Bambusaecoccus maolanensis Meng & Xing, 2022

Meng, Shitao & Xing, Jichun, 2022, Bambusaecoccus maolanensis, a new soft scale genus and species from China (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae), Zootaxa 5168 (4), pp. 419-430 : 422-429

Bambusaecoccus maolanensis Meng & Xing sp. n.

Material examined: Holotype: adult ♀, CHINA: Guizhou Prov., / Libo County, Yongkang Town , / 25°28′73″N, 107º94′15″E, / 707 m altitude, / on Dendrocalamopsis sp. ( Bambusoideae ), / 19. August. 2021, / Shitao Meng leg., mounted singly on a slide ( GUGC) . Paratypes: Same collection data as holotype, 8 adult ♀♀, 4 adult ♂♂, mounted singly on slides ( GUGC). The slide lables are written in English .

Adult female

Appearance in life ( Figs 1A–D ): Body of adult female oval, mildly convex, 2.3‒3.5 mm long, 1.8‒2.3 mm wide; entire dorsum yellowish-brown, mediodorsally with a greyish brown longitudinal ridge, submargin with a quite wide, dark yellowish brown strip, without visible wax except for a small area of white wax near each stigmatic cleft.

Slide-mounted adult female (n=9) ( Figs 2 , 3 ): Body broadly oval, 2.5‒3.7 (2.8) mm long, 2.0‒2.5 (2.3) mm wide. Stigmatic clefts deep and very pronounced, each reniform. Anal cleft approximately 1/4 of body length without sides fused.

Dorsum. Derm membranous, lightly sclerotized in more mature specimens, with abundant small areolations that are more obvious in mature specimens; each areolation contains a central dorsal microductule. A narrow, strongly sclerotized area present around anal plates. Dorsal setae all spinose, each 7‒10 (8) μm long, sparsely distributed throughout but frequent around each stigmatic cleft. Dorsal pores of 2 types: (i) small convex, closed pores, each about 3 μm wide and (ii) small microducts each with a narrow outer ductule about 4 μm long, an inner ductule 6 μm long and swollen at proximal end, and sclerotized pore about 1.5‒2.0 (1.6) μm wide. Preopercular pores each about 4‒6 (5) μm wide, forming 2 compact groups, each of 60‒85 pores, situated anterolaterally to anterior margin of anal plates. Anal plates each 190‒210 (195) μm long, combined width 170‒180 (173) μm; each plate with 4 setae, with 3 along outer submargin and 1 near inner margin. Ano-genital fold with 2 pairs of short setae present along anterior margin and 3 or 4 pairs of longer setae laterally. Anal ring bearing 4 pairs of setae, each about 100 μm long, ring apparently with pores; anal tube quite short, anal ring lying beneath anal plates. Eyespots present.

Margin. Marginal setae short and spinose, located on ventral surface apart from a few on dorsum on either side of each stigmatic cleft, each seta 11‒16 (13) μm long. Each side of body with 15‒20 marginal setae between anterior and posterior stigmatic clefts. Stigmatic clefts deep, with a narrow opening marginally, but widening submarginally, each with 20 stigmatic spines on dorsal surface; stigmatic spines variable in size, each 5‒14 μm long; each stigmatic cleft with inner margin sclerotized, and a small area of dorsal sclerotisation by inner margin, containing about 25 spiracular disc-pores.

