Tanyscelis convexa (Froggatt) Hardy, Nate B. & Gullan, Penny J., 2010

Hardy, Nate B. & Gullan, Penny J., 2010, Australian gall-inducing scale insects on Eucalyptus: revision of Opisthoscelis Schrader (Coccoidea, Eriococcidae) and descriptions of a new genus and nine new species, ZooKeys 58, pp. 1-74 : 21-24

Tanyscelis convexa (Froggatt) comb. n. Figs 2c,d12

Opisthoscelis convexa Froggatt 1929: 376.

Opisthoscelis globosa Froggatt 1929: 376 (recognised as a junior primary homonym of Opisthoscelis globosa Rübsaamen 1894, by Lindinger 1943: 223), syn. n. Opisthoscelis rubsaameni Lindinger 1943: 223; replacement name for Opisthoscelis globosa Froggatt.

Opisthoscelis ruebsaameni Lindinger; justified emendation by Miller and Gimpel 2000: 414.

General.

We have examined all available type specimens of Froggatt’s Opisthoscelis convexa and Opisthoscelis globosa (the latter now Opisthoscelis ruebsaameni ) (see under "Material examined" for details of types) and inasmuch as the poor quality of the specimens allows comparison, we consider these adult females to be identical. Froggatt (1929) described these two species on the same page of his paper, with Opisthoscelis convexa described first, and based his new species on specimens of each from both Victoria (Diamond Creek for Opisthoscelis convexa but not specified for Opisthoscelis globosa Froggatt) and from New South Wales (Gosford, Macksville and Warrah for Opisthoscelis convexa and Hornsby for Opisthoscelis globosa Froggatt). He stated that the gall of the female of his Opisthoscelis globosa was larger and more swollen, and the adult female was broader with more irregular transverse bands of spines on the dorsal abdominal segments than on the female of Opisthoscelis convexa . We did not observe a striking difference in the dorsal abdominal spines beween Froggatt’s specimens of Opisthoscelis globosa and Opisthoscelis convexa . The size differences he mentions probably relate to the age of the females.

Gall

(Fig. 2c,d). Female (Fig. 2c). On stem and base of petiole. Height 3.0-7.7 mm, width 4.5-8.6 mm, length of basal attachment 4.6-11.8 mm. Gall opening slit-like to oblong, 0.1-0.4 mm wide, 0.4-1.7 mm long (paralectotype galls with slit-like opening mostly 0.1 x 1.2 mm). Gall globose, surface variable, distal area frequently with 1 or 2 concentric circular scars, distal surface above scars smooth and lighter in colour than surrounding stem tissue.

Male (Fig. 2d). On either leaf surface, occasionally on petiole or stems. Height 1.4-3.7 mm, width 1.0-1.6 mm, length of basal attachment 1.3-2.6 mm. Gall cylindrical to conical, distal margin dentate, opening slit-like to round, 0.5-1.7 mm wide, opposite side of leaf swollen.

Adult female

(Fig. 12) (n = 24). Body outline broadly turbinate, outline of head + thorax + abdominal segment I entire, abdominal margin weakly incised between each segment, length 2.3-4.4 mm, greatest width 1.9-5.0 mm; abdomen tapered, about as long as head + thorax. Eyespots each 25-83 mm wide, on dorsum among or medial to marginal spines. Antennae 1-segmented, in form of low convex plate or knob; width 25-78 mm. Frontal lobes difficult to see, each ca 220 µm long, 230 µm wide. Tentorial box 350-600 mm long. Pump chamber 50-63 µm long, 45-55 µm wide. Labium 73-160 mm long, 80-125 mm wide. Spiracles 100-205 mm long, 48-118 mm wide across atrium. Fore and mid legs small sclerotic protuberances, 20-45 µm long. Hind legs slender and elongate; coxa 360-670 µm long, hirsute, trochanter + femur 480-880 µm long, tibia 1000-1610 µm long, tarsus 75-250 µm long; translucent pores dense on both dorsal and ventral surfaces of tibia and tarsus; femur-tibia articulation non-functional, tibia fixed in orientation parallel to long axis of femur; claw and digitules absent. Anal opening poorly formed, 8-20 µm wide; sclerotic anal ring and anal ring setae absent.

Dorsum. Derm variously sclerotic, beset with small papillae; medial portions of thorax and abdomen with numerous spines each born on a fleshy protuberance, each spine with ante-apical seta, spines diminishing in size caudad. Dorsal setae flagellate, 20-180 mm long; scattered over dorsum. Macrotubular ducts absent. Microtubular ducts absent. Quinquelocular pores absent.

Venter. Derm with microtrichia on abdominal segments. Oral lobes sclerotic, forming large circular feeding pad. Spines similar to those on dorsomedial areas of thorax and abdomen found in submarginal row extending from anterior margin of head to posterior spiracles. Ventral body surface extremely hirsute, setae similar to those on dorsum, flagellate, 30-160 mm long. Macrotubular ducts 12-15 µm long, dermal orifice with rim 5 µm wide; on medial areas of anterior abdominal segments only. Quinquelocular pores large, 7-10 mm in diameter; small cluster around each spiracle.

