Asterococcus scleroglutaeus Xue & Shi

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 : 143

Asterococcus scleroglutaeus Xue & Shi

Asterococcus scleroglutaeus Xue & Shi 1992: 183 –186.

Type details. CHINA, Sichuan, Chengdu. Depository: Department of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Shandong Province, Shandong, China: holotype adf (not confirmed).

Comment. No material of this species has been seen in this study but it is here assumed to be a good species of Asterococcus . Based on the figure in Xue and Shi (1992), the adult female of A. scleroglutaeus is characterised by the following combination of character-states: (i) 8-shaped pores on dorsum of two sizes, a smaller pore very sparse throughout head and thorax and slightly larger pores in transverse bands across (possibly) abdominal segments IV and V; (ii) cribriform plates absent; (iii) tubular ducts of two sizes on dorsum, a narrow duct sparse medially on head and thorax but becoming more abundant near margins, and a broader duct in a group medially on posterior abdominal segments; (iv) tubular ducts on venter absent medially; (v) posterior stigmatic bands bifurcated; (vi) each stigmatic band broad near spiracles and with abundant spiracular disc-pores throughout, broadening near margin; (vii) 8-shaped pores on venter including “trilocular” pores, each with three closed pores; (viii) multilocular disc-pores abundant across abdominal segments II-VII, and also on metathorax; (ix) leg stubs present; (x) loculate pores near antennae abundant, and (xi) a broad sclerotized area present anterior to median anal plate.

Xue & Shi (1992) give no indication as to most similar species (San-an Wu, pers. comm.). However, the presence of “trilocular” 8-shaped pores on the venter suggests that A. scleroglutaeus may be closest to A. yunnanensis Borchsenius.