Serrolecanium ferrisi Wu & Lu

Wu, San-An & Lu, Yuan, 2012, Notes on the genera and species in the mealybug tribe Serrolecaniini Shinji (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) from China with description of a new species, Zootaxa 3251, pp. 30-46 : 38-40

Serrolecanium ferrisi Wu & Lu spec. nov.

( Figs 5 , 20, 21)

Serrolecamiun tobai (Kuwana) ; Ferris, 1950: 72; Tang, 1992: 40; Wang, 2001: 43; Wu, 2001: 47 (misidentification). Serrolecanium indocalamus Wu ; Hendricks & Kosztarab, 1999: 69 (misidentification).

Description of adult female. Unmounted material. Adult female obovate to elliptical with parallel sides, flattened dorsoventrally to slightly convex dorsally; surrounded by white wax, but with little wax on dorsum and venter; rounded anteriorly. Abdominal segmentation distinct, posterior 4 abdominal segments well defined and expanded laterally, posterior 5 abdominal segments with posterolateral lobes, length of lobes increasing posteriorly. Whole body of mature individuals dark reddish, with heavy sclerotization.

Mounted material. Body 3.3 (2.5–4.2) mm long, 1.5 (1.2–2.0) mm wide. Margin of posteriormost abdominal segments with conical setae.

Anal ring 42.5 (40.0–45.0) μm in diameter, incomplete dorsally, directed caudally, situated at end of short tube; with numerous pores and 6 setae, each 45.0–87.5 μm long. Eyes absent. Antennae two-segmented, 64 (57.5– 70.0) μm long, diameter at base 26 (25.0–30.0) μm, with 6 or 7 setae at apex. Clypeolabral shield about 1.3 time longer than wide, 128 (100.0–132.5) μm long and 98 (95.0–100.0) μm wide; anterior projection nearly one-third length of shield, 42 (37.5–50.0) μm long, 68 (62.5–75.0) μm wide. Labium two-segmented, approximately 1.14 times broader than long, 41(37.5–45.0) μm long and 47 (42.5–50.0) μm wide at base. Legs absent, but with a compact group of duct-like pores behind posterior spiracles in area typically occupied by each metathoracic leg. Anterior spiracles nearly as long as broad, spiracular arm 56 (50.0–62.5) μm long, including peritreme; with 2 groups of trilocular pores associated with atrium, each anterior group with 11–15 pores, each posterior group with 8–13 pores; posterior spiracular arm 59 (57.5–62.5) μm long, also with 2 groups of trilocular pores associated with atrium, each anterior group with 9–14 pores, each posterior group with 7–9 pores. Vulva distinct, with smooth walls and with opening directed posteriorly; with 4 long apophyses and 2 lateral apodemes, the posterior apophyses arising from dermal plates located on segment VIII. Ostioles, circuli and cerarii absent.

Dorsum. Trilocular pores each 5.1 (5.0–5.3) μm in diameter, distributed over entire surface except absent on abdominal segment VIII and on posterolateral lobes, and with few on medial areas of head and thorax. Discoidal pores each 2.0 (2.0–2.5) μm in diameter, mainly distributed on margin and submargin but absent from posterolateral lobes. Tubular ducts short, 12.0 (11.3–12.5) μm long, 12.0 (11.0–12.5) μm in diameter, with width of collar approximately two thirds length of tube; few, present along margin of head. Setae of 2 types: (i) conical setae stout, each 13.0–22.0 μm long, restricted to submargin and margin of head and thorax, but present over entire surface of abdomen, those on abdomen found predominantly on posterolateral lobes, those setae on lobes broader and longer than others, usually in groups of 2; and (ii) flagellate setae, each 10.0–11.3 μm long, sparsely distributed on medial region of head and thorax. Spicules minute, each 1.8–2.2 μm long, single or in groups of 2 or 3, located medially on segments II–VII.

Venter. Trilocular pores similar to those on dorsum, each 5.2 (5.0–6.0) μm in diameter, distributed on submargins and margins of head, thorax and abdominal segments II–VI; also clustered around labium. Discoidal pores similar to those on dorsum and similarly distributed. Duct-like pores slender and long, 1.0–1.5 μm in diameter, 4.8–6.0 μm long, in approximately circular groups in area typically occupied by metathoracic legs, each group about 1.5–2.3 times larger than spiracles. Tubular ducts similar to those on dorsum, located along margin of head, plus 1 or 2 ducts also along posterior submargins and margins of abdominal segments III–V. Setae of 2 types: (i) conical setae similar to those on dorsum, present in submarginal and marginal regions of body; (ii) flagellate setae, each 10.0–12.0 μm long, distributed in 4 longitudinal rows medially on abdomen. Apical setae present, each 22.5–35.0 μm long, centrally located on base of posteriormost lobes. Spicules as for dorsum.

Distribution. Hubei, Guizhou, Yunnan.

Host plants. Fargesia sp, Arundiaria sp.(?).

Biology. Living singly or in small groups on stems beneath leaf sheaths.

Material examined: Holotype Ƥ, GUIZHOU: Kuankuoshui Natural Reserve Area (28°12ʹN, 107°8ʹE) of Suiyang county, under leaf sheath of Fargesia sp., 13 Aug. 2010, coll. San-an Wu and Yuan Lu. Paratypes: 2ƤƤ, same data as holotype. Other specimen examined: 1Ƥ, HUBEI: Houhe Natural Reserve Area of Wufeng county (30°04ʹN, 110°40ʹE), on bamboo, 11 July 1999, Coll. San-an Wu.

Etymology. The new species is named after Prof. G.F. Ferris, who first discovered this species in Kunming city, China.

Remarks. This new species is similar to S. tobai in having the posterior 4 abdominal segments well-defined and expanded laterally, but can easily be distinguished by having (i) a conical seta at the apex of each posterolateral lobe and (ii) no tubular ducts dorsally on the abdomen.

Ferris (1950) identified the specimen collected from “ CHINA, Yunnan, Si-shan, nr. Kunming on Arundiaria sp.(?), 8–12 May 1949 ” as Serrolecanium tobai . Later, Hendricks and Kosztarab (1999) checked this material studied by Ferris (1950) and concluded that “Ferris’ material shows striking differences with other lot of S. tobai , and is here treated as S. indocalamus Wu ”. However, they also wrote “this material does not completely match Wu’s (1988) definition and may actually represent a separate species. This possibility cannot be affirmed until Wu’s type material or topotypic material is made available for examination”. Due to the kindness of Professor Shijun Wu, we have been able to check the topotypic material of S. indocalamus and it is clear that Ferris’ material is not same species as S. indocalamus . The specimens seen here and collected from Guizhou and Hubei provinces match Ferris’ (1950) and Hendrick’s and Kosztarab’s definition, and so are believed to represent the same species, which we describe here as S. ferrisi .

Figures

FIGURE 5. Serrolecanium ferrisi Wu & Lu, adult female. Where: A antennae; B anterior spiracle; C trilocular pore; Ddiscoidal pore; E tubular duct; F pore-plate; G duct-like pores; H dorsal marginal seta; I long seta; J conical seta.