Hodgsonicoccus patefactus, Vea & Grimaldi, 2015

Vea, Isabelle M. & Grimaldi, David A., 2015, Diverse new scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) in amber from the Cretaceous and Eocene with a phylogenetic framework for fossil Coccoidea, American Museum Novitates 2015 (3823), pp. 1-80 : 29-31

Hodgsonicoccus patefactus , new species

Figures 5C–F , 7

TYPE LOCALITY: Lebanon: North Lebanon: Bchare Mountain. Early Cretaceous .

TYPE: Holotype AMNH LAE-93, alate male in a 8 × 2.5 × 2 mm trimmed and polished amber piece, embedded in epoxy, specimen in good condition but lying on a crack and surrounded on the dorsal and ventral surfaces by a large air bubble; accessible views: lateral and partial ventral and dorsal. North Lebanon, Bchare Mountain, 2300 m, Antoni Estephan coll., deposited in the American Museum of Natural History. Syninclusion: second or third instar nymph of undescribed Coccoidea .

ETYMOLOGY: The epithet is from the Latin participle of patefactus , meaning “discovered, revealed”.

DIAGNOSIS: As for genus.

DESCRIPTION: Body large, total length 2.04 mm, largest width at mesothorax, ca. 500 μm. Head (fig. 5E): Short, 290 μm wide, 185 μm long, with well-developed ocular sclerites surrounding most of head, bearing 10–15 large, simple eyes (fig. 7A). Ocelli present dorsally. Head ridges not observable. Antenna (fig. 5D, 7B): 10-segmented; long, total length 1.56 mm, segments III–X binodose; antennomere lengths (in μm): scape ca. 100–110; pedicel 130; III 190–195; IV 180–185; V 190–200; VI 180–185; VII 150–160; VIII 130–135; IX 110; X 120–130. Setae long, organized on each segment in whorls, each setal length decreasing toward apical segment (300 μm for setae on proximal segments to 90 μm for apical segment). Apical segment also bearing basiconal setae and curved bristles. Thorax (fig. 5E): Head and thorax not obviously separated. Prothorax membranous. Ridges on prothorax not observable. Dorsally: prescutum suboval, not obviously separated from scutum, with setae; scutum with a medial membranous area extending from prescutum to scutellum; scutellum round; mesopostnotum well developed. Ventrally: prothoracic structure not visible; basisternum large, with a median ridge, setae not observed. Wings (fig. 7D): Forewings elongate, with narrow base, apex narrowed, 2.22 mm long, 800 μm widest; subcostal ridge extending from wing base to tip. Cubital ridge present and originating from base, 1/10 wing length, extending to 7/10 wing length. Alar setae and sensoria present on subcostal ridge, minute microtrichia present throughout wing surface. Alar fold present. Hamulohalteres (fig. 7E) large and leaf shaped, ca. 290 μm long, 85 μm wide; with microtrichia, with 3 hamuli located on anterior margin of hamulohaltere. Legs (fig. 7C): Long, slender but robust, all of subequal length, cuticular reticulations absent; prolegs: coxa triangular, elongate, 185 μm long; trochanter and femur, 550 μm long, 50 μm wide on proleg, with numerous strong hairlike setae, with a few bifurcated setae; tibia: 470 μm long, 30 μm wide, with strong hairlike setae becoming spinelike ventrally and bifurcate; tarsus 2-segmented, 180 μm long, 30 μm wide, tarsal spurs and digitules undifferentiated; claw thin, 40 μm long, virtually uncurved, with spinose claw digitules, and a small denticle. Abdomen: Elongate, 795 μm long (580 μm without genital segment), dorsoventrally flattened (about 70 μm widest), parallel sided, tapered posteriorly. Abdominal segments bearing numerous setae, with posterior segments having 10–15 long, stiff, spinelike setae (300– 500 μm long) (fig. 7F). Caudal extension absent. Genital segment (fig. 7F): Penial sheath triangular. Aedeagus slender and pointed at apex; eversible endophallus present.

Family Pityococcidae McKenzie, 1942

Figures

FIGURE 5. Photomicrographs of Heteromargarodes hukamsinghi, n. sp., holotype Tad-139. (A, B). (A) Full ventral view. (B) Enlarged ventral view of head and thorax. Hodgsonicoccus patefactus, n. sp., holotype AMNH LAE-93 (C–F). (C) Lateral side. (D) Antennae. (E) Head and thorax from lateral side. (F) Lateral side of penial sheath.

FIGURE 7. Details of Hodgsonicoccus patefactus, n. sp. (A) Head from right lateral view. (B) Antenna. (C) Tarsus and claw. (D) Fore wing. (E) Hamulohaltere. (F) Left lateral view of penial sheath.