Venter. Derm entirely membranous. Ventral microducts distributed evenly on venter Multilocular disc-pores present, mostly each 7‒10 (8) μm wide, with mainly 5 or 6 (a few with 7 or 8) loculi, restricted to a small group of 20‒30 on each side at anterior end of anal cleft, posterior to genital opening. Spiracular disc-pores each with 5 loculi, present in a wide band between each spiracle and margin, with about 45‒55 pores in each anterior band and 50‒70 in each posterior band. Tubular ducts all of 1 type, each duct with a long, narrow outer ductule about 12 μm long, and a narrow inner ductule about 10 μm long, restricted to a small group of 15‒20 (total) on either side of genital opening. Setose setae abundant; pregenital setae with 4 setae on either side of anal opening (segment VII); a group of about 16 on each side of segment VI ; about 23 on each side of V; and 10 or 11 on each side of each of segments IV and III; and 0 on segment II; also, each middle and hind leg with an adjacent group of 10‒15 setae. Antennae reduced, each about 130‒135 (132) μm long, with 7 ring-like segments; scape with 3 setae; pedicel with 2 setae; segment III with 3 setae; segment with 2 setae, 1 long and 1 short; V and IV each with 1 fleshy seta + 1 hair-like seta; VII with 3 hair-like setae and 3 stiff setae. Mouthparts rather large; clypeolabral shield about 265‒310 (272) μm long with 2 pairs of setae; labium shorter than clypeus, with 4 pairs of setae. Peritremes of anterior spiracles each about 95‒100 (96) μm wide, with 140–150 disc-pores; and those of posterior spiracles each about 98‒103 (101) μm wide, with 145–155 disc-pores. Legs reduced but each with a large coxal apodeme; segmentation difficult to discern; each tibia and tarsus very short, with 1 short seta; tarsal and claw digitules capitate, each 5‒7 μm long; claw about 20‒23 (21) μm long, without a denticle. Vulva not visible but probably situated between abdominal segments VI and VII.

Remarks: Bambusaecoccus maolanensis sp. n. is the only species currently known in the genus. The morphology of the adult female is similar to that of Takahashilecanium rotundum (Takahashi, 1951) , sharing the following character states: (i) stigmatic clefts present; (ii) spiracular disc-pores present in broad bands between margin and spiracles; (iii) preopercular pores present in two groups located laterad to anal plates; (iv) anal ring with four pairs of setae; and (v) pregenital disc pores forming a small group posterior to vulvar opening on each side of the anal cleft. Bambusaecoccus maolanensis can be distinguished from Takahashilecanium by (character states of T. rotundum in brackets): (i) stigmatic clefts each associated with about 20 dorsal stigmatic spines (each cleft containing only 3 stigmatic spines); (ii) ventral tubular ducts present in a small group on each side of genital opening (ventral tubular ducts absent); and (iii) legs and antennae reduced (legs and antennae well developed); and (iv) presence of a group of 10‒15 setae on venter just mesad to each middle and hind leg (absent).

Ecological note: Specimens of B. maolanensis were found under carton coverings made by the ant Crematogaster subnuda nigrosubnuda Özdikmen 2010 ( Hymenoptera : Formicidae : Myrmicinae) on stem nodes of bamboo, Bambusa (Dendrocalamopsis) sp. ( Poaceae : Bambusoideae ) ( Figs 4A–B ). The ants were feeding on the honeydew eliminated by the scale insects and had built a tent-like carton cover to protect them from predators and parasites. Both female and male scales of various developmental stages were usually found together.

Adult male

Appearance in life ( Figs 5A–D ): Body yellowish-brown. Genital segments uncinate, about 1/5th total body length; antennae rather short, each approximately half total body length; wing petaliform, about 3/5th total body length.

Slide-mounted adult male ( Figs 6 , 7 ): Body 1.84–1.89 mm long, with hair-like setae (hs) and fleshy setae (fs), mainly restricted to the limbs. Antennae rather short, each about half total body length. Head with two pairs of simple eyes. Procoxae each with 1 pair long hair-like seta. Caudal extension of abdominal segment VIII rounded, with mild sclerotisation and moderate protuberance. Glandular pouches numbering 1 pair. Fore wings each slightly shorter than total body length.

Head. Roughly diamond-shaped, 216–220 μm long and about 234 μm wide. Median crest (mc) well developed, with blurry reticulations. Postoccipital ridge (por) absent. Mid-cranial ridge (vmcr) narrow but clear. Preocular ridge (procr) present ventrally, extending posteriorly. Genae (g) large and membranous, without genal setae (gs) and without polygonal reticulations but with a few striations. Eyes: with 2 pairs of round simple eyes, 1 pair dorsal (dse) and 1 pair ventral (vse), subequal in size, each 40–45 μm in diameter. Ocelli (o) present laterally. Ocular sclerite (ocs) sclerotized and reticulated, each reticulation containing microridges. Postocular ridge (pocr) dorsally extending medially to median crest (dividing around each ocellus). Dorsal ocular setae absent, but with a small seta between postocular ridge (pocr) and median crest (mc). Cranial apophysis (ca) present.

