10 µm wide at midlength, rim of duct opening sclerotised, 7–10 µm in diameter, surrounded by a sclerotised circular area 17.5–25.0 µ m wide enclosing 1–5 oval discoidal pores and associated with 2–7 (generally 3–4) blunt-tipped setae; if discoidal pores present within sclerotised area then position relative to duct opening variable; setae associated with ducts each 7.5–10 µm long, mostly within sclerotised area (in holotype), or just outside (in less mature specimens); ducts distributed mostly marginally to submarginally on head, thorax and abdominal segments, with 4–9 on head and thorax and 9–11 on abdominal segments II–VII usually with 1 or rarely 2 ducts on each side of each of these abdominal segments.

Venter. Body setae of two types: (i) robust hair-like setae with acute apex, each 10–150 µm long, longest setae present medially to submedially on head, thorax and abdomen; (ii) spine-like setae with acute apex, each 10–25 µm long, present in a longitudinal submarginal band. Apical seta of anal lobe 130–175 µm long. Multilocular disc pores absent. Trilocular pores each 3–4 µm in diameter. Discoidal pores each 2–3 µm in diameter scattered on ventral surface but generally associated with oral-rim tubular ducts. Oral-collar tubular ducts each 6–7 µm long, 3–4 µm wide at mid-length, ducts totalling 11–17, distributed on abdominal segments IV–VII as follows: 0–3 on IV, 3–6 on V, 4–6 on VI, 4–6 on VII. Oral-rim tubular ducts, each 10–12 µm long, 2.5–4.0 µm wide at mid-length, with outer rim 7–8 µm in diameter, sometimes associated with 1 discoidal pore, filament of duct short; ducts totalling 290–325, distributed as follows: 150–195 scattered on head and thorax, and in irregular transverse row on each of abdominal segments as follows: 63–119 on I–III, 22–24 on IV, 14–18 on V, 9–14 on VI, 11–16 on VII, and 5 or 6 on segment VIII.

Variation. The holotype is a very mature specimen (with embryos in the body) and has a larger body and longer appendages than the other specimens that we measured.