Apiococcus gregarius Hempel.

Hodgson, Chris & Miller, Dug, 2010, A Review of the Eriococcid Genera (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea) of South America 2459, Zootaxa 2459 (1), pp. 1-101 : 14-18

Apiococcus gregarius Hempel.

Apiococcus gregarius Hempel, 1900: 402 .

Material examined: Syntypes: Apiococcus gregarius Hempel : BRAZIL, Ypiranga, on Myrtaceae , no date, A. Hempel ( USNM): 1/2 adff (in good to fair condition) + 1/9 first-instar nymphs (in fair to good condition). We have not selected a Lectotype as we believe the primary type should be chosen from material deposited in a Brazilian collection.

Also " Tectococcus ovatus Hempel " (now Apiococcus ovatus (Hempel)) : BRAZIL, Ypiranga, on Myrtaceae, 1900 , no collector ( USNM): 1/3 admm (in fair condition).

Adult Female ( Fig. 5 )

Unmounted material. Forms a hard, spherical test that is brown in color with a slightly roughened surface (Hempel, 1900).

Mounted material. Body apparently globular, derm entirely membranous, with areolations. Length 0.75– 1.33 mm, width 0.7–1.35 mm.

Dorsum. Derm membranous but with a faint reticulate pattern of striations on abdomen and forming larger areolations on thorax. Dorsal setae of 2 or 3 types: (i) large and roundly conical setae, each 4–5 µm long and about 5 µm wide; basal socket narrow, subequal to width of setal base; abundant in segmental rows over almost entire surface, but rather narrower and much more pointed dorsally on head and laterally on most posterior abdominal segments, where each about 3–4 µm long; and (ii) stout setae but narrower than type (i), few on posterior abdominal segments, intermingled amongst type (i). Macrotubular ducts absent. Microtubular ducts about 2/3rds size of loculate pores and appearing bilocular, probably with a thin inner ductule; each about 3 µm long: abundant throughout although with few on abdominal segment VIII and sparse on head. Loculate pores, each 2–2.5 µm wide, with 3–5 (mainly 5) loculi: in bands about 3–5 pores wide across 7 preanal segments and in a large oval group anteriorly on head; apparently absent on thorax and rest of head. Anal lobes barely developed, each a small terminal convexity, unsclerotised, each with a group of 19–27 setose setae (each 13–22 µm long), plus 1 long apical flagellate seta, about 30–60 µm long and 1 intermediate seta, about 35 µm long. Median lobe absent. Anal ring and anal ring setae absent, anus possibly represented by a 6–7 µm wide membranous opening antero-dorsally between groups of anal lobe setae. No clearly defined anterior or posterior suranal setae present. A small group of loculate pores present on inner margin of each anal lobe, which appear to be associated with two elongated invaginations or pouches, each about 35–40 µm long, with walls covered in about 25–40 loculate pores, here thought to have a membranous outer ductule .

Margin. Undefined. However, loculate pore bands (similar to those on dorsum) forming more or less complete rings around abdominal segments, but with two breaks ventro-laterally, possibly defining pleural regions, suggesting that perhaps 2/3rds of body represents dorsum. Spinose setae (type (i) on dorsum) also extending into pleural regions, along with a few type (ii) setae. Microtubular ducts also extending abundantly into pleural regions. Eyespots not detected.

Venter. Derm membranous. Setae of 2 types; (i) setose setae, sparse and all rather short, each 3–5 µm long; without long setae associated with meso- and metacoxae; with a total of about 6 setae in a row across each abdominal segment; with about 6–10 short setae between antennae; other setae rather randomly placed; (ii) conical setae similar to those on the dorsum, mainly restricted to marginal areas but with a few more medially, particularly on thorax. Macrotubular ducts absent. Ventral microtubular ducts similar to those on dorsum and present throughout, except in anal area on segment VIII and sparse medially on thorax. Loculate pores of similar structure to those on dorsum, in bands across all abdominal segments (7 segments), but with only 0–3 on segment VIII; also present in a band associated with posterior spiracle, extending across ventral and pleural areas of mesothorax, band possibly not quite complete medially but extending laterally onto dorsum; a similar but shorter band present associated with anterior spiracle; with a small group of loculate pores present pleurally between these 2 spiracular bands; each spiracle with a small concavity along anterior margin, each cavity with 15–24 pores; with a few pores around each antenna and also along anterior margin of head associated with dorsal group .

Each antenna represented by a single round to oval, flattened segment, about 13–17 µm across, lying in a shallow depression, with 5–8 mainly fleshy setae; sometimes with a setose seta on margin. Clypeolabral shield about 160–170 µm long; labium with probably 4 pairs of setae; number of labial segments unknown. Spiracles: width of peritremes 15–17 µm. Legs entirely absent, not even represented by clumps of setae. Vulva not detected.

Comment. For a comparison of the adult female of Apiococcus with other eriococcid genera see the “Comment” section after the generic diagnosis of Apiococcus .

First-Instar Nymph (probably female) ( Fig. 6 )

Unmounted material. Body orange yellow.

Mounted material. Body oval, possibly slightly more pointed posteriorly. Length about 235 µm, width 115–120 µm.

