Poliaspis syringae Laing

Hardy, Nate & Henderson, Rosa C., 2011, Revision of Poliaspis (Hemiptera, Coccoidea, Diaspididae), with descriptions of 8 new species from Australia, ZooKeys 137, pp. 1-40 : 14-15

Poliaspis syringae Laing Fig. 14

Poliaspis syringae Laing, 1929: 17-19.

Material examined.

Lectotype female here designated: Australia, Victoria, Kew, on lilac, C Plumridge, No. 40 (1925), L.B.E. 1413 (BMNH).

Paralectotypes: collection data same as lecototype: 3 females on one slide.

Other material: QLD. 4 adult females: 12 Mile Barramundi Reserve, near Bajool [-23.65, 150.64], ex native citrus, 28.9.2005, R Elder (QDPI); 5 adult females: Darnley Island [-9.58, 143.79], ex Capparis sp., 25.4.1996, J Grimshaw, JFG 3291 (QDPI); 4 adult females: Hannaford [-27.44, 150.04], ex Eremocitrus glauca , 4.7.1979, P Fayden (QDPI);13 adult females: Marmor [-23.68, 150.71], ex Eremocitrus glauca , 10.1955, A Brimblecombe (QDPI); 2 adult females: Yarraman [-26.84, 151.98], ex Capparis nobilis , 8.1947, A Brimblecombe, 2111; 1314/10729 (QDPI); 2 females, UK, Royal Gardens, Kew, England, ex coll. J.W. Douglas, on Cycas revoluta , 1887 (BMNH).

Description, n=10.

Slide-mounted adult female 453-1662 μm long, body outline oval, margin of thorax and abdomen undulate. Pygidium with 2 pairs of lobes; median lobes large, zygotic, divergent, connected via a narrow strap, each lobe wider than long, apex rounded and dentate; margin between lobes incised; second lobe bi-lobed, lateral lobule minute, each lobule with rounded apex, basal scleroses absent. Gland spines 17-34 μm long, 1-2 × as long as median lobes, 1 gland spine on margin of each pygidial segment; pair of setae between median lobes. Dorsal ducts smaller than marginal ducts, in rows; ca. 4 submedial ducts present on segment 6; ca. 6 submarginal and ca. 3 submedial ducts on segment 5. Perivulvar pores: 2-6 posteromedial, 10-15 posterolateral, 13-24 posterior, 1-6 anteromedial, and 2-4 anterolateral. Trilocular pores in cluster of 5-19 near anterior spiracle; 1-3 near posterior spiracle. Microducts absent on dorsal surface of head, scattered on ventral surface of thorax and abdomen. Antenna with 1 fleshy seta.

Comments.

Poliaspis syringae is most similar to Poliaspis naamba and Poliaspis waibenensis . Adult females of Poliaspis syringae can be distinguished from those by (1) median lobes much larger than second lobes (similar in size in Poliaspis naamba and Poliaspis waibenensis ); and (2) second lobes without basal sclerosis (present in P. naamba and P. waibenensis). The specimens examined here are from Eremocitrus (or native citrus) and Capparis . The specimens from Capparis are larger than those from Eremocitrus (smallest from Capparis 1233 μm, largest from Eremocitrus 1056 μm), have more pores around the anterior spiracle (ca 18 vs ca. 6), and have slightly longer gland spines on the longer side of the range observed among samples from Eremocritus .