Eriococcus pseudinsignis, Green

Hodgson, Chris, 2005, The adult males of Coccoidea (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha) known from Greenland, Zootaxa 907, pp. 1-48 : 39-43

ERIOCOCCUS PSEUDINSIGNIS Green ( Fig. 8 )

Eriococcus pseudinsignis Green, 1921: 149 ; Miller & Gimpel, 2000: 307.

(Described from 8 specimens in poor to good (mainly fair) condition).

Live appearance: not recorded.

Mounted material: quite small, total body length about 1.11–1.19 mm; antennae moderately long, slightly less than two­thirds total body length, with rather long fleshy setae (fs); body with few setae, all hair­like (hs), fs setae apparently absent or not differentiated from hs on body but present on all segments of legs (occasionally absent from trochanter); length of fs on antennae longer than width of antennal segments; loculate pores (lp) absent but with 3–6 small pores on head, each slightly convex with a blunt fleshy protuberance; all small, about 2–3µm wide; never in a tight group. Wings about 0.9x total body length and about 0.4x as wide as long.

Head: roundly quadrangular; length about 136–166µm; width across genae about 190–200µm. Median crest (mc) absent; postoccipital ridge (por) distinct although sometimes faint, each side with a long anterior and shorter posterior lateral extension; with (on each side) about 4–5 hs dorsal head setae (dhs) + 3–6 lp mesad to each scape. Mid­cranial ridge: dorsal ridge (dmcr) narrow but distinct, becoming thinner posteriorly and fading out approximately level with dorsal simple eyes; ventral midcranial ridge (vmcr) long and narrow, extending from lateral arms (lmcr) posteriorly to preocular ridge (procr); without any reticulation laterally; with 0 or 1 hs ventral midcranial ridge setae (vmcrs) on each side. Genae (g) not reticulated; with 1 or 2 hs genal setae (gs) on each side just posterior to preoccipital ridge. Eyes: two pairs of round, simple eyes, subequal in size, each 25–30µm wide; dorsal eyes (dse) perhaps slightly anterior to ventral simple eyes (vse). Ocelli (o) pronounced, situated laterally just anterior to postocular ridge (pocr), each 16µm wide. Ocular sclerite (ocs) lightly sclerotised and reticulated around eyes. Preocular ridge (procr) well developed ventrally, extending from antennae almost to ventral mid­cranial ridge; dorsally thin and extending over dse. Postocular ridge (pocr) strongly developed, extending antero­laterally, ending posterior to inner margin of dse; interocular ridge absent. Dorsal ocular setae (docs) absent. Ventral head setae (vhs): 4 or 5 hs immediately posterior to ventral mid­cranial ridge. Tentorial bridge distinct. Cranial apophysis (ca) tripartite; 25µm long.

Antennae: 10 segmented and filiform; 750µm long (ratio of total body length to antennal length 1:0.65). Scape (scp) approximately square, with pedicel arising anteriorly: 43–48µm long and 50µm wide, with 2 hs ventrally and 2 dorsolaterally. Pedicel (pdc): length 65–70µm, width 38–42µm; with a few concentric ridges on distal end; with 8–10 fs, 6–9 hs + a campaniform pore. Segments III–X all rather irregular in width, each about 19–32µm wide; lengths of segments (µm): III: 115–123; IV: 99–103; V: 80–90; VI: 63–68; VII: 68–70; VIII: 59–62; IX: 60–62; fs about 28–40µm long; approximate number of setae per segment (note: hs becoming longer towards apex and most becoming capitate from about segment V): III: 9–14 fs + 5 or 6 hs; IV: 12–15 fs + 4 or 5 hs; V: 10–15 + 4 or 5 hs; VI: 9 fs + 4 hs; VII: 9–12 fs + 5 hs; VIII: 8 fs, 3 or 4 hs + 1 bristle (abr) (near distal end); IX: 7 or 8 fs, 4 or 5 hs + 1 abr (near distal end). Segment X not constricted apically: length 54–57µm; with 3 caps, 3 or 4 fs, 3 or 4 hs + 4 abr; with 1 or 2 sensilla basiconica (sb) near apex.

