Tectococcus ovatus 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 : 83-90

Tectococcus ovatus Hempel

Tectococcus ovatus Hempel 1900: 406–407 .

Material examined: BRAZIL: São Paulo, on shrub, Feb. 1929, A. Hempel ( USNM): 2/2adff (in excellent condition). COTYPES: BRAZIL, São Paulo, on Myrtaceae, 1900 , A. Hempel ( USNM): 1/11 first-instar nymphs (described from 3 specimens in fair to good condition but most specimens mounted laterally; some characters checked on other 8; most claws poor) + 1/1 adf and 1 2 nd -instar male; BRAZIL: locality?, on Psidium cattleiana , 23.ix.1993, M. D. Vitorino ( USNM): 9/19 adff (fair condition) + 1 2 nd instar male (good condition) + 5 2 nd- instar females. HAWAII: Oahu (in quarantine facility), on Psidium cattleiana , 2.x.2002, A. Berry ( USNM): 2/3admm (in fair to poor condition, much muscle still present in thorax and head, and wings very crumpled).

Adult female ( Fig. 42 )

Unmounted material. Induces circular galls, convex on both sides, largest 8 mm diameter. Galls formed on both sides of leaf and open on underside, where surface somewhat raised, with white wax. Inside of gall smooth, dusted with white wax. Adult female ovate, inflated, brown, dusted with white powder.

Mounted material. Body outline approximately egg-shaped, broadest across thorax, with rounded head and pointed abdomen; thorax rather long and therefore legs rather far apart. Length 2.3 mm, width 1.98 mm.

Dorsum. Derm membranous. Dorsal setae spinose, with blunt apices; frequent; rather variable in size, each about 16–20 µm long medially but up to about 35 µm on margin of head and posterior abdomen; distributed in sparse bands across thorax and abdomen but more randomly on head; becoming infrequent posteriorly on abdomen. Microtubular ducts small, perhaps 4 µm long and 0.5 µm wide; extremely scarce, apparently most abundant medially on metathorax; possibly with a convex dermal pore. Macrotubular ducts much larger, with a narrow outer ductule (each about 1.5 µm wide and 16 µm long) and a shorter inner ductule (8–10 µm long) broadening slightly towards apex where truncated; dermal pore not apparently sclerotised: distribution: absent on abdominal segment VIII but frequent to abundant on segments I– VII, particularly medially, becoming less frequent on thoracic segments, with very few on prothorax; absent on head. Loculate pores each about 4–5 µm wide, with mainly 5 loculi; frequent in segmental bands throughout (more random on head), but most abundant on abdominal segments. Anal lobes absent; segments VII and VIII each with a single pair of spinose setae. Anus unclear, apparently ventral, but with a V-shaped sclerotised structure; without setae or pores, although with a pair of setae along lateral margin, each about 25 µm long. Also with a pair of long, flagellate setae (each about 125 µm long) on each side of anus; plus three pairs of setae posterior to anus, each 15–22 µm long, and another, longer pair anteriorly (each 25–28 µm long); anal area without microtubular ducts but loculate pores abundant (see under venter).

Margin. Margin poorly defined but probably demarcated by change from spinose dorsal setae to flagellate ventral setae; marginal setae probably absent.

Venter. Setae clearly hairlike and flagellate, longest between antennae and mesad to each coxa, largest 66–80 µm long; sparse, with 4 pairs between antennae and 3–5 mesad to each coxa; also with smaller setae in sparse bands across each abdominal segment. Macrotubular ducts different in structure to those on dorsum, with each outer ductule about twice as broad (about 3.5 µm wide and about 15 µm long); inner ductule filamentous and probably rather long, without a glandular end; apparently restricted to abdominal segments III – VI (i.e., absent from VII and VIII). Microtubular ducts apparently structurally similar to those on dorsum; very sparse, perhaps only present submarginally on some abdominal segments. Cruciform pores absent. Loculate pores each with mainly 5 loculi: present in broad, dense bands across abdominal segments III – VIII; much sparser elsewhere although more or less present throughout, with small concentrations laterad to labium and to each spiracle.

