Alpinococcus, Henderson, Rosa C., 2007

Henderson, Rosa C., 2007, Three new genera and six new species of felt scales (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Eriococcidae) from mountain habitats in New Zealand, Zootaxa 1449, pp. 1-29 : 4-5

Alpinococcus gen. nov.

Type species Alpinococcus elongatus sp. nov.

Genus description. Adult female body elongate, derm membranous. Pair of eyespots present on body margin. Dorsal and marginal setae spinose; marginal setae numerous, not particularly grouped segmentally, dorsal setae sparse. Antennae 2-segmented, with segments distal to scape usually fused into 1 segment. Anal lobes sclerotised around margins, otherwise membranous; each lobe with 3 or more stout dorsal setae, a moderately long apical seta on outer margin, and 3 or more ventral setae; suranal seta often small. Anal ring dorsal, cellular with 6 setae. Legs much reduced, with segments indistinct, with one small seta at base, one long distal trochanteral seta, 2 pairs of digitules (tarsal digitules particularly well developed) and a claw, latter either short or vestigial. Dorsal cruciform pores oval in dorsal view with slightly asymmetrical, bilocular opening and a sclerotised dark rim; in side view, the thick-walled, dome-shaped rim is internal with a faint inner ductule; these cruciform pores most numerous on submargin and scattered on abdomen with a few submedially on thorax. Microtubular and macrotubular ducts absent. Ventral setae flagellate to spinose, in sparse rows on abdomen, with a few elsewhere. With 5-locular disc pores in a rather dense submarginal ventral band around body, extending from frontal head to anogenital fold; each band with an extension medially anterior to each spiracle. Vulva present as a wide slit between abdominal segments VII and VIII.

Comments. The dorsal bilocular pore described here is deemed a cruciform pore because of its asymmetrical opening which, although not exactly cruciferous, appears similar to many cruciform pores on Northern Hemisphere eriococcids. Perhaps they share a spiral twisting of the ductules between the gland and the dermal opening.

Adult female Alpinococcus can be distinguished immediately from other genera of Eriococcidae in New Zealand by the presence of dorsal cruciform pores and from all other genera by a combination of these cruciform pores and the ventral band of 5-locular disc pores extending right around the submargin to near the anal cleft. Other diagnostic features are: (i) narrow, elongate body; (ii) 2-segmented antennae; (iii) reduced legs, each with one notably long seta and 2 pairs of digitules; (iv) numerous spinose marginal setae (more abundant than dorsal setae); and (v) absence of microtubular and macrotubular ducts. No male stages are known.

This genus may be related to the New Caledonian monotypic genus Chazeauana Matile-Ferrero , with its endemic species C. gahniae Matile-Ferrero found only on Gahnia novocaledonensis (Cyperaceae) ( Williams & Watson, 1990). Features shared by Chazeauana and Alpinococcus are: (i) elongate body shape; (ii) reduced antennae; (iii) legs reduced, with long distal trochanteral seta and digitules present; (iv) cruciform pores present (described as bilocular or 8-shaped pores for Chazeauana ); (v) macrotubular ducts absent; and (vi) elongate shape of the anal lobes. Chazeauana differs mainly from Alpinococcus in presence of: (i) peculiar dorsal setae with swollen tips; (ii) 4-segmented antennae; (iii) prolonged cephalothorax; (iv) microtubular ducts; (v) a well-developed anal plate; and (vi) 5-locular disc pores scattered on margins of dorsum and venter (in discrete band on Alpinococcus ).

Etymology. The genus name is derived from Alpino- for the mountain habitat, combined with coccus for ‘scale’.