Xenolecanium pendleburyi 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 : 463-465

Xenolecanium pendleburyi Hodgson sp. nov.

Material examined. Two slides:

1. Holotype + 7 paratype adff (here designated): top label with two lines of Japanese characters [ロẏ±/+ = Ronbonoki; Īẏ=ẏfi Ḣ = Tenninka-Ka]; bottom label: Xenolecanium / pendleburyi / Takahashi / Takahashi / 25.v.1944 / Singapore / R. Takahashi (holotype adf + 7 paratype adff in fairly-good condition; NHM). In addition, with a small white label: Brit. Mus./1955-812, and a small round Type label. Two further labels are stuck on the back: left label with a map showing position of holotype specimen; right label: Xenolecanium / pendleburyi / Hodgson / holotype / + paratypes.

2. Paratypes (here designated): top label:Pres. By /Com.Inst.Ent./B.M. 1963-789; bottom label: Xenolecanium / pendleburyi / Takahashi / 25.v.1944 / Singapore / R. Takahashi (19 paratype adff (mainly fair but a bit distorted; NHM). Two further labels stuck on the back: left label: clean, without writing; right label: Xenolecanium / pendleburyi / Hodgson / paratypes.

Note: Regarding the Japanese text, the meaning of Ronbonoki is uncertain, but “Tenninka-Ka” is an old name for Hutomomo-Ka, which refers to the Myrtaceae . In addition, the Tenninka might be translated as genus Rhodomyrtus (Myrtaceae) .

Both slides have numerous small 1-3 µm-wide globules throughout, making distinction of the various micropores from the globules more or less impossible. Most of the specimens contain well-developed nymphs.

Adult female ( Fig. 3 ). Described mainly from holotype specimen but data also taken from several other paratype specimens on the holotype slide.

Slide-mounted material. Body oval, 2.4–2.75 mm long, 1.7–1.8 mm wide. Stigmatic clefts obviously indented; anal cleft about 1/5 total body length; cleft probably fused.

Dorsum. Derm membranous when young, becoming more sclerotized with maturity; with a strongly sclerotized area around anterior margin of anal plates; and with strongly sclerotized inner margins to each stigmatic cleft. Derm with numerous circular to slightly oval sclerotized areas, of more-or-less 2 sizes: those near the margin and on either side of anal plates more oval, each about 10–18 µm wide; larger sclerotized areas each with outer margin about 30-60 µm wide with a paler, clearer area medially 15–25 µm wide (not always visible); sclerotized areas spread fairly sparsely throughout dorsum but absent from a fairly broad area medially anterior to anal plates and where smaller type present. Dorsal setae short, setose, often bent, each 3–4 µm long, only slightly longer than width of setal socket; frequent throughout except submedially. Preopercular pores small, each about 3 µm wide; rather sparse in fairly narrow submedial bands, extending from anal plates to anterior to cribriform plate. Other dorsal pores of possibly 2 types present (the presence of small globules in the balsam make identification very difficult): (i) dorsal simple pores, and (ii) dorsal microducts (as these are present on all other known species of Xenolecanium , they are likely to be present). In addition, a cribriform plate, beehive shaped with sclerotized pores, present medially, moreor-less dorsad to mouthparts, with pores rather loosely arranged, each pore strongly sclerotized, closed and about 5.0–8.0 μm wide. Dorsal tubular ducts, dorsal tubercles and pocket-like sclerotizations absent. Anal plates together pyriform, widest about 2/3rds down length; length 135–170 μm, combined width 150–175 μm long; anterior margin slightly convex and each plate more or less pointed at posterior end; each plate with 4 strong setae: 2 just in from inner margin, plus 1 strong, rather stout seta on each apex (35–50 μm long) and 1 stoutish seta near apex on posterior margin; also with 0–2 small pores. Anogenital fold not very clear but appearing to have ventral margin displaced posteriorly to almost level with anal plate apex. Anal ring rather small; number of setae uncertain. Eyespot not detected.

Margin not crenulated. Marginal setae all stoutly setose; each 15–25 μm long, with about 35 or 36 setae between anterior stigmatic clefts, 12–17 setae on each side between stigmatic areas, and 28–55 setae on each side of abdomen. Stigmatic clefts deep (about 80–85 μm deep), each narrow near margin but broadening inwardly, with a strongly sclerotized curved bar around inner margin; number of stigmatic setae very variable: 1–3 (but most commonly 2), each 8–17 μm long; each seta parallel sided with a very blunt apex.

Venter. Derm entirely membranous. Multilocular disc-pores absent. Spiracular disc-pores, each 3-4 μm wide, mainly each with 5 loculi, present in broad bands between margin and each spiracle, frequency uncertain but few, maybe 10 in each band (all stigmatic grooves full of fluffy wax), with none apparently extending over spiracles but with a small group of perhaps 3–6 disc-pores on each side of each stigmatic cleft, often hidden by the cleft sclerotization. Ventral microducts minute, each perhaps 0.7 μm wide, sparse but possibly present throughout. Ventral tubular ducts represented by only 1 or no ducts on either side of posterior margin of anal apparatus on abdominal segment VI, each with an outer ductule about 16 μm long, but inner ductule absent or indistinct (these could only be found on about 1 in 5 specimens). Preantennal pores absent. Ventral setae frequent, most abundant in a broad submarginal band and possibly absent medially on thorax and head; pairs of long setae medially on segment VII present or absent but with bands of shorter setae across more anterior abdominal segments; inter-antennal setae not noted; without a group of setae beneath apex of each anal plate as in other species above. Antennae very reduced, with segmentation indistinct, but perhaps with 4 or 5 ring-like segments; total length about 30 μm. Clypeolabral shield 175–190 μm long. Spiracles well developed, width of peritremes: anterior 45–50 μm, posterior 50–58 μm. Legs very reduced, with segmentation very indistinct, each leg about 16–25 μm long; claw minute; all digitules extremely hard to distinguish but present, probably all setose.

Etymology. It is thought that this species was originally named by Takahashi after Henry Maurice Pendlebury. H.M. Pendlebury was born in 1893 in the U.K. and died in 1945 in Bangalore, South India, while en route by air from a Prisoner-of-War camp in Singapore to England. He was an entomologist interested in predatory butterfly larvae and ant-tended caterpillars and was co-author (with A.S. Corbet) of The Butterflies of the Malay Peninsula, first published in 1933, which has since been revised and republished. He was author or co-author of nine Lepidopteran taxa.

Comments. The only other species of Xenolecanium with marginal setae that are neither fimbriate nor paddlelike is X. maritimum , described above. Xenolecanium pendleburyi differs from it in having spiracular disc-pores along the margins of each stigmatic cleft. In addition, it differs from X. maritimum and other Xenolecanium species in having the following combination of characters: (i) finely spinose marginal setae; (ii) cribriform plate dorsad to mouthparts composed of a loose group of sclerotized pores not forming an obvious plate; (iii) ventral tubular ducts either absent or extremely few on either side of vulva; (iv) large oval sclerotized areas much larger and fewer than on other species; (v) margin not crenulated, and (vi) apical seta on each anal plate strong and spinose.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Xenolecanium pendleburyi Hodgson, sp. nov. Adult female