Antennae probably 6 segmented but segmentation of segment IV rather obscure; length about 90 µm; with possibly 3 setae on scape, 1 + a campaniform sensillum on pedicel, segment III with 0 setae; IV with 2 setose setae; V with 1 fleshy seta + 1 setose seta, and VI with 3 fleshy setae, 3 long and 2 short other setae, longest about 50 µm. Frontal lobes conspicuous. Eyespot rather large, possibly protuberant, each about 17 µm across; located laterad to each antenna. Mouthparts with a pair of large sclerotised, wing-like apodemes arising anteriorly from tentorial box, plus 2 even larger unstained (presumably less sclerotised) "wings" anterolaterally; clypeolabral shield 240 µm long; sclerotised wing-like apodemes 275 µm wide, and unstained "wings" 425 µm wide; labium probably 2 segmented, with 5 pairs of setae. Spiracles: width of peritremes: 15– 17 µm. Legs each moderately well developed; metathoracic legs: lengths (µm): 145 wide; trochanter + femur 165; tibia 100, tarsus 57, claw 16; each hind coxa slightly swollen, with a few translucent pores and transverse rows of microspinules; each trochanter with 2 long setae, longest about 80 µm long; femur slightly swollen and misshapen, with 3 setae plus a few pore-like areas dorsally; tibia each with 3 setae and a few pale porelike areas; tarsi each with 3 setae; tarsal campaniform sensillum present; tarsal digitules subequal in length to claw digitules but longer than claw, capitate; claws short and broad, each with 1 digitule slightly broader than other; each claw with a strong denticle near apex. Vulva placed between segments VII and VIII.

Comment. For a comparison of the adult female of this species with other South American eriococcid genera see the “Comment” section after the “Generic diagnosis” of Tectococcus .

First-instar nymph (gender not determined) ( Fig. 43 )

Unmounted material. Not seen.

Mounted material. Length about 250–265 µm, width 160 µm. Body oval, slightly more pointed posteriorly.

Dorsum. Derm membranous, without obvious dermal spinules. Dorsal setae spinose, in a pair of submedian lines; those on head, thorax and abdominal segment VII similar to those around margin, each tending to be rather swollen basally and about 2.5 µm long, with a narrow basal socket; those on abdominal segments I–III smaller, each about 1.5 µm long. Microtubular ducts with a sclerotised dermal pore, with outer ductule about 6 µm long, probably with an inner dividing membrane, and a heavily sclerotised distal apex; no inner ductule noted; distributed as follows: with 3 pairs submarginally on head, plus submedial pairs on head and each thoracic segment, plus another pair on abdominal segment VIII. Loculate pores and macrotubular ducts absent. Anal lobes absent or rounded, membranous; each with a very long, flagellate apical seta about 80–85 µm long. Posterior margin with 2 pairs of short setae on either side of anus, each about 1 µm long. Anus represented by a sclerotised, inverted U, about 5 µm wide, without setae or pores, but with a pair of small setae ventrally.

Margin. Marginal setae strongly spinose, similar in shape to those on dorsum and about same size, each 5 µm tall and 4 µm wide at base; with 8 between eyespots, 1 dorsad to each eyespot, 3 on each side between eyes and point opposite anterior spiracles, 4 on each side laterally between anterior spiracles and abdomen and with 1 on each side of abdominal segments I–VIII. Eyespots fairly small, each 7–8 µm wide, situated on margin posterior to base of antennae.

Venter. Derm membranous, without dermal spinules. With single loculate pores laterad to each spiracle plus a further pore on margin laterad to each posterior spiracle. Microtubular ducts apparently similar to those on dorsum, with pairs marginally on abdominal segments II, III and VI, and 2 pairs between spiracles. With 3 pairs of long setae between antennae (longest 13–17 µm long) plus pairs mesad to meso- and metacoxae (these shorter, about 10 µm long) but none mesad of procoxae; pairs of minute setae present medially on abdominal segments II–VI. Submarginal setae minute and hairlike, each about 1 µm long, with 6 on abdomen, 2 between spiracles and 1 between anterior spiracles and eyespot.

