Ephedraphis mongolica, Zhang, Bin & Qiao, Gexia, 2013

Zhang, Bin & Qiao, Gexia, 2013, Ephedraphis Hille Ris Lambers (Hemiptera: Aphididae), with a key to species and one new species from Mongolia, Zootaxa 3669 (4), pp. 585-596 : 591-593

Ephedraphis mongolica sp. n.

( Figures 42–61 , 64 )

Description. Apterous viviparous female. Color. Body ( Figure 64 ) dark to black brown in life. Mounted specimens: body pale. Dorsum of head brown. Antennal segments I – II dark brown, distal half of segments III – V and the base of segment VI brown, others pale. Pronotum pale, marginal tubercles pale brown. Mesosternal furca brown. Legs with trochanters, distal 1/2–2/3 of femora, distal 1/5 –1/3 of tibiae, and tarsi brown, other parts pale. Second tarsal segments with transverse imbrications. Dorsum of abdomen pale. Spiracles pale brown, spiracular plates brown. Siphunculi, cauda, anal plate and genital plate brown. For morphometric data see Table 1.

Part (for abbreviations see Materials and Methods) Apterous viviparous females n = 13

Mean Range STDEV

Length Body length 1.64 1.56–1.70 0.041

(mm) Body width 1.04 1.02–1.05 0.009 Antenna 1.25 1.17–1.30 0.041 Ant.I 0.07 0.07–0.08 0.003 Ant.II 0.06 0.06–0.07 0.001 Ant.III 0.32 0.29–0.34 0.018 Ant.IV 0.24 0.22–0.27 0.018 Ant.V 0.22 0.20–0.24 0.013 Ant.VIb 0.13 0.12–0.14 0.005 PT 0.21 0.19–0.21 0.007 Length of setae on Ant. III 0.02 0.017–0.02 0.001 Ant.IIIBD 0.04 0.03–0.04 0.002 URS 0.10 0.09–0.10 0.003 BW URS 0.06 0.05–0.06 0.003 Hind femur 0.50 0.44–0.54 0.027 Hind tibia 0.85 0.75–0.91 0.048 MW hind tibia 0.04 0.04–0.05 0.002 2HT 0.13 0.12–0.15 0.035 Length of setae on hind tibia 0.03 0.03–0.04 0.003 SIPH 0.11 0.08–0.12 0.012 BW SIPH 0.08 0.07–0.10 0.015 DW SIPH 0.05 0.05–0.06 0.002 Cauda 0.06 0.06–0.07 0.003 BW cauda 0.13 0.12–0.14 0.005 Length of cephalic setae 0.04 0.03–0.04 0.003 Length of marginal setae on tergum I 0.04 0.03–0.04 0.004 Dorsal setae on tergum VIII 0.04 0.04–0.05 0.002 ......continued on the next page Head. Smooth dorsally, median frontal tubercle ( Figure 43 , 52 ) developed, slightly higher than antennal tubercles; head with 2 pairs of cephalic setae, 1 pair of dorsal setae between antennae, and 2 pairs of dorsal setae between eyes. Dorsal setae of body long and pointed, slightly longer than ventral setae. Antennae 6-segmented ( Figures 44 , 53, 54 ), segments III–IV with weak imbrications, segments V–VI with distinctly transverse imbrications; 0.71–0.83 times as long as body; length in proportion of segments I–VI: 14: 13: 64: 48: 44: 26 + 41, respectively. Antennal setae long and pointed, segments I–VI each with 4–5, 3–4, 6–7, 5–7, 4–5, 2–3+2, respectively, apex of processus terminalis with 3 or 4 setae. Rostrum ( Figure 42 ) reaching mid-coxae; ultimate rostral segment ( Figures 45 , 55 ) thick wedge shaped, apical microsensillae placed laterally on a very acute beaklike processus; ultimate rostral segment 1.5–1.8 times as long as its basal width, 0.7–0.8 times as long as second hind tarsal segment, with 3 pairs of primary setae, and 1 pair of accessory setae.