Antennae each 10 segmented and filiform. Segment lengths in μm: scape (scp) 31‒35, 45–49 wide, with 3 hs; pedicel (pdc) 45–50 long, 50–52 wide, with 2 or 3 hs on ventral surface and campaniform pore present. Segments III–X each 28‒33 wide; length of fs 17–19 (occasionally down to 12); segment lengths: III 60–65; IV 110–115; V 135–140; VI 124–129; VII 113–118; VIII 105–110; IX 88–93; X 66–71; approximate number of setae per segment: III, 6 or 7 fs + 0 hs; IV, 10–16 fs + 0 hs; V–VII, 16–25 fs + 0 hs; VIII and IX, 13–17 fs + 3 hs; segment X with 16–19 fs, of which 5 probably antennal bristles (ab) but not differentiated + 3 capitate setae (caps).

Prothorax. Pronotal ridge (prnr) well developed, apparently fused medially. Pronotal sclerite (prn) wide, without lateral pronotal setae. Post-tergites (pt) present, without post-tergital setae. Median pronotal and other dorsal and pleural setae absent. Proepisternum + cervical sclerite (pepcv) well developed. Sternum (stn 1) with strong, bow-shaped, transverse ridge. Median ridge absent but with a broad striated area in this position. Prosternal setae, anteprosternal setae and antemesospiracular setae absent.

Mesothorax. Prescutum (prsc) slightly wider than long, 100–105 μm long and 190–195 μm wide. Prescutal setae (prscs) absent. Prescutal ridge (pscr) and prescutal suture (pscs) well developed. Median membranous area (sma) 125–130 μm long and 190–195 μm wide. Scutum margin with a small group of blurry reticulations. Scutal setae (scts) absent. Scutellum (scl) 165–170 μm long and 265–270 μm wide, with a moderately large foramen; scutellar setae absent. Mesepisternum (eps 2) with petaliform nodules. Postalare (pa) striated anteriorly, without postalare setae. Mesosternum (stn 2) large, about 180–190 μm long and 270–275 μm wide; stn 2 bounded anteriorly with strong marginal ridges (mr) and posteriorly with strong precoxal ridges (pcr 2), without mesosternal setae (stn 2 s). Median ridge (mdr) well developed and complete. Lateropleurite (lpl) without marginal ridge. Furca (f) well developed but short, extending anteriorly. Subepisternal ridge (ser) well developed. Postmesospiracular setae absent. Mesothoracic spiracle (sp 2) peritreme 37–39 μm wide. Antemetaspiracular setae absent. Mesopostnotum (pn 2) developed normally. Tegula (teg) without tegular setae (tegs).

Metathorax. Metapostnotum (pn 3) absent. Dorsal and ventral parts of metapleural ridge (plr 3) well developed. Metepisternum (eps 3) lightly sclerotized. Metepimeron (epm 3) long and without setae. Metathoracic spiracle (sp 3) peritreme 37‒39 μm wide. Metasternum (stn 3) membranous; posterior metasternal setae absent.

Wings. Fore wings hyaline, 1.13–1.18 mm long and about 0.58 mm wide (ratio of length to width 1:0.5). alar setae and alar sensoria absent. Hamulohalteres absent.

Legs. Metathoracic legs marginally longest. All leg segments with setae, mainly fs. Coxa (cx) lengths (μm): I, 107; II, 100; and III, 100–105, each procoxa bearing 2 long hair-like setae, each 25‒30 μm long, and 8–10 fs + 3 hs. Metacoxa with 12–15 fs + 7 hs. Trochanterofemora (tfm) with segmentation indistinct, lengths (μm): I, 295–300, II, 270–275, III, 305–310. Metatrochanter with 20–25 fs + 8 hs. Tibiae (ti) long, lengths (μm): I, 330–335; II, 350–355, and III, 400–405. Metatibia with 40–50 fs + 14 hs. Apical spurs (tibs) on tibiae each about 26 μm long. Tarsi (ta) one segmented, I, II and III each 100–110 μm long. Metatarsi each with 10–15 fs + 14 hs. Distal tarsal spur (tars) present, each 25–28 μm long. Tarsal digitules (tdt) slightly longer than claw. Claws (c) short, each about 60‒65 μm long and without denticle (cd). Claw digitules (cdt) with small capitate apices and slightly shorter than claw.