Antennae 5 segmented, 44–50 µm long; segments II–IV much wider than long; setal distribution: scape 2; pedicel 1; segment III 1; IV 1 setose seta + 1 fleshy seta, and V 2 fleshy setae, 3 long setose setae + 3 shorter setose setae, length of longest seta about 36 µm. Clypeolabral shield about 45–46 µm long; labium perhaps 2 segmented; about 33 µm wide, with possibly 4 pairs of short setae + 1 pair rather longer setae on apex. Spiracles very small, peritremes possibly 4–5 µm wide, without a lateral membranous cavity. Legs well developed; lengths (metathoracic leg (µm)): coxa (width) 20–22; trochanter + femur 40–43; tibia 18–21; tarsus 25–27, clearly much longer than tibia; claw 12–13; setae: coxae 3, trochanter 2, femur 2, tibia 3, tarsus 4; long trochanter seta 25–28 µm long; tarsal campaniform sensillum present; claw with a distinct denticle; both tarsal digitules on all 3 pairs of legs capitate and equal in size; claw digitules alike with small capitate apices.

Comment. The first-instar nymphs of T. ovatus have 5-segmented antennae. In addition, they have: (i) dorsal spinose setae rather cupolate-shaped, present in a submedial line and marginally; (ii) microtubular ducts restricted to the dorsum and margin; (iii) anal lobes unsclerotised and not differentiated; (iv) cruciform pores absent; and (v) loculate pores only present laterad to each spiracle. Aculeococcus and Pseudotectococcus also have shorter antennae (3 segmented), but both probably also have differentiated anal lobes.

Adult male ( Fig. 44 )

Unmounted material. Unknown.

Mounted material. With an elongate abdomen; total length perhaps 1.42–1.48 mm long; antennae short, less than half total body length; body with very few setae, all hairlike (hs); fleshy setae (fs) absent on body; length of fs on antennae and legs slightly less than width of antennae; glandular pouches and glandular pouch setae absent.

Head. Approximately round in dorsal view; width across genae about 160–180 µm; length about 135–145 µm. Median crest (mc) and postoccipital ridge (por) present but not heavily sclerotised; epicranium with few hs dorsal head setae (dhs) and ventral head setae (vhs) but with many pores, possibly of 2 types: a larger pore, about 2–3 µm wide, possibly loculate, common on dorsal surface, and perhaps a smaller pore about 1.5 µm wide with a dark central spot, sometimes noted ventrally between scapes. Mid-cranial ridge apparently absent both dorsally and ventrally; ventral epicranium with a few hs ventral head setae (vhs) laterad to ventral simple eye (vse) but perhaps otherwise absent. Dorsal ocular setae absent. Genae (g) not reticulated but each with 1– 3 hs genal seta (gs). Eyes: with 2 pairs of round, simple eyes; dorsal eyes (dse) subequal in size to ventral eyes (vse), each 28–32 µm wide. Ocelli (o) not very distinct, each 13 µm wide; not nearly touching postocular ridge (pocr) posteriorly. Ocular sclerite (ocs) with faint reticulations around both eyes and ocelli and some small nodulations laterally. Preocular ridge (procr) extremely short, represented only by an antennal articulatory sclerite (1 specimen had a short but distinct ridge on 1 side dorsally). Postocular ridge (pocr) strongly developed ventrally, extending dorsally to just posterior to dorsal simple eye (dse). Preoral ridge (pror) distinct. Cranial apophysis (ca) not detected.