Dorsum. Derm membranous, with enlarged dermal spinules medially, these particularly obvious on metathorax and abdominal segments I and II; smaller ones present elsewhere. Dorsal setae of 2 types: (i) spinose, broad, cupolate-shaped setae, each about 10 µm wide and 5 µm tall, with a narrow basal socket: in 2 submedial lines, with a pair on 1st abdominal segment plus pairs on meta- and mesothorax, and posteriorly on head (+ a pair occasionally present on prothorax and abdominal segment II, these appearing to be more conical); and (ii) setose setae, each 6–12 µm long, as follows: in a pair of mid-dorsal lines, with 1 pair of setae per segment on abdomen and metathorax, each fairly stout and not flagellate; pairs of more flagellate setae, each 10–12 µm long, on meso- and prothorax and with 3 pairs on head; also with pairs of submarginal setae on abdominal segments II – IV, on prothorax and 3 pairs submarginally on head. Macrotubular ducts absent. Microtubular ducts rather large, with an oval, strongly sclerotised, apparently bilocular, pore at the end of a short outer ductule; each duct about 3 µm long; no inner ductule noted; apparently rather randomly distributed, but with a pair on abdominal segments VII, IV and II, perhaps 4 pairs on abdominal segment I, and perhaps 3 pairs on each thoracic segment and 5 pairs on head. Loculate pores, each with 5 loculi and about 2x width of microtubular ducts: with 4 on either side of abdominal segment I. Anal lobes absent or rounded, membranous; without microtubular ducts; each with a long apical flagellate seta about 130–150 µm long; each with 3 pairs of spinose setae between long apical setae on margin, each about 15–17 µm long. Anus appearing ventral, slightly oval, membranous, without an anal ring or anal ring setae; width about 6 µm; with 2 rather spinose setae on either side dorsally (each about 6.5–10 µm long) plus a pair of much longer seta ventrally, each 75–85 µm long .

Margin. Marginal setae spinose, about 5 µm wide, similar in shape to those on dorsum but smaller; with 4 between eyespots, 3 on each side between eyes and point opposite anterior spiracles, 2 on each side laterally between anterior spiracles and abdomen and with 1 on each side of abdominal segments I–VII. Eyespots large and oval, greatest width 10 µm, situated on margin near base of antennae.

Venter. Derm membranous. With 3 pairs of long flagellate setae between antennae (each 18–22 µm long) (1 pair near anterior margin); with rather shorter setae mesad to meso- and metacoxae (11–15 µm long) and even shorter mesad to procoxae (about 7 µm); also with a pair of setae medially on abdominal segments II– VII, each about 8 µm long. Submarginal setae hairlike, with a seta on each side of abdominal segments I–VII, 2 laterally between spiracles and 3 on head (2 posterior to each eyespot and 1 pair between antennae); also with a submedial line of very short setae (length 2–3 µm) on abdomen, 1 seta on each side of segments I–VII. Microtubular ducts apparently similar to those on dorsum, with a pair submedially on each abdominal segment and 1 or 2 submarginally on each thoracic segment. Loculate pores with mainly 5 loculi: with 2 immediately laterad of each peritreme, possibly in a small cavity; also with a single pore close to margin on abdominal segment I.

Antennae 6 segmented, total length 73–75 µm long; setal distribution: scape 2; pedicel 2 + a sensillum; segment III 3; IV 1 short fleshy seta; V 1 fleshy setae + 4 setose setae and VI 3 fleshy setae + about 5 setose setae; apical seta about 35 µm long. Clypeolabral shield particularly large, about 69–75 µm long; labium perhaps 2 segmented, about 33–38 µm wide, with 4 pairs of setae. Spiracles very small, width of peritreme about 3 µm wide; spiracles surrounded by an oval area, possibly a shallow cavity. Legs well developed; lengths (metathoracic leg (µm)): coxa 30; trochanter + femur 46; tibia + tarsus 45; claw unknown; tibia generally subequal to or slightly shorter than tarsus; setae: coxae 4, trochanter 2, femur 2, tibia 4, tarsus 4; long trochanter seta 30 µm long; tarsal campaniform sensillum present; claw shape and structure uncertain; both tarsal digitules on all three pairs of legs capitate and equal in size; claw digitules similar and probably longer than claw.

Comment. First-instar nymphs were also available of A. singularis Hempel. These showed significant differences between what are assumed to be male and female crawlers. For a comparison of first-instar nymphs of Apiococcus with first-instar nymphs of other eriococcid genera see the “Comment” section after the treatment of A. singularis (first-instar male).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Apiococcus gregarius Hempel. Adult female, where A = variously-shaped dorsal setae; B = dorsal microtubular duct; C = dorsal loculate pore; D = area of derm showing position of microtubular ducts and loculate pores; F = view of anal area, showing position of inner pouches; J = ventral setae; L = ventral loculate pore; P = spiracle; V = antenna, and X = anal pouch with sunken loculate pores.

FIGURE 6. Apiococcus gregarius Hempel. First-instar nymph, where A = dorsal setose seta; A1 = marginal and dorsal broad spinose setae; A2 = dorsal spinose seta; B = dorsal microtubular duct; C = dorsal loculate pore; E = enlarged dermal spinules; G = dorsal view of anal area; H = ventral view of anal area; L = ventral microtubular duct; P = spiracle with loculate pores, and X = metathoracic leg.