Abdomen. Segments I–VIII: tergites on segments IV–VIII (at) with light sclerotisation. Abdominal sternites (as) slightly sclerotized. Segment VII with caudal extensions. Dorsal abdominal setae (ads) absent. Segment VIII with 2 ante-anal setae (aas) each 15–17 μm long. Pleural setae all hs. Dorsal pleural setae (dpls): segments I–III each with 0, III‒VII each with 6, VIII with 5. Ventral pleural setae (vpls) absent. Ventral abdominal setae hair-like; each side of segments I and II each with 1 seta, segments VI‒VIII each with 1 seta, and segments III‒V with 2 setae each. Glandular pouches (gp) deep, each divided into inner and outer sections; each pouch containing small pores and 2 glandular pouch setae (gls), these proportionately rather short, each 90‒95 μm long.

Genital segments. Segment IX intimately fused onto caudal segment. Penial sheath (ps) 355–360 μm long and 55–60 μm wide at base, about 1/5th total body length (ratio of total body length to penial sheath length 1:0.19), with slightly sclerotized margins. Basal rod (bra) very short, 15–20 μm long, its anterior not approaching basal membranous area (bma). Aedeagus (aed) 90–95 μm long, apex of penial sheath with a membranous extension, bearing minute setae, each about 3‒5 μm long setae (gts). Posterior and dorsal margins of penial sheath all with a cluster of small sensillae (gtp) near apex.

Remarks: The male of B. maolanensis shows some similarities to that of Cribropulvinaria tailungensis Hodgson & Martin 2001 , sharing the following character states: (i) sternum (stn 1) with a strong, bow-shaped, transverse ridge; (ii) scutum with a few polygonal nodulations laterad to scutellum; (iii) hamulohalteres absent and (iv) the presence of distinct sclerotized tergal plates on segments II to VIII; and (v) glandular pouches (gp) present, each with 2 setae. The male of B. maolanensis can be distinguished from that of C. tailungensis (characteristics of C. tailungensis in brackets) by possessing: (i) genae (g) with a few striations (genae without striations or polygonal reticulations); (ii) abdominal ventral setae present (abdominal ventral setae absent); and (iii) episternum (eps 1) slightly sclerotized and without postmetaspiracular setae (pmss) (episternum (eps 1) sclerotized, with fs postmetaspiracular setae (pmss) present).

Etymology: The specific name maolanensis is composed of maolan, the name of the site in Libo where this species was collected, and - ensis (Latin), a suffix denoting place or locality.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Bambusaecoccus maolanensis Meng & Xing sp. n. A, B. Appearance in life of adult and immature females in carton shelter built by mutualistic ants (Crematogaster subnuda nigrosubnuda Özdikmen); C, D. Adult and immature females with a few glassy second-instar male tests.

FIGURE 2. Bambusaecoccus maolanensis Meng & Xing sp. n., adult female: anplt = anal plate; ant = antenna; dmic = dorsal microduct; ar =anal ring; dset = dorsal seta; edd = enlargement of dorsal derm; mset = marginal setae; pvp = perivulvar pore; pop = preopercular pore; sp = simple pore; spp = spiracular pore; stgsp = stigmatic spine; vmic = ventral microduct; vset = ventral setae; vtbd = ventral tubular duct.

FIGURE 3. Bambusaecoccus maolanensis Meng & Xing sp. n., slide-mounted adult female.

FIGURE 4. Bambusaecoccus maolanensis Meng & Xing sp. n., ecological environment.A. Type locality; B. Ant carton shelter covering a scale insect-infested stem node of the bamboo host.

FIGURE 5. Bambusaecoccus maolanensis Meng & Xing sp. n. A. Glassy test secreted by second-instar male. B. Prepupal male; C, D. Adult males.

FIGURE 6. Bambusaecoccus maolanensis Meng & Xing sp. n., macropterous male.

FIGURE 7. Bambusaecoccus maolanensis Meng & Xing sp. n., slide-mounted macropterous adult male.