Antennae. Eight-segmented and filiform; length 550–605 µm (ratio of total body length to antennal length 1:0.4). Scape (scp): 30–33 µm long, 40–45 µm wide, with 4–7 hs, mostly on ventral surface. Pedicel (pdc): length 45–50 µm, width 34–36 µm; with many concentric ridges over all segment; with 5–11 hs + 1 campaniform sensillum. Flagellar segments all more or less parallel-sided, with shallow transverse ridges; each about 20–25 µm wide; lengths of segments (µm): III 106–115; IV 64–75; V 100–105; VI 85–97; VII 80– 105; VIII 73–75; fs each about 18–25 µm long; approximate number of setae and sensilla per segment: III 1 or 2 fs, 0–2 hs + 1 sensilla basiconica; IV 5–10 fs, 0 or 1 hs + 0 or 1 capitate seta (caps); V 19–25 fs + 0 or 1 caps; VI 25–27 fs, 0 or 1 caps + 0 or 1 antennal bristle (abs), VII 17–26 fs, 3 or 4 caps + 1 abs; VIII 1–3 fs, 3– 5 caps, 3 long, well developed + 2 smaller abs + 1 sensilla basiconica.

Thorax. Prothorax: pronotal ridge (prnr) well developed and meeting medially on dorsum; lateral pronotal sclerites (prn) indistinct, each with faint ridging; lateral pronotal setae absent. Medial pronotal and post-tergital setae apparently absent. Post-tergites absent. Sternum (stn 1) not sclerotised and without striations; transverse ridge well developed and sclerotised; prosternal apophyses absent; median ridge absent; prosternal setae (stn 1 s) absent. Proepisternum + cervical sclerite (pepcv) showing nothing distinctive. Anteprosternal setae and antemesospiracular setae absent.

Mesothorax: prescutum (prsc) more or less quadrate, about 90 µm long, 95 µm wide; sclerotised, without nodulations; prescutal ridges (pscr) well developed; prescutal suture (pscs) represented by a faint line; prealare (pra) and triangular plate (tp) well developed. Scutum (sct): median area sclerotised, about 50 µm long between prescutum and scutellum; with 1–3 pairs of hs (scts); without nodulations anterolaterally; prealar ridge weak. Scutellum (scl) 100–110 µm wide, 45–49 µm long; with an inverted U-shaped scutellar ridge; probably not tubular and lacking a foramen; scutellar setae (scls): 1 pair hs near anterior margin; posterior notal wing process (pnp) short. Basisternum (stn 2) 165–185 µm wide, 90–100 µm long; median ridge absent; bounded anteriorly by a moderately strong marginal ridge (mr) and posteriorly by strong precoxal ridges (pcr 2); with about 10 hs basisternal setae (stn 2 s) on each side; lateropleurite (lpl) indistinct but broad; extension from marginal ridge along anterior border either short or absent; furca (f) well developed, narrowwaisted, arms divergent and extending almost to anterior marginal ridge. Mesopostnotum (pn 2) well developed; postnotal apophysis (pna) well developed. Area bounded anteriorly by scutellum and laterally and posteriorly by mesopostnotum not sclerotised. Mesepisternum (eps 2) not reticulated; subepisternal ridge (ser) well developed. Postalare (pa) well developed but not reticulated anteriorly; with 1 or 2 postalare setae (pas). Mesothoracic spiracle (sp 2): width of peritreme about 28 µm. Postmesospiracular setae (pms): probably 1–3 hs posterior to each spiracle + 0–4 medially. Tegula (teg) present, with 4–10 hs tegular setae (tegs) on each side.

Metathorax: metapostnotum not sclerotised; with 2 or 3 pairs of hs metatergal setae (mts). Dorsospiracular setae (dss): probably 1 or 2 hs on each side. Dorsal part of metapleural ridge absent; ventral part of metapleural ridge (plr 3) unusually short; precoxal ridge (pcr 3) absent; episternum (eps 3) unsclerotised, without postmetaspiracular setae. Metepimeron (epm 3) short, without setae. Antemetaspiracular setae absent. Metathoracic spiracle (sp 3): width of peritreme about 26 µm. Metasternum (stn 3) membranous, metasternal apophyses not detected; with possibly 2 hs anterior metasternal setae (amss) and 2 pairs of hs posterior metasternal setae (pmss).

Wings: hyaline; alar setae (als) generally present; alar lobe and alar pores absent. Hamulohalteres absent.