Material examined.

Lectotype of Opisthoscelis convexa Froggatt (here designated): AUSTRALIA: Victoria: 1 adult female on WWF original slide-mount with another female, lectotype (3.4 mm long, 4.0 mm wide) closest to middle of slide, with labels: "Opisthoscelis / convexa / n sp / Eucalyptus / NSW & Vic." and "O. convexa" (ANIC).

Paralectotypes of Opisthoscelis convexa : AUSTRALIA: Victoria: 1 adult female on same slide-mount as lectotype: same data as lectotype (ANIC); 1 adult female, WWF original slide-mount labelled: "Opisthoscelis / convexa / n sp / N. S. Wales / WWF" and "Finished O. convexa" (ANIC); 2 adult females plus associated dry galls on stem, 6 slides of embryos and first-instar nymphs (several hundred) and 7 other dry galls of females: ex Eucalyptus macrorrhyncha , Diamond Creek, Oct., 1921, C. French, 1055, ASCT00004874 and ASCT00004875 (ASCU).

Lectotype of Opisthoscelis globosa Froggatt (here designated): AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 1 adult female (3.8 mm long, 4.0 mm wide): WWF original slide-mount labelled: " Opisthoscelis / globosa / n sp / N. S. Wales / WWF" and "O. globosa" (ANIC).

Paralectotype of Opisthoscelis globosa : 1 adult female: WWF original slide-mount labelled: " Opisthoscelis / globosa / n sp" and "O. globosa" (ANIC).

In the BMNH, there are also two collections of dry galls labelled as "Opisthoscelis convexa n. sp." and apparently from WWF (one from Dandenong, Victoria, and one from Sydney, N.S.W.). These appear to have been sent to London in 1922, prior to Froggatt’s description of this species. In 1985, PJG dissected dry galls from the Dandenong collection and slide-mounted two adult females and some first-instar nymphs (listed below). Although WWF presumably identified these as belonging to his new species, with the manuscript name Opisthoscelis convexa , the collection data for these specimens are not listed in Froggatt’s (1929) description of the species and thus we do not consider them to be part of the type material.

Additional material:

