Neosteingelia sp.

Hodgson, Chris & Foldi, Imre, 2006, A review of the Margarodidae sensu Morrison (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) and some related taxa based on the morphology of adult males, Zootaxa 1263 (1), pp. 1-250 : 1-250

Neosteingelia sp.

( Fig. 17 )

Material studied

USA, Virginia, Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, base of Carya ovata , 29.ix.1990, I. Foldi ( MNHN): 1/1ad ♂ (labelled Neosteingelia texana , in fair to good condition, but neither antenna complete).

Mounted material

Large, 2.75 mm long, 0.6 mm wide across prealare. Body setae mainly short and hairlike (hs), most about 5–8 m long but some up to perhaps 40 m on thorax and abdomen; all with normal shallow basal sockets; collared setae (cs) and hairs (hrs) absent; loculate pores (lp) few, present laterally on metathorax and dorsally on abdominal segment VIII; each 8 m wide, mainly with 3 or 4 loculi. Convex pores (cp) and minute pores absent. Antennae probably long; flagellar segments all quite narrow and parallel­sided (most missing); some setae with a satellite seta (sats). Some sclerotised areas with pale reticulations. Legs well developed but with few setae; all tibia with spur­like setae, some bifurcated; tarsi probably 1 segmented; claws without a denticle; claw digitules setose. Abdominal segment I possibly present ventrally; abdomen without lateral caudal extensions; tergites of segments VI and VII with large tubular ducts. Penial sheath triangular and more or less terminal.

Head

Broadly oval in dorsal view; length about 250 m; width across compound eyes 530– 550 m. Dorsally: postoccipital suture (pos) broad, extending across posterior part of epicranium (dmep) and with a fairly broad postocciput (poc) posteriorly. Midcranial ridge (mcr) quite distinct, fairly narrow, extending full length of dorsal part of epicranium (dmep); sclerotised. Rest of dorsal epicranium only mildly sclerotised or membranous. Preocular ridge (procr) probably represented by antero­dorsal margin of compound eye (cde). Dorsal epicranium (dmep) with 20–23 hs on each side; loculate pores (lp) absent. Laterally: each compound eye (cde) about 165–190 m long, with about 150–160 ommatidia. Each cde with a narrow, barely sclerotised ocular sclerite (ocs) along posterior margin, each with a single ocellus (o) close to postoccipital suture (pos); width of each ocellus 28–30 m; each ocular sclerite (ocs) with a sclerotised, longitudinal postocular ridge (pocr) along dorsal margin; ventral projection (p) short but distinct. Ventrally with a strongly sclerotised series of ridges forming a five­armed cross, composed of: (i) a ventral midcranial ridge (vmcr) anteriorly; (ii) a pair of preocular ridges (procr) and (iii) a pair of preoral ridges (pror) posteriorly. Ventral part of epicranium (vmep) largely sclerotised postero­medially, becoming membranous anteriorly, laterally and posteriorly; setal distribution as follows: anteriorly between mid­cranial ridges and antennae with 4–7 hs (pores absent); each lateral area between preocular and preoral ridges with 3 hs; area posterior to preoral ridges and around mouth (m) without setae or pores. Cranial apophysis (ca) probably short and broad. Anterior tentorial arms (ata) present just postero­laterally to preoral ridge; posterior tentorial arms (pta) not detected; tentorial bridge (tb) well developed. With a ventral sclerite (vs) just posterior to each compound eye, each articulating with a cervical sclerite in neck region.

Antennae probably 10­segmented but both antennae broken. Scape (scp) 103–115 m long, 90 m wide, with a sclerotised articulatory socket with head and a strong basal articular process (bap) extending from lateral margin of each scape posteriorly to compound eye; each scape with 12–21 hs, those near base of segment noticeably shorter; without bifurcated setae (bs). Pedicel (pdc) 85 m long, 66 m wide; with 17 or 18 hs but without satellite setae (sats), plus 2 campaniform sensilla (camp) on dorsal surface. Segments III and IV of flagellum parallel­sided, each about 40–50 m wide; both segments with many long setae, each 60–85 m long; a few with satellite setae (sats). Approximate segment lengths (m): III 290, IV 250.