Thorax. Prothorax: pronotal ridges (prnr) well developed, ridges touching mediodorsally; long, extending ventrally and nearly touching proepisternum + cervical sclerite (pepcv); pronotal sclerite (prn) represented by a thin, finger­like extension posterolaterally; without lateral pronotal setae (lpns), lateral prothoracic setae (lps), medial pronotal setae (mpns) and post­tergital setae (pts); post­tergite (pt) faint or absent. Pores absent. Sternum (stn1) lightly sclerotised; median ridge very thin or absent, transverse ridge well developed, with small lateral apophyses; without prosternal setae (stn1s). Antemesospiracular setae (asp2s) and anteprosternal setae (astn1s) absent.

Mesothorax: prescutum (prsc) transversely oval, 62–70µm long, 120–128µm wide; sclerotised but not reticulated; prescutal ridge (pscr) well developed anteriorly but narrowing posteriorly; prescutal suture (pscs) distinct; with 2 hs prescutal seta (prscs) on each side. Scutum (sct): sclerotised but not reticulated, 35–46µm long; scutal setae (scts) 2 hs on each side; with a pair of small more or less oval membranous areas just anterior to scutellum; apodeme (praa) near prealare (pra) absent; prealar ridge (prar) quite well developed. Scutellum (scl) 116–120µm wide and 55µm long; with a strong scutellar ridge (sclr) but no foramen; scutellar setae (scls): 2 hs on each side; postnotal wing process (pnp) strong, extending laterally. Basisternum (stn2) 185–200µm wide and 86–100µm long; without a median ridge (mdr); bounded anteriorly by a well­developed marginal ridge (mr) and posteriorly with a strong precoxal ridge (pcr2); without basisternal setae (stn2s); lateropleurite (lpl) broad, with a distinct extension from marginal ridge along anterior margin; lateropleurite without setae; furca (f) well developed, narrow­waisted, arms very divergent, extending to marginal ridge anteriorly. Mesopostnotum (pn2) well developed; postnotal apophysis (pna) well developed. Area bounded anteriorly by scutellum and laterally and posteriorly by mesopostnotum membranous. Mesepisternum (eps2) not reticulated; subepisternal ridge (ser) long and well developed. Postalare (pa) without reticulations; without postalare setae (pas). Mesothoracic spiracle (sp2): width of peritreme 23–27µm, without associated loculate pores. Postmesospiracular setae (pm2s) absent. Tegula (teg) present, each with 2 hs tegular setae (tegs).

Metathorax: with 2 or 3 hs metatergal setae (mts) on each side; metapostnotum (pn3) absent. Dorsal part of metapleural ridge (plr3) present; suspensorial sclerites (ss) small. Posterior part of metapleural ridge well developed; episternum (eps3) sclerotised but without postmetaspiracular setae (eps3s); precoxal ridge (pcr3) well developed, extending medially about 75µm. Metepimeron (epm3) sclerotised. Antemetaspiracular setae (am3s) absent. Metathoracic spiracle (sp3): width of peritreme 25–27µm, without associated lp. Dorsospiracular setae (dss) absent. Metasternum (stn3) membranous; metasternal apophysis (st3a) present; with 1 pair of hs anterior metasternal setae (amss) and 0 or 1 pairs hs posterior metasternal setae (pmss).

Wings: hyaline, rather short, 1025–1050 µm long and 375–450µm wide (ratio of length to width 1:0.4; ratio of total body length to wing length 1:0.9); alar lobe (al) well developed; each wing with 1 hs alar setae (als) but circular sensoria (sens) absent. Hamulohalteres (h) narrow: 85–92µm long, 23–25µm wide; with a single apical hamulus (ham), 53–60µm long.

Legs: subequal in length. Coxae (cx): I: 91–104; II: 95–104; III: 91–104µm long; setae of coxa III: about 7 or 8 fs + 6 or 7 hs; long setae on each coxa not differentiated. Trochanter (tr) + femur (fm): I: 195–225; II: 185–200; III: 194–207µm long; trochanter III with about 0 or 1 fs + 5–8 hs; each trochanter with 3 roundly oval sensoria on each side arranged in a triangle medially; long trochanter seta 30–42µm long; femur III with about 7–12 fs + 8–12 hs. Tibia (ti): I: 195–227; II: 200–235; III: 220–240µm; tibia III with a total of about 6 fs + 21–26 other setae, a few becoming spur­like on distal third of leg; with 2 apical spurs (tibs) on all tibia; length 20–24µm. Tarsi (ta) 2 segmented, proximal segment very short and ring­like; length of both segments combined: I: 85–95; II: 85–95; III: 85–98µm long (ratio of length of tibia III to length of tarsus III 1:0.4); tarsus III with 2–4 fs + 14–22 other setae, mainly spur­like; tarsal spurs (tabs) not differentiated; tarsal campaniform pore (tcp) present; tarsal digitules (tdt) subequal to length of claw, with small capitate apices. Claws (c) quite long and thin, about 1.3 times width of tarsus, almost straight, without a denticle (cd); length: III: 30–33µm; claw digitules (cdt) capitate and longer than claw but with only minute capitate apices.

