Pseudocapulinia Hempel, 1932

Hodgson, Chris & Miller, Dug, 2010, A Review of the Eriococcid Genera (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea) of South America 2459, Zootaxa 2459 (1), pp. 1-101 : 71-72

Pseudocapulinia Hempel

Pseudocapulinia Hempel 1932: 319 .

Type species: Pseudocapulinia lanosa Hempel 1932: 319–320 .

Generic diagnosis. Adult female ( Fig. 35 ). In life, covered in soft white wax. Body approximately egg shaped, widest across thorax, more pointed posteriorly. Dorsum. Membranous throughout; segmentation rather obscure. Setae few, all rather short and thin. Macrotubular ducts small; most abundant near margins. Microtubular ducts minute, frequent throughout except posterior abdominal segments. Loculate pores absent. Anal lobe membranous and short. Margin. Undefined but probably marked by a line of slightly larger and more spinose setae. Venter. Membranous. Setae short and very sparse as on dorsum. Macrotubular ducts similar to those on dorsum. Ventral microtubular ducts similar to those on dorsum; sparse throughout. Loculate pores each with mainly 5 loculi; present in groups in a cavity laterad to each spiracular peritreme and sparsely in submarginal areas of each thoracic segment. Cruciform pores absent. Anus variable, sometimes without an anal ring but with a sclerotised bar along anterior margin; other times with complete ring around opening; with 3 pairs of short setae along posterior margin. Antenna reduced, 5 or 6 segmented. Frontal lobes and antennal tubercles absent. Clypeolabral shield proportionately quite large; labium probably 2 segmented, with 1 pair of setae on basal segment. Legs entirely absent. Vulva present in a distinct fold between abdominal segments VII and VIII.

Host plant unknown.

Comment. Pseudocapulinia is a monotypic genus known only from Brazil. The adult female differs from other South American genera by having the following combination of characters: (i) legs absent; (ii) loculate pores restricted to thoracic areas near spiracles but absent from abdomen; (iii) anal ring highly reduced, without pores; (iv) without conspicuously enlarged setae; (v) macro- and microtubular ducts present on both dorsum and venter; and (vi) antennae reduced, 5 or 6 segmented.

Figures

FIGURE 35. Pseudocapulinia lanosa Hempel. Adult female, where A = dorsal seta; B = dorsal microtubular duct; E = dorsal macrotubular duct; F = view of anal area; H = ventral view of anal lobe; K = ventral microtubular duct; L = ventral loculate pore; M = ventral macrotubular duct; R1, R2 = marginal setae, and V = antenna.