Thorax

Prothorax: neck narrow. Dorsally with a strong pronotal ridge (prnr) which extends uninterrupted across hind part of neck, articulating with cervical sclerite ventrally. Posttergites (pt) elongate and complex, each about 230 m long, with a broader sclerotisation at anterior end which appears very similar to an apophysis, with distinct pale areolations. Laterally with a pair of strong cervical sclerites (cv) which appear to articulate anteriorly with both ventral sclerites (vs) and preoral ridges (pror); cervical sclerite (cv) with a proepimeron (epm 1). Pleural ridge (plr 1) quite long, broad and blade­like, extending posteriorly from articulation with coxa; with a few areolations at posterior end; pleural apophysis (pla 1) indistinct. Ventrally: prosternum (stn 1) with a well­sclerotised median ridge about 300 m long, which broadens slightly about mid­way along length but with no obvious sternal apophysis (stn 1 a) at posterior end; with no transverse ridge. Most membranous areas with a few short setae as follows: dorsally with median pronotal setae (mpns): 1–3 hs on each side; a few lateral pronotal setae (lpns) present; post­tergital setae (pts): 3–5 hs between pt and prescutum and with 1–3 hs along lateral margins; anterior propleural setae (apl 1 s): 3 hs on each side; posterior propleural setae (ppl 1 s): with a group of setae along each margin posteriorly; ventrally with 8 or 9 hs anteprosternal setae (astn 1 s) anteriorly between procoxae; with a group of 8 hs prosternal setae (stn 1 s) on each side of prosternum, plus about 5 antemesospiracular setae (asp 2 s) on each side.

Thorax

Mesothorax: dorsally: prescutum (prsc) large and approximately oval (260 m long, 370 m wide); mesoprephragma (phr 1) narrow; prescutal ridges (pscr) narrow and short; prescutal sutures (pscs) indistinct; prescutum without prescutal setae (prscs). Scutum (sct) without a median membranous area; distance from prescutum to scutellum 130 m, with 6 or 7 hs scutal setae (scts) on each side medially; without setae or pores near lateral margin. Scutellum (scl) triangular; without membranous areas laterally; without scutellar setae (scls) or pores; scl extending laterally to posterior notal wing process (pnp). Laterally: prealare (pra) elongate. Tegular (teg) well­developed, each with 3 pairs hs tegular setae (tegs). Mesopleural ridge (plr 2) well developed, with a deep pleural apophysis (pla 2). Mesepisternum (eps 2) not nodulated. Anterior spiracles (sp 2) relatively small, each 55 m wide. Ventrally: basisternum (stn 2) large, length 300 m, width 340 m; with a distinct sclerotised median ridge (mdr), not quite complete anteriorly; with 3 hs basisternal setae (stn 2 s) at anterior end of mdr, plus 0–2 near lateral margin; without a marginal ridge (mr) along anterior border but mr well developed laterally and precoxal ridges (pcr 2) welldeveloped posteriorly; furca (f) moderately narrow posteroventrally, slightly waisted, with quite long arms, which diverge strongly; lateropleurite (lpl) indistinct but broad, without an extension from marginal ridge; subepisternal ridge (ser) broad posteriorly, with 1 or 2 hs setae posteroventrally. Postmesospiracular setae (pm 2 s) absent apart from 0–2 hs posterior to each anterior spiracle; pores absent. Wing sclerites: showing nothing distinctive.

Metathorax: mainly membranous. Dorsally: metapostnotum (pn 3) fused with tergite of abdominal segment I; well developed laterally and fused medially; with 2 or 3 metatergal setae (mts) on each side. Laterally: dorsospiracular setae (dss) absent. Suspensorial sclerites (ss) quite large. Pleural ridge (plr 3) well developed; precoxal ridge (pcr 3) well developed and extending medially but length uncertain; with a weak pleural apophysis (pla 3). With perhaps 1–3 hs antemetaspiracular setae (asp 2 s) + 2 or 3 lp laterally. Metepisternum (eps 3) lightly sclerotised, with 2 pairs hs postmetaspiracular setae (eps 3 s); metepimeron (epm 3) represented by a strong sclerotisation extending dorso­posteriorly around metacoxae. Posterior spiracles (sp 3) similar in structure and size to anterior spiracles. Ventrally: metasternum (stn 3) with a large area of sclerotisation, with clear lateral apophyses (stn 3 a). Postmesoprecoxal ridge setae (ppcr 2 s) present as a distinct group of about 6 hs near mesoprecoxal ridges (pcr 2) anteriorly; anterior metasternal setae (amss): 11 hs more or less in a line; posterior metasternal setae (pmss): perhaps 3 on each side of metasternum.