Abdomen: segments I–VII: tergites (at) absent; small sternites (as) present on VI & VII; small pleurites present on VI & VII. Caudal extension (ce) of segment VII absent. Dorsal abdominal setae (ads) (totals across segment): segment I–VII 3–5 hs. Pleural setae: dorsopleural setae (dps) on each side: I: 2 hs; II–VII: 3 hs; ventropleural setae (vps) (on each side): II–IV: 0; V–VII: 1 hs. Ventral abdominal setae (avs) (totals): II & III: 2 hs; IV– VII: 4–6 hs.

Segment VIII: tergite (at) and sternite (as) both sclerotised; tergite with 1 pair hs dorsal abdominal setae (ads) (each 25–30µm long); sternite with 4 hs ventral abdominal setae (avs); caudal extension (ce) distinct and rounded, with 3 short and 1 longer hs pleural setae (longest 43–47µm). Glandular pouches (gp) present, each shallow, with many loculate disc­pores; each with 2 glandular pouch setae, each 100–130µm long; without additional setae.

Genital segment: penial sheath (ps) short, anterior part with more or less parallel sides; posterior part ending in a sharply pointed apex; dorsal surface sclerotised, with anal opening (an) medially, about 25µm wide. Length of penial sheath 134–140µm, greatest width 78–95µm; posterior part 78–84µm long and 50–58µm wide. Ventral lateral processes of penial sheath absent; ventral surface with 3 or 4 pairs of short setae, each about 33–40µm long; posterior part with 1 pair of long setae (each 42–56µm long) laterally and with two longer setae on dorsal surface, each about 60–66µm long; pointed apex with 2 or 3 quite large sensory pores laterally, plus a few small ones on apex. Basal rod (bra) short but distinct, probably lying more or less vertically, perhaps about 15–20µm long to top of aedeagus (aed) (including heavily sclerotised area which probably represents internal genital aperture (iga)). Aedeagus (aed) more or less parallel­sided, extending to end of penial sheath, 90–103µm long, curved, lying within penial sheath.

Material examined. GREENLAND: Sydgrønland, Kap Farvel­omradet, Pamiagdluk, Anordliūitsoq, from pitfall traps, 30.vii.1970, Jens Böcher ( ZMUC): 6/8adΨΨ ( ZMUC; BMNH).

Comment. Although no females were collected with these males, it is assumed that these males refer to E. pseudinsignis as this is the only other species of eriococcid known from Greenland.

The males of E. pseudinsignis are similar to those of E. munroi (and were mistaken for them initially) but differ most obviously in the shape and (particularly) the length of the fleshy setae on both the legs and antennae which, on E. pseudinsignis , are clearly as long as or longer than the width of the antennae (those on the subapical segment of the antennae up to 30µm long) and have a rather pointed apex (but not flagellate as with the hair­like setae), whereas on E. munroi , they are rather broad, with a much more rounded and blunt apex, and clearly shorter than the width of the antennal segments (only up to about 20µm on subapical segment of the antennae). In addition, E. pseudinsignis has (character­states on E. munroi in brackets) (i) a rather longer IIIrd antennal segmentmore than 4/5 length of pedicel (less than 3/4 length of pedicel); (ii) pores on dorsal surface of epicranium all small and never in compact groups (some larger pore and often with pores in a compact group); and (iii) lacks a metatergite (present).

Both species key out at E. araucariae Maskell in Afifi's (1968) key but differ from the latter in having trifurcate cranial apophyses and large sternites on abdominal segment VIII.

It is noteworthy that this species was caught at the same site and on the same day as some specimens of E. munroi .

Figures

FIGURE 8. Adult male of Eriococcus pseudinsignis Green. Where A = cranial apophysis; D = dorsal pore on head; E = fleshy seta; K = dorsal and ventral view of genital segment, and L = tarsus + claw.