Asterococcus ramakrishai (Ramakrishna Ayyer)

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 : 140-142

Asterococcus ramakrishai (Ramakrishna Ayyer)

( Fig. 50 )

Cerococcus ramakrishnae Ramachandran & Ramakrishna Ayyar 1934: 86 . Nomen nudum. Cerococcus ramakrishnae Ramakrishna Ayyar 1937: 148 .

Asterococcus ramakrishnai Lambdin 1983: 304 –306. Synonymy by Miller & Gimpel 1999: 216. Homonym. Asterococcus ramakrishnai ; Miller & Gimpel 1999: 216 (Justified emendation).

Type details. Cerococcus ramakrishnae , INDIA, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore, on rootlets of Ficus sp., Ramakrishna, #335. Depository: BMNH: lectotype adf (designated by Miller & Gimpel 1999: 216) + 1/1 paralectotype adff.

Type details. Asterococcus ramakrishnai , INDIA, Madras, Coimbatore, Bombay, on aerial roots of Ficus sp., 28.ix.1903, G. Compere. Depository: USNM: holotype adf (USNM; type no. 1385) and 2/3 paratype adff.

Material studied. C. ramakrishnae : Lectotype + paralectotype ff: INDIA, Coimbatore, on aerial roots of Ficus sp. ( Moraceae ), no date, Ramakrisha #335 (BMNH): 2/4adff (p–vp—labelled Lectotype on sleeve but slides very poor).

Also: Cerococcus sp.: INDIA, Rhamba, Lake Chilka, N.E. Madras, on aerial roots of Ficus sp., no date, Ind. Mus. Coll. (BMNH): 1/3adff (g); also same data but dated 5.iii.1910 (BMNH): 2/4adff (f—mounted from dried material by CJH). Also, dried material labelled with the same data as Lectotype but on Ficus benghalensis , and dated 24.x.1931 (BMNH); and Central Farm, Coimbatore, Ficus religiosa , 24.v.1931, T.V. Ramakrishna (BMNH).

Note. Description made from Lake Chilka material.

Mounted material. Body roundly pear-shaped, 1.9–2.0 mm long, 1.7–1.8 mm wide.

Dorsum. Eight-shaped pores of 1 size, quite small, each 5 x 3 µm, occasional around margin but absent medially on cephalothorax; in 3 transverse bands across abdominal segments, perhaps on segments IV, VI and also just anterior to median plate; each line mainly 1 pore wide. Cribriform plates absent. Dorsal setae showing nothing distinctive. Tubular ducts narrow, with outer ductule 18–20 µm long; cup-shaped invagination without teeth; of 1 size only. Anal lobes distinctly sclerotized throughout, each lobe with a short sclerotized extension anteriorly (which can look like an anteroventral sclerotization but is dorsal!); each lobe about 80 µm long, with a long apical seta, all broken but at least 100 µm long; more apical fleshy setae on dorsal surface straight, and sharply pointed, each 12–16 µm long; more basal fleshy setae longer with a blunt apex, each 18–20 µm long; inner margin of each lobe with 5 or (more usually) 6 stoutly setose setae, each about 20 µm long; ventral seta near apex of each lobe absent; medioventral or outer margin setae 12 µm long; each lobe with 4 or 5 8-shaped pores in a line on each surface. Median anal plate 60–70 µm long, 45–55 µm wide at base, with a pointed, slightly serrate apex. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each 75–85 µm long, narrowing gradually towards apex.

Venter. Eight-shaped pores of 2 sizes: (i) a slightly larger pore than those on dorsum, each 6.0 x 3.5 µm, in a marginal band extending medially almost to each spiracle and with antennae lying within band, and (ii) a pore similar to the smaller pore on dorsum, sparse on each side of marginal band and in narrow bands, mainly 1 or 2 pores wide, across all abdominal segments. Simple pores very sparse, each 1.5 µm wide, most abundant on abdomen. Small bilocular pores oval, each about 3 µm widest, present medially on head and thorax. Spiracular disc-pores small, each about 3.0 µm wide with mainly 6–8 loculi, in a ring surrounding each spiracular atrium, and then in a short radial band 3–6 pores wide but widening and becoming denser as band reaches marginal band of 8- shaped pores, before narrowing again near margin; posterior band bifurcated; each band with 150+ disc pores; each apex with six to nine 8-shaped pores; also with 20–35 loculate pores near each antenna, each group often with an 8- shaped pore. Multilocular disc-pores large, each about 8 µm wide, of unusual structure, each with a divided central loculus, and 10 outer loculi; in transverse bands mainly 1 pore wide across 3 segments, with totals as follows: VII 0; VI 5–14; V 26–35, and IV 22–28; bands becoming 2 pores wide near margin. Tubular ducts similar to those on dorsum, fairly abundant marginally but absent outside of marginal band on cephalothorax although present in posterior abdominal segments. Ventral setae slightly more abundant than on dorsum but all setose and short; present in distinct segmental lines on abdominal segments; preanal setae each 40–45 µm long, companion setae short. Leg stubs absent but with dermal folds in this position. Antennae short, each 10–13 µm long, 15–18 µm wide; apex rounded without either a setal cavity or a cone-like extension. Clypeolabral shield 145 µm long. Spiracular peritremes each 25–27 µm wide. Anteroventral sclerotizations on anal lobes absent.

Comment. Lambdin obviously discovered further slides not identified to species when he described A. ramakrishnai in 1983. The above description is basically similar to that of Lambdin (1983) but some differences were found: (i) no leg stubs could be detected. Lambdin illustrates a metathoracic leg stub, with a distinct claw but states in the text “Legs absent”. There do appear to be small dermal folds in the approximate position of the legs. (ii) Lambdin shows multilocular disc-pores in abdominal segment VII but none were in this position on the above material. (iii) The smaller ventral 8-shaped pores appeared to form transverse bands on all abdominal segments (only shown on segment IV and posteriorly).

The following combination of character-states appear diagnostic: (i) anteroventral sclerotizations absent; (ii) five or six spinose setae present along inner margin of each anal lobe; (iii) dorsal fleshy setae on anal lobes rather spinose; (iv) tubular ducts on dorsum of one size only; (v) 8-shaped pores on dorsum all small and restricted to bands across abdominal segments IV, VI and VIII; (vi) cribriform plates absent; (vii) leg stubs absent; (viii) posterior stigmatic bands bifurcated; (ix) tubular ducts absent medially on venter of cephalothorax; (x) tubular ducts and 8-shaped pores on venter in a broad marginal band extending medially past each antenna; (xi) multilocular disc-pores unusually large (each about 8 Μm wide), with a divided or double inner loculus; (xii) multilocular disc-pores present only on abdominal segments IV–VI; (xiii) stigmatic pore bands short, not reaching dorsum; (xiv) spiracular disc pores each with mainly 6–8 loculi; (xv) spiracular disc-pores forming a ring or band around spiracular atrium, and (xvi) antennae without a cone-like apex or setal cavity.

Most of these character-states are typical for adult females of species of Asterococcus . For a discussion of the differences between Asterococcus and Antecerococcus , see under Antecerococcus ovoides above.

Figures

FIGURE 50. Asterococcus ramakrishnai (Ramakrishna Ayyer). Adult female.