Wings: quite large and well developed but both somewhat distorted; each about 3 mm long and 1.13 mm wide (ratio of total­body length to wing length 1:1.1; ratio of length to width 1:0.38). Subcostal thickening (sclt) well developed; wing anterior to sclt sclerotised proximally, becoming less so towards wing tip; rest of wing membranous but covered in large, broken micro­ridges; with 2 circular sensoria (sens) at base of sclt, plus 2–4 minute alar setae (als); with 3+ further sensoria along length of sclt; radius (rad) vein very faint. Alar lobe (al) represented by a sclerotised fold along proximal posterior margin. Hamulohalteres (h) mainly lightly sclerotised but with more obvious sclerotisation along anterior margin; rather long and narrow; length 225–240 m, width 60–85 m; with 4 hamuli (ham), each highly curved with a clavate apex from which a short, thin spur projects.

Legs: metathoracic legs perhaps marginally longest. Coxae (cx) lengths (m): I?; II 190; III 215; metacoxae with about 35 hs. Trochanter (tr) + femur (fm) lengths (m): I 370; II 420; III 445; trochanter with 6 or 7 shortish setae + 2 long flagellate seta (each about 170 m long); trochanter with 3 or 4 round campaniform sensilla (camp) on each side; trochanterofemur articulation clear and diagonal; femur with about 28 setae, each 33–50 m long. Tibia (ti) lengths (m): I 560; II 635; III 680; distal 2/3rds with spur­like setae laterally and ventrally, some bifurcated, these replaced by long flagellate setae dorsally; with a dense group of tibial spurs (tibs) (at least 15) distally, many with a blunt or even perhaps clavate apex; most about 25 m long. Tarsus (ta) probably 1 segmented but some legs perhaps with slight indications of a very short 2nd segment; lengths (m): I 170; II 165; III 185; with 1 tarsal campaniform sensillum (camp); without bifurcated setae (bs), all setae short and setose; tarsal spurs (tabs) undifferentiated; tarsal digitules (tdgt) possibly represented by 2 small, fine setae on dorsal margin near claw. Claws (c) broad, without a denticle (cd); claw III about 40 m long, with 2 fine, short, setose digitules (cdgt).

Abdomen

Mainly membranous, with no caudal extensions (ce), margins of segment VII and VIII rounded; segment I considered to be present between metacoxae. Tergites (at) present across all segments, largest on anterior segments, becoming smaller posterior to segment IV; sternites (as) present across all segments, those on segments VII and VIII almost full width of segment; pleurites (apt) of segments V–VIII mildly sclerotised. Setae all hs; dorsal abdominal setae (ads) much less frequent than ventral abdominal setae (avs), but otherwise similar, each about 5–10 m long; some pleural setae up to 30 m on posteriormost segments; number of setae: ads: I 2; II–IV 15–19; V 25; VI & VII 4–7 on each side; VIII: uncertain but probably at least 10 in total; avs: I 13; II–VIII 50+ across each segment; pleural setae clearly divided into dorsal and ventral groups: dorsal pleural setae (dpls) on each side: I about 5; II–V 2 or 3; VI 8; VII 24; ventral pleural setae (vpls) on each side: I 0; II 3; III 11; IV 19; V 26; VI & VII 30+; dpls + vpls on VIII: many, tending to fuse with avs. Loculate pores (lp) restricted to 1 or 2 immediately posterior to tubular ducts (tdc) on segment VII. Segments VI and VII with a broad band of large tubular ducts (tdc) on each tergite, each duct about 10–13 m wide at tip and 20–23 m total length, with outer opening raised about 8 m above derm; each ductule possibly with inner longitudinal ridges and broadest proximally; in 2 groups on each segment, more or less in 2 rows, 9–11 on each side on segment VI and 10 per side on segment VII. Other pores absent. Sclerotised spiracles (asp) absent, but unsclerotised ducts leading from tracheae to lateral areas present in all segments.

Genital segment: anus (an) present medially on segment VIII above base of penial sheath; width about 70 m. Penial sheath (ps) sclerotised, extending posteriorly from beneath segment VIII; about 255 m long, 120 m wide anteriorly, narrowing to a short, blunt apex posteriorly; with a large opening ventrally; with a line of 12 or 13 short setae (pss) along anterior margin of opening ventrally, these extending laterally onto dorsal surface, where setae slightly larger; also with a small group of small sensoria (psp) at apex. Aedeagus (aed) almost entirely membranous, exact shape and size uncertain, but emerging from ventral groove in penial sheath; with a long setiferous, eversible endophallus (eph) internally; length uncertain.

Comment For a comparison with Neosteingelia texana Morrison , see below.

Figures

FIGURE 17. Male Neosteingelia sp. Letters as for Fig. 6 except M = post­tergite, and Z = short setae as on dorsum and venter of abdomen.