Ceroputo liquidambaris Zhang & Watson, 2023

Zhang, Jiang-Tao & Watson, Gillian W., 2023, A new species of the mealybug genus Ceroputo Šulc 1898 (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) from China, and notes on Ceroputo pilosellae Šulc 1898 in China, Zootaxa 5296 (2), pp. 283-291 : 285-287

Ceroputo liquidambaris Zhang & Watson sp. n.

Material examined

Holotype: 1 ♀, China, Jiangxi Province, Yichun City, Yuanzhou District , Hongtang Town [N 27°54′16″, E 114°18′14″] / on leaves and branches of Liquidambar formosana (Altingiaceae) / 19.ix.2022 / coll. Jiang-tao Zhang / mounted singly ( CFJAU).

Paratypes: 20 ♀♀, same data as holotype, all mounted singly on slides, including 7 specimens split into dorsal and ventral surfaces ( CFJAU) ; 4 ♀♀, same data as holotype, mounted singly on slides ( SWFU) .

Description

Live appearance ( Fig. 1 ). Adult female oval, yellowish, with short lateral filaments of white wax around entire body margin; dorsum with a thin layer of white powdery wax and some medial small tufts of white wax ( Fig. 1A ). At the oviposition stage, the adult female produces an ovisac of cottony white wax filaments that sometimes completely covers body ( Fig. 1 ).

Slide-mounted adult female (n=9, Fig. 2 ). Body elongate to broadly oval, membranous, largest specimen 4.25 mm long and 3.00 mm wide. Anal lobes moderately developed, each with ventral surface membranous, bearing an apical seta, each seta 280‒315 μm long. Antennae 577‒640 μm long, each with 9 segments; sometimes 1 intersegmental sensillum present between segments IV–V, 2 present between segments VI–VII. Eyespot prominent, about the same height or slightly smaller than the length of the first antennal segment. Legs well developed, slender, with trochanter bearing 2 campaniform sensilla on each surface. Hind leg with translucent pores on tibia; segment lengths (in μm): coxa 115‒130, trochanter + femur 375‒417, tibia + tarsus 400‒467, claw 22.5‒27.5. Claw with prominent denticle; claw digitules knobbed, longer than claw; tarsal digitules setose, longer than claw. Ratio of lengths of hind tibia + tarsus to hind trochanter + femur 1: 1.04‒1.15; ratio of lengths of hind tibia to tarsus 1: 2.23‒2.50. Clypeolabral shield 200–225 µm long; labium 150‒200 μm long, shorter than clypeolabral shield, basal segment with 3 pairs of setae. Circulus large, transversely oval, 200–332.5 µm long and 105–167.5 µm wide, located between abdominal segments III and IV, with a slight intersegmental fold. Ostioles well developed, with inner edges of lips weakly sclerotized, each lip with 0–5 lanceolate setae and some trilocular pores. Anal ring 100–145 μm in diameter, with 3 or 4 rows of cells and 6 long setae, each 150–195 μm long; occasionally 1 short seta present between long setae. Cerarii numbering 18 pairs. Anal lobe cerarii (C 18) each containing 4–7 lanceolate cerarian setae (longest cerarian seta 23–30 μm long and 5–7 μm wide at base), 0–2 flagellate setae and some trilocular pores, all situated on a sclerotized area occupying most of lobe. Other cerarii, each containing 3–10 lanceolate cerarian setae and some trilocular pores, all situated on weakly sclerotized areas with margins not clearly defined. Discoidal pores, each smaller than a trilocular pore, scattered on dorsum and venter.

Dorsum with lanceolate setae, mostly each 15–20 μm long, accompanied by shorter setae, each 10–12.5 µm long. Multilocular disc pores, each 8–9 μm in diameter and with 10 loculi, mainly present in transverse rows along posterior edges of most segments, also at anterior edges of abdominal segments, in rows or scattered. Oral collar tubular ducts of 2 main sizes present: larger type, 7–8 µm long and 4–5 µm wide; smaller type, 10–13 µm long and 3–3.5 µm wide; ducts fairly numerous, forming transverse bands across most segments. Trilocular pores, each about 4 μm in diameter, evenly distributed.

Venter with normal, flagellate setae, most longer setae each 125–175 µm long, accompanied by shorter setae of various sizes, each 32.5–75 µm long; also with minute lanceolate setae, same as those on dorsum, present around margins. Multilocular disc pores similar to those on dorsum, present around vulva and in rows medially across posterior edges of abdominal segments III–VII, also around margins. Quinquelocular pores, each 5–6 μm in diameter, present on head, thorax and abdominal segments, but usually very few in median areas of pro- and mesothorax. Oral collar tubular ducts of 2 main sizes present, similar to those on dorsum: larger type present on sub-marginal and marginal areas of abdominal segments, and in marginal areas of thorax and head; smaller type present in medial and marginal areas of most segments. Trilocular pores similar to those on dorsum, but sometimes slightly smaller; few, mainly present near margins and with a few near each spiracular opening.

Remarks. Ceroputo liquidambaris sp. n. differs from all other known species of the genus Ceroputo in possessing dorsal multilocular disc pores. Morphologically, C. liquidambaris is closest to C. pini ( Danzig 1972b) in having quinquelocular pores, ventral multilocular disc pores and dorsal tubular ducts. However, they can be separated as follows (characteristics of C. pini are given in parentheses): (i) multilocular disc pores present on dorsum (absent); (ii) quinquelocular pores present throughout ventral surface (present only near mouthparts); and (iii) feeding on Liquidambar formosana (on Pinaceae ).

Host plant. Liquidambar formosana (Altingiaceae) .

Distribution. China (Jiangxi Province).

Biology. The species forms heavy infestations on its host plant and the adult females usually produce large amounts of cottony ovisac wax ( Fig. 3 ).

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from the generic name of its host-plant, Liquidambar .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Adult females of Ceroputo liquidambaris Zhang & Watson sp. n. on leaf undersides of Liquidambar formosana (Altingiaceae). A. Young adult female next to old ovisac material; B. Undisturbed ovisac.

FIGURE 2. Adult female of Ceroputo liquidambaris Zhang & Watson sp. n. A. antenna showing intersegmental sensilla; B. quinquelocular pore; C. ventral lanceolate setae; D. multilocular disc pore; E. ventral trilocular pore; F. hind tibia; G. claw; H. discoidal pore; I. small type of oral collar tubular duct; J. large type of oral collar tubular duct; K. anal lobe cerarius (C18); L. dorsal lanceolate setae; M. dorsal trilocular pore; N. frontal cerarius (C1).

FIGURE 3. Infestation of Ceroputo liquidambaris Zhang & Watson sp. n. on leaves and branches of Liquidambar formosana (Altingiaceae).