Pseudophacopteron caffrariense, Capener, 1973

Malenovský, Igor & Burckhardt, Daniel, 2009, A review of the Afrotropical jumping plant-lice of the Phacopteronidae (Hemiptera: Psylloidea), Zootaxa 2086 (1), pp. 1-74 : 39-40

Pseudophacopteron caffrariense -group

Head, in dorsal view, slightly wider than mesonotum. Vertex relatively flat (Figs. 14, 65) or with weakly raised midline ( Fig. 66 ) but lacking pronounced median ridge; lateral ocelli lying on small tubercles above the plane of vertex or lying in it; two large tubercles, each on either side of midline, present on anterior vertex margin, divided by median epicranial suture (Figs. 13–14, 65–66) or vertex is regularly rounded down in front (Figs. 15–16); median epicranial suture usually distinct basally (near posterior vertex margin) and apically (above frons), reduced in the middle; vertex with a small lateral tubercle adjacent to eyes present (Figs. 16, 65) or indistinct (Figs. 14, 66). Occiput and preoccipital sclerite narrow; eyes not stalked, subglobular. Genae relatively large, swollen and slightly produced anterio-laterally; tubercle below torulus blunt (Figs. 15–16) or pointed with apex forming a right angle (Fig. 13). Frons narrowly pentagonal, slightly wider anteriorly (Figs. 13, 15). Clypeus subglobular. Antenna with a large, widely elliptic rhinarium bordered with a wreath of cuticular spines near apex of each of segments 4–9, associated with another smaller elongate cavity with supplementary sensorium situated more basally and lacking cuticular spines on at least some of segments 4–8 ( Figs. 19 , 225 ), or with multiple rhinaria on segments 3–8 lacking cuticular spines ( Figs. 21–22 ). Fore wing relatively broad, pyriform, apex truncate or broadly rounded; veins with distinct dark spots or streaks ( Figs. 59–63 ); radular spinules present, forming small triangular patches in both apical corners of cells m 1 and m 2 and proximal apical corners of r 2 and cu 1 ( Figs. 80–82 ). Mesotibia with a comb of 4–12 densely arranged stout setae on outer margin subapically (reduced in P. tamessei ). Metacoxa with right-angled posterior margin and small, acute, thorn-like meracanthus; metafemur parallel-sided, not constricted medially ( Fig. 27 ). Metatibia bearing an open crown of long, slender, unsclerotised apical spurs ( Fig. 25 ), lacking similar spurs laterally. Metabasitarsus relatively long, cylindrical, bearing two black lateral sclerotised spurs apically ( Fig. 25 ) or short, lacking distinct spurs (Fig. 169). Male subgenital plate with dorsal margin nearly straight (Figs. 160, 166) or more or less angular (Figs. 154, 157, 163). Paramere asymmetrical (Figs. 155, 158, 161, 164, 167). Distal segment of aedeagus with elongate, narrow and apically rounded apical dilation; sclerotized end tube of ductus ejaculatorius short, sinuate (Figs. 156, 159, 162, 165, 168). Female circumanal ring with two rows of pores, pores of outer row contiguous. Dorsal and ventral valvulae lacking distinct lateral teeth ( Figs. 217, 219, 221–222 ).

Fifth instar larva (known only in P. cuniculus ) with long limbs, broad tarsal arolium with indistinct petiole, slender truncate lanceolate setae, and large and strongly sinuate circumanal pore ring, widely extending on both dorsal and ventral surfaces of caudal plate ( Fig. 262 ).

Comments. The group of five Afrotropical species is defined by the presence of supplementary rhinaria on the antennae. The ultrastructure and position of rhinaria is similar in P. caffrariense , P. hollisi , P. serrifer and P. tamessei . P. cuniculus is unique in having multiple rhinaria that lack a wreath of cuticular spines. These multiple rhinaria are present also on the segment 3. As P. cuniculus is similar to P. caffrariense and P. hollisi in several characters (e.g. anterior tubercles on vertex, the form of the male and female terminalia, fore wing pattern), the multiple rhinaria of P. cuniculus are interpreted here as the homologous, derived state.

Figures

FIGURES 59–66. Pseudophacopteron spp. 59–63, fore wings (arrow: costal break); 64, habitus, lateral view; 65–66, head, dorsal view (arrow: lateral tubercle on vertex). 59, 65, P. caffrariense; 60, 66, P. hollisi; 61, P. cuniculus; 62, 64, P. serrifer; 63, P.tamessei.

FIGURES 17–22. Pseudophacopteron spp., rhinaria. 17, antennal segments 6–8; 18–19, apex of antennal segment 5 (arrow: additional subapical rhinarium); 20, apex of antennal segment 7; 21–22, antennal segment 3. 17–18, P. zimmermanni; 19–20, P. serrifer; 21–22, P. cuniculus.

FIGURES 216–229. Pseudophacopteron spp. 216–217, 219, 221–222, female terminalia, lateral view, with details of circumanal pore ring structure, dorsal and ventral valvulae, and subgenital plate apex; 218, 220, 223–224, female subgenital plate, ventral view; 225, antennal segment 4; 226–229, antennal segments 9 and 10. 216, 225–226, P. caffrariense; 217–218, P.cuniculus; 219–220, 227, P. hollisi; 221, 224, 228, P. tamessei; 222–223, 229, P. serrifer (217–218 reproduced from Malenovský et al. 2007 with permission of Taylor and Francis, London).

FIGURES 77–82. Pseudophacopteron spp., fore wings, distribution of surface spinules (delimited by dashed lines). 77, P.bicolor; 78, P. hankae; 79, P. stigmatum, female; 80, P. caffrariense; 81, P. hollisi; 82, P.tamessei.

FIGURES 23–28. Pseudophacopteron spp., hind legs. 23, metatibia and metatarsus; 24, metatibia, detail; 25–26, metatarsus and apex of metatibia; 27–28, hind leg, lateral view (arrow: metafemur). 23–24, 28, P. zimmermanni; 25, 27, P. cuniculus; 26, P.wagneri.

FIGURES 259–262. Pseudophacopteron spp., fifth instar larvae: left dorsal and right ventral surfaces, with details of antenna, tarsus, chaetotaxy, and circumanal pore ring. 259, P. marmoratum; 260, P. stigmatum (a, specimen from Ivory Coast; b, specimen from South Africa); 261, P. lecaniodisci; 262, P. cuniculus (261–262 reproduced from Malenovský et al. 2007 with permission of Taylor and Francis, London).