Pseudococcus meridionalis Prado

Correa, Margarita, Aguirre, Carlos, Germain, Jean-François, Hinrichsen, Patricio, Zaviezo, Tania, Malausa, Thibaut & Prado, Ernesto, 2011, A new species of Pseudococcus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) belonging to the “ Pseudococcus maritimus ” complex from Chile: molecular and morphological description, Zootaxa 2926, pp. 46-54 : 51-53

Pseudococcus meridionalis Prado sp. n.

( Fig. 4 )

Diagnosis. P. meridionalis belongs to the Pseudococcus maritimus complex, characterized by the presence of discoidal pores near the eyes ( Gimpel & Miller, 1996) and is very similar to P. maritimus and P. v ib u r n i. One of the most important diagnosis characteristics of P. maritimus , the presence of a marginal OR between cerarii 15 and 16, is absent from P. meridionalis . Other important characteristics of P. meridionalis include OC present in ventromarginal areas of thorax, translucent pores present on hind tibia and femur, and discoidal pores near eyes not located on sclerotized rim.

External appearance. P. meridionalis shows four long caudal tails; the length of the wax tail of cerarius 2 reaches less than half the length of the wax tail of the anal cerarius. Body color is dark gray. A compact ovisac is produced containing orange color eggs.

Mounted material. (data in brackets for paratypes) Adult female. Holotype elongated oval, length 2.09 mm (1.6–3.1), width 1.19 mm (0.80–1.75). Anal lobes well developed. Longest anal lobe seta 80 mm (78.2–119.5), approximately twice greatest width of anal ring (n = 23). Antennae each 480–468 µm long, with eight segments. Average lengths of each segment as follows: I 65.0 mm (53.7–85.4); II 62.2 mm (51.2–78.0); III 61.0 mm (51.2– 75.0); IV 45.0 mm (31.7–56.1); V 55.0 mm (46.3–63.4); VI 40.2 mm (36.6–51.2); VII 47.5 mm (41.5–51.2); VIII 105.0 mm (95.1–109.8). Legs well developed; hind trochanter + femur 345–350 mm (300–400); hind tibia + tarsus 405– 390 mm (345–460); ratio of length of hind tibia + tarsus to hind trochanter + femur 1.17–1.11:1 (1.01–1.22:1). Ratio of length of hind tibia to tarsus 2.5–2.5:1 (2.0–2.9:1). Translucent pores: 40–39 (16–60) present on hind femur and 48–45 (26–52) on hind tibia; absent from hind coxa and trochanter. Hind tibia with 22–21 (21–38) setae. Longest seta on hind trochanter 97.6–107.3 (80–131) mm long. Labium 150 mm long (117–183). Circulus 1.6 times as wide as long, 162 mm wide (158–176). Longest anal-ring seta 125 mm long (117–173).

Cerarii numbering 17 pairs. Each anal lobe cerarius lightly sclerotized, with three setae of different sizes, long, medium and short. Cerarii 1–11 each mainly with 2 conical setae per cerarius (rarely 3 in ce2 and 6); ce12 with 3 (rarely 2); ce13 and 14 with 2; ce15 with 3; ce16 with 4 (3 or 4); and ce17 with 3 (sometimes 4). All cerarii with auxiliary setae, more numerous in anal cerarius with 5 (4–7), ce2 with 4 (3–7) and ce17 with 4 (2–5).

Dorsal surface with flagellate setae of mostly one size, only somewhat longer on segment VIII; with 5 dorsomedial setae on segment VIII (3–9), longest of 22 mm long (14.6–24.4). Multilocular pores absent. Trilocular pores scattered throughout. Each oral rim tubular duct (OR) usually with 0 to 3 associated discoidal pores and 0 or 1 seta, present on submargin close to ce2 to 9 and 11, between ce13 and 14, and close to ce17 (ce17 rarely with 2 OR on paratypes); absent near ce10 on holotype but sometimes present on paratypes; absent near ce12, 15 and 16. In addition, abdomen with 6 OR located in the medial line (3–9) and 9 in the submedial lines (9–21); also present on thorax as submarginal (as mentioned above in association with cerarii), 2 in the medial line (1–6) and 9 in submedial line (3–13). Few dorsal OC, located in margin. Discoidal pores of one size scattered over dorsum approximately same size as on venter. Discoidal pores present near eyes 1 or 2 (0–4).

Ventral surface with normal flagellate setae, longest on abdominal segment VII each 57 mm long (43–63); 3 cisvulvar setae on each side (2–3), 40 mm long (30–43). Longest interantennal seta 98 mm long (66–98). Multilocular pores present on abdominal segments IV–VIII but not extending laterally to margin; pores restricted to an anterior band on segment VII and around vulva but present as both an anterior and a posterior band on VI and V but more dispersed on the V anterior band; on IV they are dispersed; absent from head and thorax on holotype but occasionally present on paratypes. Trilocular pores scattered throughout the body. One size OC in the holotype, some paratypes show 2 sizes with the second type being somewhat longer and narrower, located in the medial and submedial part of abdomen; associated with multilocular pores on posterior band of abdominal segments IV–VII, also present submarginally on head and thorax; numerous between ce1 and 7, much less frequent between ce8 and 11; then with 5–7 (3–17) OC between ce10 and 11; 4–9 (7–27) close to ce12; 9–12 (7–13) near ce13; 7–8 (6–28) between ce14 and 15; none near ce16; 7–8 (6–16) on each side of head. OR each with 1 (0–2) discoidal pore and 1(0–1) setae associated with rim; with 1 submarginal between ce8 and 9, also 1 submarginal duct at level of cerarii ce10 and 12 (2–3), and 1 submedial between ce9 and 10; thus a total of 4 OR between anterior spiracle and abdominal segment 2 on each side of abdomen on holotype but varying from 2 to 9 on paratypes. Posterior spiracle greatest length 68.3–70.7 mm long (60.9–80.5).

Type material. HOLOTYPE: adult female on one slide, Chile, La Serena, 10.V.2002, on pomegranate ( Punica granatum ), Col. M. Zambrano (depositary Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Chile, MNNC). PARA- TYPES: Four adult females on four slides, same data as holotype; 29 specimens on 24 slides, Chile, Calera de Tango, Santiago, 18.III.2002 and 30.IV.2002, on Pyrus pyrifolia ; 12 specimens on 10 slides, Chile, Huelquén, Santiago, 17.IV.2002, on Pyrus pyrifolia ; one specimen on one slide, Chile, San Bernardo, SAG fruit inspection, on Pyrus communis ; eight specimens on eight slides, Chile, Buin, March 2010, on Vitis vinifera . Paratypes deposited in MNNC, USNM; MNHN and ANSES.

Non-type material. The specimens identified previously as Pseudococcus sp.1 preserved at Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero ( SAG, Chile), and at Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias ( INIA, Chile) were also identified as P. meridionalis .

Hosts and distribution. This species has been collected in Chile from Antofagasta Region (23°11`23``S, 68°00`13``W) to Los Angeles (37°27`48``S, 72°19`36``W) on blueberries, nectarine, peach, pear, Japanese pear, persimmon, plum, cherimoya, pomegranate and grapevine.

Etymology. The species name “ meridionalis ” refers to the location of this species at the southern part of South America, Chile.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Pseudococcus meridionalis Prado sp. n. Holotype adult female, Chile.