Legs: legs subequal in length. Coxae (cx): I 83–95; II 75–80; III 75–82 µm long; each coxa III with 6 or 7 hs; long apical seta not differentiated. Trochanter (tr) + femur (fm): I 174–200; II 155–175; III 165–185 µm long; trochanter III with 8 hs; campaniform sensilla oval and in a diagonal line; each long trochanter seta short, about 50 µm; femur III with 11–15 hs. Tibia (tib): I 170–200; II 170–190; III 165–207 µm; tibia III with a total of about 30–35 setae, mainly spur-like on distal third of leg but with 1 or 2 fs on dorsal margin distally; with 2 apical spurs (tibs), each about 13 µm long. Tarsi (tar): I 68–75; II 62–74; III 62–70 µm long (ratio of length of tibia III to that of tarsus III 1:0.36); tarsi 2 segmented; tarsus III with about 13 setae, mainly spurlike, but with 1 or 2 fs on dorsal margin; tarsal spurs about 13 µm long; tarsal campaniform sensillum (cp) present; tarsal digitules (tdt) perhaps slightly subequal in length to claw, with rather small apical knobs. Claws (c) longer than width of tarsi, with a distinct denticle; length III: 20–22 µm; claw digitules (cdt) distinctly longer than claw, one narrower than other, both with small apical knobs.

Abdomen. Long, tapering to penial sheath; unsclerotised apart from segment VIII, which appears to be lightly sclerotised. Caudal extensions (ce) of segments VII & VIII absent. Setae all short hs, each 5–7 µm long, in a band across each segment, frequency (totals) approximately as follows: I 6; II–V 9–11; VI 6–10; VII 9–12; VIII 11–12, but with 2 or 3 longer, up to 17 µm long. Glandular pouches (gp) absent.

Genital segment: penial sheath (ps) triangular, narrowing to a sharp apex posteriorly; length about 105–110 µm, width anteriorly about 50 µm (ratio of total body length to length of penial sheath 1:0.07); anal opening (an) apparently in a groove medially on dorsal surface; with 2 pairs of longer hs (gts) just laterad to aedeagus, each 12–17 µm long; shorter setae absent. Aedeagus (aed) short and narrowing towards apex; length 45–50 µm, about 11 µm wide basally. Basal rod (bra) apparently absent. Penial sheath with a few small sensilla (psp) near apex.

Comment. The adult male of T. ovatus can be separated from other adult male eriococcids from the Neotropics by the following combination of characters: (i) abdomen much elongated, narrowing to a narrow penial sheath; (ii) body setae very few, all hair-like setae; (iii) antennae with 8-segments; (iv) capitate setae present on most antennal segments; and (v) pores present on head dorsally (and maybe ventrally). The adult male of T. ovatus shows some similarity to the eriococcid genera Apiomorpha and Opisthoscelis (see under Discussion below).

This species has been tested as a biological control agent of the strawberry guava Psidium cattleianum in Hawaii and a petition has been written to begin introductions ( Johnson, 2005). This process has been heavily criticized by several groups in Hawaii and it is not clear if the introductions will take place. The males mentioned above were reared in Hawaii in quarantine.

Figures

FIGURE 42. Tectococcus ovatus Hempel. Adult female, where A = dorsal spinose seta; B = dorsal microtubular duct; C = dorsal loculate pore; D = dorsal macrotubular duct; G = dorsal view of anal area; H = ventral view of anal area; J = ventral seta; K = ventral microtubular duct; L = ventral loculate pore; M = ventral macrotubular duct; V = antenna with frontal lobe, and W = metathoracic leg.

FIGURE 43. Tectococcus ovatus Hempel. First-instar nymph, where B = dorsal microtubular duct; H = ventral view of anal area; K = ventral microtular duct; L = ventral loculate pore; R = spinose marginal and dorsal setae, V = antenna, and W = claw of metathoracic leg.

FIGURE 44. Tectococcus ovatus Hempel. Adult male, where A = pores on dorsal epicranium; F = ventral view of posterior end of abdomen; K = distal end of metathoracic leg, and L = apical antennal segments. For other abbreviations see ‘Figure captions’ on p. 5.