Williamsicoccus megalops, Vea & Grimaldi, 2015

Vea, Isabelle M. & Grimaldi, David A., 2015, Diverse new scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) in amber from the Cretaceous and Eocene with a phylogenetic framework for fossil Coccoidea, American Museum Novitates 2015 (3823), pp. 1-80 : 51

Williamsicoccus megalops , new species

Figures 18A–B , 19

TYPE LOCALITY: Lebanon: Central Lebanon: Mdeyrij / Hammana : Caza Baabda: Mouhafazet Jabal Loubnon. Lower Cretaceous .

TYPE: Holotype 1582, alate male in a 4 × 4 × 0.5 mm yellow, transparent, polished amber piece, embedded in Canada balsam and mounted in epoxy with two coverslips, with a few particles of debris; specimen is well preserved, although the wings are hardly visible and antennae truncated. accessible views: ventral and dorsal; Dany Azar amber collection, provisionally deposited in the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle.

ETYMOLOGY: The epithet megalops comes from Greek megalos, meaning “large or great” and ops, “eye,” referring to the large ventral eyes in this species and is a noun in apposition.

DIAGNOSIS: As for genus.

DESCRIPTION: Body minute, total length 775 μm, widest at mesothorax, ca. 235 μm. Head (fig. 19AB): Round, ca. 210 μm wide, ca. 170 μm long. Each ocular sclerite with two pairs of simple eyes (a pair dorsally and a pair ventrally), each dorsal eye ca. 25 μm, ventral eye larger than dorsal eye (ca. 40 μm) and positioned closer together; with a pair of lateral ocelli (10 μm wide). Antenna (fig. 19A): At least 6-segmented, but both antennae broken on holotype; lengths of segments (in μm): scape 25; pedicel 40; flagellar segments III to VI all filiform, subequal in length (ca 100 μm). Setae longer than segment width (ca. 35–60 μm). Thorax: Head and thorax slightly separated. Prothorax membranous, ridges not observable. Prosternal structure not visible. Mesothorax dorsally: prescutum oval, bulging (85 μm wide, 72 μm long); scutum without a membranous area; scutellum oval, almost as wide as prescutum (fig. 19C). Setae not detected. Ventrally: basisternum well developed with a median ridge. Wings (fig. 19D): Forewings elongate and thin, base narrow and round distally, ca. 885 μm long, 290 μm wide; subcostal ridge extending from the base of the wing to a little less than 3/4 wing length. Cubital ridge present, starting at wing base; alar setae and sensoria absent, microtrichia present. Alar lobe present. Hamulohalteres narrow, ca. 70 μm long; each with one hamulus (fig. 19E). Legs (fig. 19F): Long and slender, all subequal in length and shape, cuticular reticulations absent; measurements of foreleg: coxa 50 μm long; trochanter and femur, 150–160 μm long, 25–30 μm wide, with few short, hairlike setae; tibia: 130–160 μm long, 20 μm wide, with short hairlike setae, becoming numerous and spinose distally; tarsus 2-segmented, 45–50 μm long, 15 μm wide, tarsal digitules finely clavate; claw thin 10 μm, almost straight, digitules and denticles not observed. Abdomen: Ca. 345 μm long (315 μm without genital segment), 215 μm widest. Tergites and sternites well developed and segmentation easy to delineate. Abdominal setae not visible except for pleural setae on posteriormost segments. Tergite VII and VIII each side having wax filaments protruding out posteriad, indicating glandular pouches. Genital segment: Penial sheath short subtubular (40 μm long, 50 μm at base). Aedeagus not visible. Eversible endophallus absent.

Figures

FIGURE 18. Photomicrographs of (A) dorsal and (B) ventral surfaces of Williamsicoccus megalops, n. sp., holotype 1582. (C) Dorsal and (D) ventral surfaces of Gilderius eukrinops, n. sp., holotype AMNH Bu-1594.

FIGURE 19. Details of Williamsicoccus megalops, n. sp. (A) Dorsal view of head. (B) Ventral view of head. (C) Dorsal mesothorax. (D) Wing. (E) Connection of the forewing and hamulohaltere. (F) Leg