Testudovestis africana Hodgson, 2021

Hodgson, Chris J., 2021, New genera, new species and new combinations for some African Coccomorpha (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha), Zootaxa 5020 (1), pp. 57-80 : 71-73

Testudovestis africana Hodgson , spec. nov.

( Fig. 10 )

Material studied: Holotype adult ♀: KENYA: left label: Nr. Paralecanium / Kenya / orchid plant / x–13-85 / V. McDonald / JFK 076329 / 86—3238 Balsam; right label: Testudovestis / africana / Hodgson / holotype (deposited in USNM): 1 slide containing 1 adult ♀ (fairly good, stain rather faint) . Paratype ♀♀: Same data as holotype but right label: Testudovestis / africana / Hodgson / paratype (deposited in USNM): 1 slide containing 1 adult ♀ (poor, just dorsum of old female, broken along polygonal lines; cover slip also cracked).

Slide-mounted adult female: Body roundly oval, probably rather flat in life; stigmatic clefts present but quite shallow. Derm divided into plate-like areas, with 3 medially and 11 on each side. Anal cleft either apparently fused or strongly adpressed, about 1/4th total body length. Body 3.5-4.0 mm long, 2.75 mm wide.

Dorsum: derm divided into mildly sclerotized plates, as follows: with 2 squarish plates in a line medially anterior to anal plates plus a third medial, rather narrow, plate extending anteriorly to anterior margin, and with 11 plates laterally on each side, extending radially to meet median plates, more anterior plates tending to be broader than those posteriorly; each plate with a more heavily sclerotized margin, so that each line between plates composed of two more heavily sclerotized borders with a narrow area of less sclerotized derm between. Derm with a broad submarginal band of pale areolations, mostly each about 6‒9 μm at the widest point, becoming less clear more marginally and medially; with a more heavily sclerotized broad longitudinal band medially, with a dark polygonal pattern, and with a heavily sclerotized anal plate sclerotisation; derm otherwise fairly evenly sclerotized. Paired oval areas present submedially, near the inner margins of lateral plates VI ‒ IX. Dorsal setae each setose, 6.5‒8.0 μm long, restricted (along with the pores) to within narrow band between plates; perhaps slightly more abundant laterally than medially. Preopercular pores possibly absent, but with some dark, possibly convex, spots present in plates VIII and IX which might be pores, each 2.5‒4.0 μm wide. Small pores, each with a subsidiary pore attached to one side and each about 2 μm at the widest point, frequent along margins of all dorsal plates and also along margins just mesad to marginal setal sockets, with 1 pore to about every 2 lateral setae. Larger dorsal pores absent. Dorsal tubular ducts and dorsal tubercles absent. Anal plates together rather quadrate, with posterior margins subequal in length to anterior margins and with outer angle slightly rounded; each plate with a short, parallel-sided, discal seta about 6‒7 μm long, and possibly with 2 other setae near apex; each plate about 132 μm long and 105 μm wide. Anogenital fold and anal ring not visible, and with anal tube only visible end-on.

Margin: marginal ornamentation absent. Marginal setae rather paddle-shaped, short with a broadly fimbriate apex, each about 10 μm long and 6‒10 μm wide at apex; with perhaps 120 between anterior stigmatic clefts, 51 on each side between stigmatic clefts and 160 on each side of abdomen. Stigmatic clefts distinct but not deep, each with a narrow entrance at base of a line between dermal plates and therefore with a sclerotised inner margin; each cleft with 2 stigmatic setae; each seta blunt, slightly capitate, set at base of cleft, 13‒25 μm long. Eyespots not detected, possibly absent.

Venter: derm membranous. Multilocular disc-pores, each about 8‒9 μm wide with perhaps 6 or 7 large loculi, present on either side of genital opening and preceding 3 segments, with (on each side) about 16 in segment VII, 8 in VI, 4 in V and 1 in IV; also present associated with all three pairs of legs as follows: 3 associated with each meta- and mesothoracic coxa and 1 near each prothoracic coxa. Spiracular disc-pores, each with probably 5 loculi, present in a band 1 pore wide between margin and each spiracle (band hidden along most of its length under dorsal plate margins and therefore number in each band unknown). Preantennal pores absent. Ventral microducts not located. Ventral tubular ducts absent. Ventral setae: with 2 or 3 pairs between antennae; with pairs of long setae medially in abdominal segments VII and VI only, but with bands of short setae across all abdominal segments; each seta in segment VII about 85 μm long, that in VI about 65 μm long; other setae scarce, with only 1 submarginal seta associated with each dermal plate. Antennae much reduced, each 3 segmented, with segments III-VI all fused; total length about 125 μm; scape with only 2 setae, pedicel with 2 setae, fleshy setae without associated setose setae, and apical seta 11‒15 μm long. Clypeolabral shield about 120 μm long, with a pair of clypeal setae; labium with 4 pairs of setae. Spiracles each with anterior peritremes about 33 μm wide, posterior peritremes about 40 μm wide. Legs poorly developed, with trochanterofemural segmentation obscure or absent and without tibiotarsal segmentation; lengths of segments of metathoracic leg (μm): coxa 55‒60; trochanter + femur 63‒75; tibia + tarsus 75; claw 10; setal distribution: coxa 5, trochanter 1, femur 0, tibia 0, tarsus 3; tarsal digitules with small capitate apices, subequal in length to claw digitules; claw digitules narrow, one slightly wider than the other; claw probably without a denticle.

Specific name derivation: a fricana —referring to the continent from which this species originated.

Comments: The dorsum of Testudovestris is divided into polygonal plate-like areas and the dorsal setae are restricted to within the lines separating the polygonal areas, as on the dorsum of Eucalymnatus Cockerell ( Hodgson, 1994) ; these genera also share multilocular disc-pores mostly with 7 loculi. However, otherwise the two genera differ significantly as follows (character-states of Eucalymnatus in brackets): (i) antennae much reduced to 3 segments (well-developed with 7 or 8 segments); (ii) only 2 rather clavate setae in each stigmatic cleft (3 rather pointed setae per cleft); (iii) multilocular disc-pores present on most abdominal segments and also laterad to all coxae (multilocular disc-pores restricted to abdominal segments VI and VII); (iv) legs much reduced, with tibia and tarsus fused (legs well developed, with tibia and tarsus separate, and with a tibio-tarsal articulatory sclerosis); (v) claw digitules dissimilar, but both narrow (claw digitules similar and both broad); (vi) marginal setae broad apically, almost fanshaped—which may be why, originally, the specimens were tentatively referred to Paralecanium (marginal setae long, narrow and finely pointed or slightly fimbriate apically), (vii) submarginal tubercles absent (present); (viii) anal plates surrounded by a strong anal cleft sclerotization (anal cleft sclerotization absent); (ix) each anal plate with a blunt, parallel-sided discal seta (discal setae absent, all setae finely setose), and (x) dorsum with 3 large median plates and 11 marginal plates (dorsum with 7 longitudinal bands of polygonal plates, median line with about 11 and marginal band about 20 or 21 plates on each side). Testudovestris africana spec. nov. belongs to the tribe Coccini of Hodgson (1994).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Testudovestis africana Hodgson, spec. nov. Adult female.