Stictococcus intermedius Newstead

Williams, Douglas J., Matile-Ferrero, Danièle & Miller, Douglass R., 2010, A study of some species of the genus Stictococcus Cockerell (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea: Stictococcidae), and a discussion on Stictococcus vayssierei Richard, a species injurious to cassava in Equatorial Africa with a description of a new species from Nigeria, Zootaxa 2527, pp. 1-27 : 14-16

Stictococcus intermedius Newstead

( Fig. 6 )

Stictococcus intermedius Newstead, 1917: 13 ; Richard, 1976: 668; Miller et al., 2005: 543.

Description. Body of adult female on microscope slide, broadly oval to rotund, 2.08–2.60 mm long, 1.80– 2.40 mm wide, membranous at first, mature specimens heavily sclerotized. Antennae 159–206 µm long, 5- segmented, first segment widest, others tapering. Legs well developed, hind trochanter + femur 165–195 µm long, hind tibia + tarsus 162–193 µm long. Ratio of lengths of hind tibia + tarsus to trochanter + femur 0.96– 1.05. Ratio of lengths of hind tibia to tarsus 0.76–1.00. Claw 24–30 µm long, stout at base then curving sharply to blunt tip, with one slender clubbed digitule longer than claw and one widely expanded digitule. Tarsus with one long clubbed digitule conspicuously longer than claw digitule, and one widely expanded digitule situated near middle of tarsus. Labium 2-segmented, about 133 µm long, 137 µm wide, shorter than clypeolabral shield; a sclerotized ridge-like structure present on each side of basal segment joining labium to clypeolabral shield. Mesothoracic spiracles 108–129 µm long, 75–86 µm wide. Metathoracic spiracles 96– 150 µm long, 72–105 µm wide; oval area surrounding each opening with numerous papilla-like structures. Vulva conspicuous, 270–540 µm wide. Anus situated near mid-dorsum; anterior plate bearing 5 slender anterior flagellate setae; posterior plate usually with 4 setae near posterior margin; both plates plus 2 lateral elongate sclerotized areas surrounded by heavily-sclerotized oval rim, 210–225 µm long, 180–220 µm wide, with small posterior extension. A pair of saddle-shaped apodemes opening posterior to rim. Eyes round, each about 46 µm in diameter.

Dorsal surface of body with a series of marginal barbed setae 75–160 µm long, pointed or bifurcate or trifurcate, longest posterior marginal setae on apparent anal lobe area about 256 µm long, other posterior setae about 160 µm long. Submarginal setae shorter, barbed, spatulate distally, each 37–51 µm long. Submedial and medial setae apparently absent. Long submedial flagellate setae present, some on head about 432 µm long, others 270–360 µm long. Medial flagellate setae surrounding anus, each about 378 µm long. Apparently without thick dorsal setae. Minute slender flagellate setae usually curved and fairly numerous, 15–22 µm long. A series of usually 24 submarginal depressions, 24 submedial depressions, and 17 medial depressions present, all moderately sclerotized, each with distinct outer margin, opening into a globe-like structure, each varying in size from 43–92 µm wide and bearing marginal and inner rows of quinquelocular pores, each 4.5– 7.5 µm in diameter; inner polar area with a small number of apparent similar pores associated with a minute tessellated area. Dermal pores abundant, variously shaped, numerous next to depressions and often in fairly well-defined circles around setal collars and more or less segmentally arranged on thorax and abdomen, becoming more scattered on head, comprising large bilocular oval pores, each about 8 µm long, 5 µm wide and trilocular pores about 9 µm wide. Small bilocular pores, each about 5 µm long, 3 µm wide, small trilocular pores, each about 6 µm long, and discoidal pores, each about 5–7 µm in diameter, dome-shaped with outer sclerotized rim, also present. A double to triple row of small quinquelocular pores, each about 4 µm in diameter, extending from apex of abdomen to area almost opposite vulva. A few similar pores also present on margin next to 5 or 6 minute sclerotized clefts.

Ventral surface with small quinquelocular pores, each about 4 µm in diameter, almost encircling vulva then curving posteriorly to midline in a double to triple row extending to apex of abdomen; other pores lateral of vulva present also in a wide submedial row forward to metathoracic spiracles then almost reaching mesothoracic spiracles before extending to eyes. Others in rows extending to 5 or 6 small sclerotized marginal clefts to join with a single marginal row from head to almost to apparent anal lobes. Thick-rimmed oval bilocular pores, each about 7 µm long, 5 µm wide, or sometimes replaced by round trilocular pores, 7 µm in diameter, sparsely distributed within areas demarked by quinquelocular pores, often more conspicuous on each side of rows of quinquelocular pores extending to marginal clefts. Minute tubular ducts, each at most 10 µm long, 2 µm wide at cup end and tapering slightly to opening, present across middle of segments and within area demarked by rows of quinquelocular pores. Marginal flat setae, 30–36 μm long, each expanding distally to a lobulate apex mostly about 30–39 µm wide, with 3–7 distal lobules; lobules subequal in size. Other ventral setae, short, almost spine-like, 15–27 µm long, present in more or less single rows across abdominal segments and then mainly following margins of areas demarked by quinquelocular pores; most marginal setae similar but longer, each 36–48 µm long. Long flagellate setae, each about 205 µm long, present around margins, and others occurring medially and submedially. Flagellate setae also situated around vulva, most on anterior edge 55–138 µm long, and others on posterior edge 24–45 µm long.

Type data. Gold Coast [ Ghana], Aburi, on cacao [ Theobroma cacao ] [ Sterculiaceae ],?1913, (W.H. Patterson).

Material examined. Type material. – Lectotype adult female, here designated. Left label,? H. Patterson Aburi [ Ghana]. Cocoa. Aburi [ Ghana]. Newstead No. 26/88. 753. BM 1945, 121. Right label Stictococcus intermedius Newst. Cotype Ƥ & larvae ( BMNH). Clearly marked and mapped on a separate label with paralectotypes.

Paralectotypes, same data as Lectotype and on same slide, 6 adult females (1 with first-instar male embryo), 4 second-instar female nymphs (1 enclosing pharate adult female), 2 first-instar female nymphs, 1 first-instar male nymph ( BMNH).

Cameroon, Mangomue, on Didymopanax sp. ( Araliaceae ), 23.x.1973, F. Brunck, 2 adult females ( BMNH).

Ghana, Legon, on pod of Theobroma cacao , vi.1987, Mrs Lyall.

Ivory Coast, on Theobroma cacao, P. Vayssière , 1 adult female ( BMNH).

Nigeria, Awi Plantation, on Tectona grandis (Verbenaceae) , 3 adult females; Cross River State, on Tectona grandis , 12.ix.1963, 2 adult females; Iddo, xii.1913, D. Cator, 5 first-instar males, 5 first-instar females; Ibadan, on forest tree, attended by weaver ants, 21.x.1987, J Noyes (all BMNH); intercepted at U.S.A., Dallas, on fruit of Cola acuminate , 18.x.1981 (illustrated) ( USNM).

Sierra Leone, Njala, on Cola tonensis (Sterculiaceae) , 12.ii.1920, 15.ii.1920, 24.xii.1928, E. Hargreaves.

Comments. The distally-lobed marginal ventral setae are characters S. intermedius shares with S. sjostetti and S. pujoli , but the dorsal marginal pores on S. intermedius and S. pujoli are always larger than the other dorsal pores. On S. sjostedti , the dorsal marginal pores are the same size as the pores elsewhere on the dorsum. S. intermedius differs from S. pujoli in lacking the dense covering of dorsal barbed setae.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Stictococcus intermedius Newstead, adult female.