Ripersiella colombiensis (Hambleton)

Schneider, Scott A. & LaPolla, John S., 2022, A Neotropical complex of Ripersiella species (Hemiptera, Coccomorpha, Rhizoecidae) collected from the nests of Acropyga ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), ZooKeys 1123, pp. 1-30 : 1

Ripersiella colombiensis (Hambleton)

Figure 4

Neorhizoecus colombiensis Hambleton, 1946: 43.

Rhizoecus colombiensis (Hambleton); Hambleton 1977: 372.

Ripersiella colombiensis (Hambleton); Kozár and Konczné Benedicty 2003: 236.

Material examined.

Holotype. Colombia • 1 adult ♀; La Esperanza; ii.1936; R Roba coll.; USNM . Other material. United States • 1 adult ♀; Arizona, Cochise Co., Chiricahua Mtns, SW Res. Sta., 5 miles W. Portal; 31.8833, -109.2063, 1646 m; 5-15.viii.2001; JS LaPolla; with Acropyga epedana ; USNM • 1 adult ♀; Arizona, Cochise Co., near Portal ; 31.8838, -109.2229, 1645 m; 31.vii.2005; CR Smith; collected from colony of Acropyga epedana ; USNM .

Description.

Adult female, based on holotype. Appearance in life not reported; extent of wax production unknown.

General. Mounted on microscope slide, body broadly oval and membranous, 1.09 mm long, widest at metathorax and abdominal segments I-II, 0.91 mm wide. Abdomen rounded and gently tapering toward posterior apex; abdominal segment VIII approximately 270 μm wide at base. Anal lobes poorly developed with several flagellate setae on dorsum and venter, 18-28 μm long; lacking differentiated group of 3 long anal lobe setae. Body setae flagellate, 17-25 μm on head, 15-20 μm on thorax, 16-21 μm on abdominal segments. Trilocular pores scarcely distributed among body setae; multilocular disc pores absent; bitubular cerores absent; oral collar tubular ducts absent. Microtrichia present on abdominal segments and thorax. Eyes absent.

Venter. Cephalic plate absent. Labium with 3 segments; 88-110 μm long and 69 μm at widest point. Antennae geniculate, 5-segmented, closely situated near midline on ventral submargin of head; overall length 182 μm; length of segment I: 36 μm; segment II: 26 μm; segment III: 28 μm; segment IV: 22 μm; segment V: 70 μm; apical segment with 1 spine-like and 4 falcate sensory setate; flagellate setae on each antennal segment 18-40 μm long. Legs well developed; overall length of hind leg 394 μm; length of hind coxa 48 μm; length of hind trochanter + femur 158 μm; length of hind tibia + tarsus 152 μm; length of hind claw 36 μm; each claw with setose digitule 4 μm long; flagellate or stout setae present on each segment 18-28 μm long. Single conical circulus present between abdominal segments III and IV, 28 μm wide; inner margin of orifice slightly crenulated.

Dorsum. Anal ring situated on dorsal surface separated from posterior body margin by approximately 1 × diameter of ring, 80 μm in diameter; with oval cells lacking spicules; bearing three pairs of setae about 63 μm long. Posterior pair of ostioles present, diameter of orifice measured along longitudinal axis approximately 68 μm; anterior pair of ostioles apparently absent.

Diagnosis.

Ripersiella colombiensis is most similar in appearance to the newly described species R. illicians . Consult the diagnosis of R. illicians for a discussion on how to distinguish them.

Comments.

Ripersiella colombiensis is confirmed to associate with Acropyga epedana and is one of few species of Rhizoecidae with a published record of Acropyga queens carrying gravid female trophobionts on their nuptial flight ( Smith et al. 2007; Schneider and LaPolla 2020). Specimens from Colombia and Arizona appear likely to be conspecific, although those from Arizona have noticeably longer and thinner legs relative to their body size.

Figures

Figure 4. Ripersiella colombiensis (Hambleton). Adult female, full body view, re-illustrated by JSL from Williams and Granara de Willink (1992) and Kozar and Konczne Benedicty (2007), with edits by SAS.