Aspidophorodon (Eoessigia) furcatum Qiao & Xu, 2022

Xu, Ying, Jiang, Li-Yun, Chen, Jing, Kholmatov, Bakhtiyor Rustamovich & Qiao, Ge-Xia, 2022, Six new species of Aspidophorodon Verma, 1967 (Hemiptera, Aphididae, Aphidinae) from China, ZooKeys 1106, pp. 1-55 : 1

Aspidophorodon (Eoessigia) furcatum Qiao & Xu sp. nov.

Figs 10 , 11 , 12 , 22A, B

Specimens examined.

Holotype: apterous viviparous female, China: Sichuan (Ganzi City, Minya Konka, 29.55°N, 101.97°E, altitude 3617 m), 25.VII.2019, No. 45915-1-1, on Salix sp., coll. J.F. Ji. Paratypes: five apterous viviparous females (slides) and one apterous viviparous female (COI: OK668439 ), No. 45911-1-1, with the same collection data as holotype; two apterous viviparous females (slides) and one apterous viviparous female (COI: OK668438 ), China: Sichuan (Luding County, Minya Konka ), 20.VII.2019, No. 45884-1-1, on Salix sp., coll. J.F. Ji ; one apterous viviparous female, China: Sichuan (Luding County, Minya Konka ), 22.VII.2019, No. 45896-1-1, on Salix sp., coll. J.F. Ji (NHMUK) ; one fourth instar apterous nymph, China: Sichuan (Luding County, Minya Konka ), 23.VII.2019, No. 45906-1-1, on Salix sp., coll. J.F. Ji ; three fourth instar alate nymphs, China: Sichuan (Luding County, Minya Konka ), 27.IX.2019, No. 47741, on Salix sp., coll. J.F. Ji ; three fourth instar alate nymphs, China: Sichuan (Luding County, Minya Konka), No. 47737-1-2, on Salix sp., coll. J.F. Ji , two fourth instar alate nymphs China: Tibet ( Linzhi City , 29.57°N, 94.57°E, altitude 3550 m), 30.VIII.2020, No. 49104-1-1, on Salix sp., coll. Y. Xu.

Diagnosis.

Head dorsum covered with oval and wavy sculptures; median frontal tubercle well-developed, strongly imbricated, with a strong depression at middle separating it into two cylinders, hence fork-shaped; antennal tubercles each with a long finger-shaped and strongly imbricated process at inner apex, higher than median frontal tubercle; abdominal tergite VIII produced caudad into triangular spinal process which reaches the end of the cauda and covered with distinctly irregular polygonal markings and marginal area with wavy sculptures.

Description.

Apterous viviparous females: body broadly oval (Fig. 11A ), yellowish in life (Fig. 22A, B ).

Mounted specimens. Body pale in color (Fig. 11A ). See Table 3 for general measurements.

Head. Ocular tubercles small. Dorsum of head covered with oval and wavy sculptures, venter with wrinkles (Figs 10A , 11B ). Median frontal tubercle well-developed, strongly imbricated, with a strong depression at the middle separating it into two cylinders, fork-shaped (Figs 10A , 11B ), each cylinder with one pair of long and blunt setae at apex. Antennal tubercles undeveloped, each with a long finger-shaped, pointed, and strongly imbricated process at inner apex, higher than median frontal tubercle (Figs 10A , 11B ), each process with a long and blunt seta at apex. Dorsal setae of head short and blunt, with small setal tubercles. Head with one pair of dorsal setae between antennae, and two pairs of dorsal setae between compound eyes arranged transversely. Antennae 4- or 5- segmented, Ant. I distinctly projected into short cylindrical at inner apex, 0.029-0.042mm, with two short and blunt setae at apex; Ant. I with slight wrinkles, other segments slightly imbricated (Figs 10B, C , 11C, D ). Antennal setae short and blunt, Ant. I-V with 3 or 4, 3 or 4, 1 or 2, 1 or 2, 1-3 (base) +0 or 1 (PT) setae, respectively (or Ant. I-IV with 3 or 4, 3 or 4, 3 or 4, 2 or 3 (base) +1 (PT) setae, respectively), apex of PT with two or three setae. Primary rhinaria ciliated. Rostrum reaching mid-coxae, with apex pale brown; URS long wedge-shaped (Figs 10D , 11E ), with three pairs of primary setae, and without accessory setae.

Thorax. Pronotum with oval and wavy sculptures on spino-pleural area, marginal area with wrinkles. Meso- and metanotum with wrinkles on marginal area, spino-pleural area smooth. Thoracic setae sparse, short and blunt, with small setal tubercles; pronotum with two pairs of spinal setae, arranged anteriorly and posteriorly, one pair of pleural and one pair of marginal setae; meso- and metanotum each with one pair of spinal, one pair of pleural, and two pairs of marginal setae. Legs normal, short; coxae and femora smooth, distal parts of tibiae slightly imbricated. Setae on 2/3 distal part of femora and tibiae, short and blunt; hind tibiae with a row of short and blunt setae dorsally on the middle (Fig. 11F ). First tarsal chaetotaxy: 3, 3, 2. Second tarsal segments slightly imbricated.