Thorax. Pronotum with 2 pairs of spinal and 1 pair of marginal setae, respectively. Mesosternal furca with a long stem. Hind femur 1.5–1.7 times as long as antennal segment III. Hind tibia 0.44–0.54 times as long as body. Setae on tibia long and point, length of setae on hind tibiae slightly longer than middle diameter of the segment. First tarsal chaetotaxy 3, 3, 3.

Abdomen. Abdominal tergites VII–VIII with spinulose transverse stripes. Dorsal setae of abdomen long and pointed, marginal setae with large scleroites. Abdominal tergites I, V–VII each with 1 pair of spinal and 1 pair of marginal setae, respectively; tergites II–IV each with 1 pair of spinal and 2 pairs of marginal setae, respectively; tergite VIII with 4 setae, occasionally 2 or 3. Marginal setae on tergite I 0.8–1.3 times as long as basal diameter of antennal segment III, dorsal setae on tergite VIII 0.7 – 1 times as long as basal diameter of antennal segment III. Spiracles round, closed; spiracular plates oval. Siphunculi ( Figures 46 , 59 ) short, cylindrical-shaped, with weak imbrications, 1.1–1.6 times as long as its basal width, 1.3–1.9 times as long as cauda. Cauda ( Figures 49 , 60 ) short, tongue-shaped, constricted at base, 0.5–0.6 times as long as basal width, with 6 – 8 long curved setae. Anal plate semi-circular, with 31–40 setae. Genital plate ( Figures 51 , 61 ) transversely oval, with 2 anterior setae, 8–12 posterior setae along margin and uniformly distributed.

Specimens examined. Holotype: apterous viviparous female, MONGOLIA: Umnogovi Province, Gurbantes (43.17529°N, 102.17463°E), altitude 1800 m, 28.viii.2012, No. 28899-1-1, on Ephedra sp., coll. B. Zhang.

Paratypes: 12 apterous viviparous females, the same data as holotype.

Biology. The species was collected from the stalks of Ephedra sp. ( Ephedraceae ) in a dry environment ( Figures 63 – 64 ). Body dark brown in life, and the body dorsum of apterous viviparous female is densely covered with white transverse wax stripes. Not attended by ants.

Distribution. Mongolia (Umnogovi) (Map 1).

Etymology. The species is named after its type locality.

Remark. E. mongolica sp. n. shares similar characters with E. ephedrae and E. haloxylon on the rostrate rostrum and short cauda, but differs from E. ephedrae in the following respects: median frontal tubercle developed, and slightly higher than antennal tubercles ( E. ephedrae : poorly developed, nearly straight); siphunculus short, only 0.08–0.12 mm long ( E. ephedrae : 0.18–0.20). It differs from E. haloxylon in: median frontal tubercle slightly higher than antennal tubercles, processus terminalis 1.4–1.8 times as long as base of the segment ( E. haloxylon : 1.2–1.4 times); genital plate with 8–12 posterior setae ( E. haloxylon : with 18–22 posterior setae); siphunculi 1.3– 1.9 times as long as cauda ( E. haloxylon : 1.7–2.3 times).

Figures

FIGURES 42 – 51. Ephedraphis mongolica sp. n. Apterous viviparous female: 42. Body; 43. Dorsal view of head; 44. Antenna; 45. Ultimate rostral segment; 46. Siphunculus; 47. Mesosternal furca; 48. Dorsal setae on abdominal tergite VIII; 49. Cauda; 50. Intersegmental sclerite; 51. Genital plate.

FIGURES 52 – 61. Ephedraphis mongolica sp. n. Apterous viviparous female: 52. Dorsal view of head; 53. Antenna; 54. Processus terminalis; 55. Ultimate rostral segment; 56. Mesosternal furca; 57. Intersegmental sclerite; 58. Dorsal setae on abdominal tergite VIII; 59. Siphunculus; 60. Cauda; 61 Genital plate.

FIGURES 62 – 64. 62. The habitats of Ephedraphis mongolica; 63. Host plant of Ephedraphis mongolica sp. n.: Ephedra sp. (Ephedraceae); 64. Colony of Ephedraphis mongolica sp. n.