Icerya assamensis (Rao)

Unruh, Corinne M. & Gullan, Penny J., 2008, Identification guide to species in the scale insect tribe Iceryini (Coccoidea: Monophlebidae), Zootaxa 1803 (1), pp. 1-106 : 76

Icerya assamensis (Rao)

Steatococcus assamensis Rao, 1951b: 154 .

Icerya assamensis (Rao) ; Unruh & Gullan (2008: 41) .

Unmounted material. Appearance of adult female unknown.

Slide-mounted material. Adult female oval to round, 4.5–6.8 mm long, 3.6–5.6 mm wide. Antennae 11 segmented. Eyes, mouthparts and legs as for tribe. Thoracic spiracles as for genus. Hair-like setae scattered over derm, longest in marginal clusters and at posterior end. Flagellate setae distributed as for genus. Opencentre pores absent. Simple multilocular pores, each 8–10 µm in diameter, with trilocular centre and 6–9 outer loculi and appearing stalked with a faint tongue visible in profile, covering dorsal surface. Simple multilocular pores, each 11–12 µm in diameter, with bilocular or trilocular centre and 6–10 outer loculi, scattered on ventral surface, densest around mouthparts and around margin. Marsupial band round at posterior, forming an incomplete circle made of simple multilocular pores, each 11–12 µm in diameter, with trilocular centre, 6 outer loculi and distinctive profile; ventromedial transverse row on abdominal segment I of simple multilocular pores, each 10–11 µm in diameter, with bilocular or trilocular centre and 6–8 outer loculi. Simple multilocular pores, each 8–9 µm in diameter, with bilocular centre and 4–8 outer loculi, scattered within marsupial cavity. Vulvar and anal opening surrounded by typical vulvar pores with 12–18 outer loculi. Cicatrices oval to round, numbering 3, central cicatrix largest. Abdominal spiracles in 3 pairs. Anal tube as for genus.

Type data. INDIA: Assam, Dawki, ex citrus (V.P. Rao) .

Type material. Holotype: ad ♀ ( INPC).

Material examined. 5 ad ♀♀ (one slide), HONG KONG: HK Island west, Hill above Belchers, 200–250 m, ex Litsea glutinosa , 12.xi.1996 (J.H. Martin) ( BMNH); ad ♀, THAILAND: Phang Nga, Sring Phang Nga National Park , ex Homonia riparia , 13.vi.2004 (P.S. Cranston) ( BME, CMU079 ) .

Taxonomic notes. — Only three described Icerya species form a marsupium: I. assamensis , I. nudata and I. samaraia . This species differs from the latter two by the absence of open-centre pores in the adult female. Also, the pores that make up the marsupial band are not seen in the marsupial or ovisac band of any other iceryine species. Refer to the I. jacobsoni group for further discussion of similar species.

The original description was based on a single specimen collected by Rao in India, which we were unable to borrow and examine. Rao’s (1951b) description agrees perfectly with the specimens from Hong Kong and Thailand.