Solenophora fagi Maskell

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 : 164-165

Solenophora fagi Maskell

Solenophora fagi Maskell 1890: 139 .

Solenococcus fagi ; Cockerell 1899: 392. Change of combination. Cerococcus fagi ; Wise 1977: 100. Change of combination.

Type details. NEW ZEALAND, on Fagus sp. ( Fagaceae ), W.M. Maskell. Depositories: USNM: lectotype adf (designated by Lambdin & Kosztarab 1976: 35) + 2/2 paralectotype adff. NZAC†: Solenophora fagi , adult female, on Fagus menziesii, Aug. 1889 , W.M.M.: 1/1adf; as previous but second-stage female; as previous, larva but dated Sept. 1889 (therefore probably not type material).

Note: †This material was originally deposited in the Cawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand but is now in NZAC.

Comment. This genus is monotypic. No material of S. fagi has been seen but it was described in some detail by Lambdin and Kosztarab (1976) and, based on their description, the key character-states appear to be: (i) small closed pores, each subequal in size to quinquelocular disc-pores, present in a complete submarginal line, extending from head to posterior abdomen; (ii) quinquelocular disc-pores also present in a line submarginally between spiracles and extending posteriorly to about abdominal segment III; (iii) spinose setae along inner margin of each anal lobe absent; (iv) each anal lobe with two short spinose setae on dorsal surface; (v) 8-shaped pores absent from dorsum apart from a transverse line across about abdominal segment VIII; (vi) 8-shaped pores present in a marginal band, probably mainly on venter; (vii) 8-shaped pores on venter also in sparse transverse lines on abdominal segments; (viii) posterior stigmatic band not bifurcated; (ix) cribriform plates present, with two submedial plates on each side of abdominal segment IV; (x) loculate disc-pores absent near each antenna, and (xi) tubular ducts all subequal in size. S. fagi is only known from South Island, New Zealand.

Based on the above characters, the relationships of Solenophora to other cerococcid genera are difficult to determine. However, despite not knowing whether the anteroventral sclerotizations are present on each anal lobe, it seems more likely that it is closest to Antecerococcus because of the presence of: (i) the submarginal band of small convex closed pores on the venter (only otherwise known in Antecerococcus ); (ii) the submarginal band of quinquelocular disc-pores on the venter (only otherwise known in Antecerococcus ), and (iii) a non-bifurcated posterior stigmatic band (only known in Antecerococcus and Cerochiton bernardi ).