Xenolecanium maritimum Hodgson, 2022

Hodgson, Chris J., 2022, Three new species of the genus Xenolecanium Takahasi (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae), with an updated generic diagnosis and key to species, Zootaxa 5222 (5), pp. 457-466 : 461-463

Xenolecanium maritimum Hodgson sp. nov.

Material examined. One slide.

Holotype and paratypes here designated: top label: Host —/ Mangrove ; bottom label: Xenolecanium / maritinum / Takahashi / 18.vii.1943 / Kuala / Lumpur / R. Takahashi (holotype adf + 2 paratype adff in fairly-good condition, + about 5 x 1 st- instar nymphs in poor condition; NHM). Slide also with a small round Type label, plus another small label stating: Brit. Mus. 1955-812. On the back, there are two further labels: left label with a map showing the distribution of the specimens, indicating which is the holotype specimen; right label: Xenolecanium / maritimum / Hodgson / holotype / and paratypes.

Note: All the specimens are folded to some extent along their lengths, not ideally cleared and containing some fungal hyphae. Most specimens contain a few well-developed nymphs.

Adult female ( Fig. 2 ). Described from all three specimens as far as possible.

Slide-mounted material. Body oval, 3.0– 3.5 mm long, 2.5–3.0 mm wide. Stigmatic clefts obviously indented; anal cleft about 1/5th total body length; cleft probably fused.

Dorsum. Derm quite thick, with a strongly sclerotized area around anterior margin of anal plates, with a few pores; also with strongly sclerotized inner margins to each stigmatic cleft. Derm with numerous round to oval sclerotized areas, each with outer margin about 35–65 µm widest and a central concave clear area 8–20 µm wide; these sclerotized areas absent from a narrow band along margin and from an area medially anterior to anal plates extending to about dorsad to mouthparts; these sclerotized areas lacking pores but some with dark reticulate markings. Dorsal setae short, setose, often bent, each 10–12 µm long, clearly longer than width of setal socket; frequent in a broad marginal band, scarce more medially. Dorsal pores of two types present: (i) preopercular pores, each a closed pore, round to slightly oval, each 3–4 μm wide, in a (usually elongate) clear area of derm; present in broad submedial bands extending anteriorly to a point almost dorsad to antennae, with 100+ on each side; (ii) circular to slightly oval clear areas in derm, each about 3–5 μm wide, sparse, mainly noted in a broad submarginal band along with dorsal setae; dorsal microducts not detected but perhaps present in above clear areas. In addition, an elongate, generally oval cribriform plate containing about 300–400 pores present medially, more or less dorsad to mouthparts, each pore strongly sclerotized, closed and about 8.0–10.0 μm wide. Dorsal tubular ducts, dorsal tubercles and pocket-like sclerotizations absent.Anal plates together pyriform, length 140–166 μm, combined width 160–170 μm long; each plate with anterior margin rather straight, broadest about 3/4ths along length, more or less pointed at posterior end; number and type of setae on each plate unknown; no small pores apparent. Anogenital fold and anal ring unclear. Eyespot not detected.

Margin strongly crenulated along entire length. Marginal setae all long and finely spinose, often bent, without frayed apices; each seta 35–40 μm long, with about 50 setae between anterior stigmatic clefts, 21 setae on each side between stigmatic areas, and 39–45 setae on each side of abdomen. Stigmatic clefts deep, each narrow near margin but broadening inwardly, with a strongly sclerotized curved bar across inner margin plus a short extension on either side towards margin; number of stigmatic spines in each cleft very variable, from 0–3 but, when none visible, they could have been lost; each seta 15–25 μm long (usually appearing subequal in length), parallel sided with a very blunt apex.

Venter. Derm entirely membranous. Multilocular disc-pores absent. Spiracular disc-pores, each 3–4 μm wide, mainly with 5 loculi (6 loculi in those near margin), present in broad band within each stigmatic groove between margin and spiracle, with about 20–40 pores in each band, plus 1 or 2 extending over top of each spiracle. Ventral microducts minute, each perhaps 1.0 μm wide, present in stigmatic grooves and probably throughout. Ventral tubular ducts present in a narrow band of 5–9 on either side of vulva, each with an outer ductule about 16 μm long, and with a distinct inner ductule, about 8 μm long. Preantennal pores absent. Ventral setae frequent, most abundant in a broad submarginal band and possibly absent medially on thorax and head; with a pair of long setae, each about 100 μm long, present medially on segment VII and with a shorter pair on segment VI; each abdominal segment also with a line of shorter setae on each side, most abundant on segment VI; with a single pair of short inter-antennal setae present; with a large group of setae, each 10–13 μm long, more or less ventral to apex of each anal plate or slightly to one side. Antennae very reduced, with segmentation obscure but, based on setal types, probably including apical three segments; total length 55–65 μm. Clypeolabral shield 165–190 μm long. Spiracles well developed, width of peritremes: anterior 60–65 μm, posterior 55–66 μm. Legs very reduced, mainly each appearing as a minute sclerotized triangle, broadest at base, with very indistinct segmentation; prothoracic legs 33–55 μm long; tarsal digitules similar, both probably setose; claw very reduced; claw digitules similar, each broader than tarsal digitules but perhaps without a capitate apex.

Etymology. These specimens were originally named maritinum by Takahashi. As this species was collected on a species of mangrove, clearly it was collected by the sea, thus the name maritimum , even though the locality given on the slide is Kuala Lumpur. The actual collection site may have been Kelang, which is on the coast just to the west of Kuala Lumpur.

Comments. The only other species of Xenolecanium in which the adult female has either non-fimbriate or nonpaddle-like setae is X. pendleburyi Hodgson , described below.A discussion of the differences between these species is given under that species, below.

Xenolecanium mangiferae Takahashi was also collected on mangrove species (in Thailand) but that species differs from X. maritimum in having fimbriate marginal setae and is thought to lack preopercular pores.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Xenolecanium maritimum Hodgson, sp. nov. Adult female