Ripersiella colombiensis (Hambleton)

Figure 4

Neorhizoecus colombiensis Hambleton, 1946: 43.

Rhizoecus colombiensis (Hambleton); Hambleton 1977: 372.

Ripersiella colombiensis (Hambleton); Kozár and Konczné Benedicty 2003: 236.

Material examined.

Holotype. Colombia • 1 adult ♀; La Esperanza; ii.1936; R Roba coll.; USNM . Other material. United States • 1 adult ♀; Arizona, Cochise Co., Chiricahua Mtns, SW Res. Sta., 5 miles W. Portal; 31.8833, -109.2063, 1646 m; 5-15.viii.2001; JS LaPolla; with Acropyga epedana; USNM • 1 adult ♀; Arizona, Cochise Co., near Portal; 31.8838, -109.2229, 1645 m; 31.vii.2005; CR Smith; collected from colony of Acropyga epedana; USNM .

Description.

Adult female, based on holotype. Appearance in life not reported; extent of wax production unknown.

General. Mounted on microscope slide, body broadly oval and membranous, 1.09 mm long, widest at metathorax and abdominal segments I-II, 0.91 mm wide. Abdomen rounded and gently tapering toward posterior apex; abdominal segment VIII approximately 270 μm wide at base. Anal lobes poorly developed with several flagellate setae on dorsum and venter, 18-28 μm long; lacking differentiated group of 3 long anal lobe setae. Body setae flagellate, 17-25 μm on head, 15-20 μm on thorax, 16-21 μm on abdominal segments. Trilocular pores scarcely distributed among body setae; multilocular disc pores absent; bitubular cerores absent; oral collar tubular ducts absent. Microtrichia present on abdominal segments and thorax. Eyes absent.

Venter. Cephalic plate absent. Labium with 3 segments; 88-110 μm long and 69 μm at widest point. Antennae geniculate, 5-segmented, closely situated near midline on ventral submargin of head; overall length 182 μm; length of segment I: 36 μm; segment II: 26 μm; segment III: 28 μm; segment IV: 22 μm; segment V: 70 μm; apical segment with 1 spine-like and 4 falcate sensory setate; flagellate setae on each antennal segment 18-40 μm long. Legs well developed; overall length of hind leg 394 μm; length of hind coxa 48 μm; length of hind trochanter + femur 158 μm; length of hind tibia + tarsus 152 μm; length of hind claw 36 μm; each claw with setose digitule 4 μm long; flagellate or stout setae present on each segment 18-28 μm long. Single conical circulus present between abdominal segments III and IV, 28 μm wide; inner margin of orifice slightly crenulated.

Dorsum. Anal ring situated on dorsal surface separated from posterior body margin by approximately 1 × diameter of ring, 80 μm in diameter; with oval cells lacking spicules; bearing three pairs of setae about 63 μm long. Posterior pair of ostioles present, diameter of orifice measured along longitudinal axis approximately 68 μm; anterior pair of ostioles apparently absent.

Diagnosis.

Ripersiella colombiensis is most similar in appearance to the newly described species R. illicians . Consult the diagnosis of R. illicians for a discussion on how to distinguish them.

Comments.

Ripersiella colombiensis is confirmed to associate with Acropyga epedana and is one of few species of Rhizoecidae with a published record of Acropyga queens carrying gravid female trophobionts on their nuptial flight (Smith et al. 2007; Schneider and LaPolla 2020). Specimens from Colombia and Arizona appear likely to be conspecific, although those from Arizona have noticeably longer and thinner legs relative to their body size.