Gigantococcus caudatus (Newstead)

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 : 56

Gigantococcus caudatus (Newstead)

Palaeococcus caudatus Newstead, 1917: 6 .

Steatococcus caudatus (Newstead) ; Vayssière (1926: 307).

Crypticerya caudatus (Newstead) ; Morrison (1928: 203).

Gigantococcus caudatus (Newstead) ; Unruh & Gullan (2008: 37) .

Unmounted material. Adult female covered with short white waxy tufts arranged in seven rows; median row broadest and lateral rows smaller, appearing continuous around margin; marginal row apparently hidden by submarginal row. Long, hair-like setae project beyond waxy covering, especially at anterior margin. Posterior end narrow with long white waxy tassel, appearing tail-like. Ovisac absent (adapted from Newstead, 1917).

Slide-mounted material. Adult female oval (lectotype 4.2 mm long, 2.5 mm wide). Antennae 11 segmented, segments IV and V appear fused. Eyes, mouthparts and legs as for tribe. Thoracic spiracles as for genus; derm outside atrium with 10–20 pores, each pore 10–11 µm in diameter with bilocular or trilocular centre and 4–6 outer loculi. Hair-like setae covering derm, longest around margins, especially at posterior abdomen. Flagellate setae scattered on derm, densest on ventral head and thorax. Simple multilocular pores, each 10–11 µm in diameter, with bilocular (appearing reniform) or trilocular centre and 4–6 outer loculi, scattered on ventromedial head and thorax. Simple multilocular pores, each 12–14 µm in diameter, with trilocular (sometimes bilocular or quadrilocular) centre and 6–9 outer loculi, covering dorsal surface and ventral margin. Marsupium present, shaped as for genus, marsupial band made of simple multilocular pores, each 8–10 µm in diameter, with bilocular or trilocular centre and 4–6 outer loculi. Simple multilocular pores on outer edge of marsupial band, each 10–11 µm in diameter with trilocular centre and 7–10 reniform outer loculi. Simple multilocular pores, each with bilocular or trilocular centre and 4–8 outer loculi, on ventromedial abdomen (within marsupial cavity). Multilocular pores, each 8–10 µm in diameter, with quinquelocular, hexalocular centre and 5–8 outer loculi, sparsely scattered across ventral abdomen and around ventral submargin to margin. Compound multilocular pores, each 10–11 µm in diameter, with 8–12 lobed centre and 6–8 slightly reniform outer loculi, scattered on ventral submargin to margin. Vulvar opening as for genus. Cicatrices hourglass-shaped, numbering 3, subequal in size. Abdominal spiracles as for genus. Anal tube as for genus; anal opening as for genus, surrounded by long, hair-like setae.

Type data. UGANDA: Entebbe , ex croton, 13.viii.1912 (C.C. Gowdey) .

Type material. Lectotype here designated: ad ♀, “ Col. Off. /Ent. Res. Com. T.A./4359./On Crotons./ Entebbe. Uganda./13.viii.12. C.C. Gowdey. /Newsteads No. 18/8./BM 1945, 121”//“ Icerya /caudata/Newst./ Adult (Cotype)/ ♀ + ♀ Juv.” ( BMNH) . Paralectotypes: exuviae of 3 rd -instar nymph (same slide as lectotype); ad ♀, 2 nd -instar nymph (1 slide), “ Col. Off /Ent. Res. Com. T.A./4359/On Crotons./Entebbe Uganda./13.viii.12. C.C. Gowdey /Newstead No. 18/8./BM 1945, 121”//“ Icerya /caudata./Newst/Co–type ♀ /+ young ♀ /Keep” ( BMNH); 2 ad ♀♀ (one slide), “ On CROTONS./ Entebbe, Uganda./ 13.viii.1915./ C.C. Gowdey. /1913.362”// “ Icerya /caudatum/Newst./ Mounted from/material named by/Prof. Newstead./ 7.x.1915.” ( BMNH) .

Taxonomic notes. Refer to the Gi. ewarti group for discussion of similar species.

One of the paralectotype slides of P. caudatus is labelled 13.viii.1915 instead of 13.viii.1912. The material was mounted on 7.x.1915 and presumably, the incorrect date is a transcriptional error on the part of the labelmaker. We examined the type material of this species and believe that the adult female forms a marsupium. The lectotype is a teneral adult female.