Essigella patchae Hottes, 1957

Thery, Thomas, Kanturski, Mariusz & Favret, Colin, 2018, Molecular data and species diagnosis in Essigella Del Guercio, 1909 (Sternorrhyncha, Aphididae, Lachninae), ZooKeys 765, pp. 103-122 : 109-111

Essigella patchae Hottes, 1957 stat. n. Figs 1b, 2b, d, f, h

Essigella patchae Hottes, 1957: 98 (Type locality: "Stillwater, Maine"). Holotype viviparous alate in USNM. Sorensen 1994: 49 [synonymy with E. pini Wilson]. Status re-established.

Other examined material.

1 viviparous alate and 1 viviparous aptera, Canada, Québec, Saint-Hippolyte, N45.991 - W74.009, ix.2015, on Pinus strobus , C. Favret leg. (QMOR); 1 viviparous aptera, Saint-Hippolyte, N45.989 - W74.005, ix.2016, on Pinus strobus , T. Théry leg. (QMOR); 1 viviparous aptera, Saint-Hippolyte, N45.989 - W74.005, ix.2017, on Pinus strobus , T. Théry leg. (QMOR).

Diagnosis.

Like species of the E. californica complex and E. pini , E. patchae has its 3rd and 4th dorsal abdominal terga usually with six setae. Essigella patchae can be distinguished from the other species of the E. californica complex species and from E. pini by its ultimate rostral segment (URS) exhibiting no or barely visible rows of spinules (Fig. 2b, d), which are clearly visible in other species of the E. californica complex and also in E. pini (Fig. 2a, c). Essigella patchae can also be differentiated from E. pini by having the general shape of the URS more elongated with lateral margins almost parallel (Fig. 2b, d) (margins more rounded and convergent at base in E. pini ; Fig. 2a, c); shorter cauda than that of E. pini which can be elongated and acute; genital plate with fewer setae (15-20 vs 26-30 in E. pini ), longer in E. patchae in comparison with E. pini (Fig. 2e, f), with spinules of the genital plate tegument more developed in E. patchae (Fig. 2g, h).

Host plant and distribution.

The species is currently known from its type locality in Maine (USA) and from one locality in Quebec (Canada) on Pinus strobus Linnaeus (see discussion).