AUSTRALIA: Australian Capital Territory: 6 adult females: ex galls, Eucalyptus?melliodora , Canberra, beside road to Red Hill Lookout, 20 June, 1981, D. P. Faith and PJG (ANIC). New South Wales: 2 adult females: ex stem galls, Eucalyptus largiflorens , 20 km NE of Swan Hill, Merran Creek, 16 Jan., 1986, PJG (ANIC); 2 adult females: ex stem galls, Eucalyptus?melliodora , ca 30 km E of Goulburn, ca 2 km E of Bungonia Lookdown, above Bungonia Creek and Shoalhaven River, 5 Oct., 1985, PJG (ANIC); 2 adult females: ex stem galls, Eucalyptus haemastoma , Sydney, 17 Dec., 1921, WWF, #1922-55 (BMNH). Queensland: 2 adult females: ex galls, Eucalyptus sp., 20 km NW of Karara, Millmerran Road, -28.08°; 151.45°, 13 May, 1995, LGC (ANIC); 2 adult females: ex galls, Eucalyptus sp., 35 km W of Millmerran, -27.70°; 151.02°, 1 May, 1995, LGC (ANIC); 1 adult female, 5 first-instar nymphs: ex galls, Eucalyptus sp., 45 km SW of Mt Garnet, Kennedy Hwy, -16.97°; 144.86°, 17 Oct., 2003, LGC and M. D. Crisp, LGC00043 (ANIC); 1 adult female: ex gall on stem, Eucalyptus sp., 8 km NW of Karara, Millmerran Road, -28.17°; 151.55°, 13 May, 1995, G. Harper (ANIC); 3 adult females: ex stem galls, Eucalyptus sp., 9 km E of Felton, -27.85°; 151.82°, 1 May, 1995, LGC (ANIC); 1 adult female: ex gall, Eucalyptus cambageana , ca 31 km W of Moura, Dawson Hwy, -24.65°; 149.69°, 4 Nov., 2003, LGC and M. D. Crisp, LGC00076 (ANIC); 4 adult females, 200 first-instar nymphs: ex galls, Eucalyptus melanophloia , ca 50 km W of Townsville, Hervey Range, -19.33°; 146.40°, 2 Sep., 1996, C. A. M. Reid (ANIC); 100 first-instar nymphs: ex galls, Eucalyptus melanophloia , ca 50 km W of Townsville, Hervey Range, 17 Sep., 1996, C. A. M. Reid (ANIC); 1 adult female: ex stem gall, Eucalyptus melliodora , E of Inglewood, 6 km W of Gore on Cunningham Hwy, -28.35°; 151.35°, 15 Aug., 2004, NBH and PJG, NH22 (ANIC); 1 adult female: ex Eucalyptus populifolia [ Eucalyptus tereticornis ], Barakula, 5 Oct., 1939, INSECOLL 0-067179 (QDPI); 1 adult female: ex Eucalyptus crebra , Blair, Athol, Nov., 1938, INSECOLL 0-067180 (QDPI); 2 adult females: ex Eucalyptus hemiphloia , Brisbane, INSECOLL 0-067174, 0-067175 (QDPI); 5 adult females: ex Eucalyptus crebra , Forest Hill, 12 Sep., 1938, No. 339, ISECOLL 0-067177, 0-067178, 0-067187 (QDPI); 1 adult female: ex Eucalyptus hemiphloia , Gallangowan, 15 Feb., 1944, No. SC1953, INSECOLL 0-067183 (QDPI); 2 adult females: ex stem galls, Eucalyptus sp., Great Keppel Island, Lighthouse track, -23.17°; 150.97°, 14 Dec., 1993, LGC (ANIC); 1 adult female: Eucalyptus sp. (sapling), intersection of Boomerang Road and Beenleigh–Beaudesert Road, -27.78°; 153.20°, 2 May, 1993, PJG (ANIC); 2 adult females: ex Eucalyptus drepanophylla , Kandanga, 13 Apr., 1961, INSECOLL 0-067185 (QDPI); 1 adult female: ex gall, Eucalyptus siderophloia , Miriam Vale to Monto Road, Blackman Gap, 351 m, -24.44°; 151.44°, 5 Nov., 2003, LGC and M. D. Crisp, LGC00080 (ANIC); 1 adult female: ex gall, Eucalyptus pilligaensis , nr Koorongara, -28.03°; 151.27°, 2 May, 1995, L. G. Cook (ANIC); 2 adult females: ex Eucalyptus hemiphloia , R8 Doongul, 25 Jul., 1939, No. SC777, INSECOLL 0-067181, 0-067182 (QDPI); 2 adult females: ex Eucalyptus crebra , Western Line, 3 Oct., 1938, INSECOLL 0-067188 (QDPI); 1 adult female: ex Eucalyptus crebra , no locality data, 23 Dec., 1937, INSECOLL 0-067184 (QDPI); 10 adult females: no data, INSECOLL 0-067169 - 0-067172. South Australia: 8 adult females, 55 first-instar nymphs: ex stem galls, Eucalyptus fasciculosa , Belair, National Park, 25 Nov., 1963, HMB, Specimen Index No. 50/63 (ANIC); 10 adult female: ex galls, Eucalyptus sp., E of Victor Harbor, 9 Oct., 1967, HMB, Specimen Index No. 32/67 (ANIC); 1 adult female: Eucalyptus sp., Mt Bold Reservoir, 18 Sep., 1966, N. L. Berlinsky, Specimen Index No. 38/66 (ANIC). Victoria: 3 adult females: ex stem galls, Eucalyptus microcarpa , 8 km W of Melton, 27 Feb., 1975, PJG (ANIC); 1 adult female: ex stem gall, Eucalyptus albens , ca 10 km NNW of Benalla, Casey’s Weir, Broken River, -36.48°; 145.95°, 8 Feb., 2004, PJG, LGC00104 (ANIC); 1 second-instar female: ex stem gall, Eucalyptus microcarpa , ca 10 km S of Nagambie, on road to Avenel, near railway line, -36.38°; 145.17°, 30 Jan., 2005, PJG, NH27 (ANIC); 2 adult females: ex stem galls, Eucalyptus polyanthemos , Melbourne, North Warrandyte, corner of Overbank Road and Glynns Road, -37.73°; 145.20°, 14 Feb., 2005, PJG and NBH, NH28 (ANIC); 3 adult females: Eucalyptus microcarpa , nr Bacchus Marsh, Long Forest Road, 19 Jan., 1976, PJG (ANIC); 1 adult female: ex gall, Eucalyptus?microcarpa , Shepparton, near Goulburn River, off Tom Collins Drive, -36.39°; 145.39°, 29 Dec., 2004, PJG, NH55 (ANIC); 2 adult females, 2 slides with first-instar nymphs: ex stem galls, Eucalyptus elaeophora [now Eucalyptus goniocalyx ], Dandenong, WWF, 17 Dec. 1921, 1922/55 (BMNH).

Comments.

Adult females of Tanyscelis convexa can be recognised easily by the large dorsal spines found on the dorsomedial areas of the thorax and abdomen and in a ventral submarginal row extending from the anterior margin of the head to the posterior spiracles. Tanyscelis convexa is also the only species of Tanyscelis to have no tubular ducts or multilocular pores on the dorsum. DNA sequence data support a sister relationship between Tanyscelis convexa and Tanyscelis maculata + Tanyscelis maskelli (NBH, unpublished data). Tanyscelis convexa is one of the more frequently collected, and broadly distributed, species of Tanyscelis . It is known to occur along the coast from Adelaide in South Australia to Cairns in north Queensland. Adult females from near Swan Hill but in New South Wales, and from Canberra differ from all other collections of Tanyscelis convexa in having the ventromarginal band of spines poorly developed. Samples from Benalla, Shepparton, and Nagambie (more or less between but about 100 km farther south than the Canberra and Swan Hill samples) have the ventromarginal band of spines well developed. Tanyscelis convexa has been collected exclusively from eucalypt species in the section Adnataria .