Abdomen. Abdominal tergites I-VII with wrinkles on marginal area, spino-pleural area smooth; tergite VIII with irregular polygonal markings and marginal area with wavy sculptures, produced caudad into triangular spinal process reaching the end of the cauda (Figs 10E , 11H ). Venter of abdominal tergites III-VIII with fine spinules arranged in rows. Dorsal setae of abdomen short and blunt, with small setal tubercles, ventral setae short and pointed. Abdominal tergites I and II each with one pair of spinal, one pair of pleural and one pair of marginal setae; tergites III-VII each with one pair of spinal and marginal setae; tergite VIII with five or six setae at margin. Spiracles reniform, open; spiracular plates slightly swollen. SIPH long spoon-shaped, incurved inward, broad at base, thin at the middle, slightly swollen distally, with imbrications, distal 1/4 smooth, obliquely truncated at tip, without flange (Figs 10F , 11G ). Cauda wide tongue-shaped, slightly constricted at the middle, with spinulose imbrications and four or five setae (Figs 10G , 11I ). Anal plate semicircular, spinulose (Figs 10H , 11J ), with 11-14 setae. Genital plate broadly round, with sparse spinules in transverse rows (Figs 10I , 11K ), with two anterior setae and four setae along the posterior margin.

Fourth instar apterous nymph. As in apterous viviparous females except as follows (Fig. 12A ): legs normal; femora and tibia imbricated at distal part, hind tibia with numerous spinules and imbrications on 2/3 distal part. Setae on 2/3 distal part of femora and tibiae, short and blunt; hind tibiae with long pointed setae dorsally and short pointed setae ventrally, and with a row of short, thick, and blunt setae dorsally on the middle.

Fourth instar alate nymph. Mounted specimens: body elongated oval and body pale in color (Fig. 12B ). See Table 3 for general measurements.

Head. As in apterous viviparous females except as follows: dorsum of head with oval sculptures, more developed than apterous viviparous females (Fig. 12C ). Antennae 6-segmented, Ant. I distinctly projected into short cylindrical at inner apex, 0.026-0.031mm. Antennae setae short and blunt, Ant. I-IV with 4, 3-4, 1-2, 2-1, 1, 2-3 (base) +0 (PT) setae, respectively. Primary rhinaria ciliated, Ant. III-V each with 20 or 21, 8, 8 immature round secondary rhinaria.

Thorax. As in apterous viviparous females except as follows: pronotum with oval and wavy sculptures at anterior part, pleura-marginal area with wavy sculptures; meso- and metanotum with wrinkles at spinal area, pleura-marginal area with oval and wavy sculptures. Legs normal; femora imbricated at distal part, tibia scabrous and with imbrications, hind tibia with numerous spinules and imbrications on 2/3 distal part (Fig. 12D ). Setae on legs short and pointed; hind tibiae with long pointed setae dorsally and short pointed setae ventrally, and with a row of short, thick and blunt setae dorsally on middle. First tarsal chaetotaxy: 3, 3, 3.

Abdomen. As in apterous viviparous females except as follows: dorsal sculptures more developed than apterous viviparous females; abdominal tergites I-VII with oval and wavy sculptures (Fig. 12E ), those developed on marginal area; tergites VIII produced caudad into triangular spinal process with irregular polygonal sculptures posteriorly and scaly sculptures anteriorly, marginal area with wavy sculptures (Fig. 12F ).

Etymology.

The species is named for the median frontal tubercle with a strong depression at middle creating a fork, hence the neuter adjective furcatum in Latin.

Taxonomic notes.

The new species resembles A. indicum (David, Rajasingh & Narayanan) in head with three processes on front; dorsum of head covered with distinctly oval and wavy sculptures; abdominal tergite VIII with a spinal tubercle; but differs from it as follows: median frontal tubercle well-developed, strongly imbricated, with a strong depression at the middle separating it into two cylinders, fork-shaped; antennal tubercles each with a long finger-shaped, pointed and strongly imbricated process at inner apex, higher than median frontal tubercle (the latter: median frontal tubercle protuberant rectangular and slightly depressed at the middle; antennal tubercles each with a short cylindrical and blunt process at inner apex, lower than median frontal tubercle); abdominal tergite VIII produced caudad into triangular process (the latter: abdominal tergite VIII with conical spinal process); dorsum of head covered with distinctly oval and wavy sculptures (the latter: dorsum of head with densely semicircular and wavy sculptures).

The new species resembles A. longirostre Qiao & Xu, sp. nov. in having its median frontal tubercle well-developed, strongly imbricated, with a strong depression at the middle separating it into two cylinders; abdominal tergite VIII produced caudad into triangular spinal process; SIPH long spoon-shaped, incurved inward, obliquely truncated at tip, without flange; cauda wide tongue-shaped, slightly constricted at the middle; but differs from it as follows: median frontal tubercle well-developed, 0.063-0.077 mm; a long finger-shaped process at inner apex of antennal tubercles, 0.077-0.095 mm, higher than median frontal tubercle (the latter: median frontal tubercle protuberant, 0.025-0.046mm; a finger-shaped process at inner apex of antennal tubercles, 0.027-0.047, as high as median frontal tubercle); rostrum reaching mid-coxae, URS long wedge-shaped, 2.21-3.18 × as long as its width, 1.31-1.62 × as long as 2HT (the latter: rostrum reaching hind coxae, URS thin and long wedge-shaped, 3.28-3.42 × as long as its width, 1.56-1.92 × as long as 2HT); abdominal tergite VIII with irregular polygonal markings and marginal area with wavy sculptures, blunt at apex (the latter: abdominal tergite VIII with oval sculptures, constricted at apex).

Host plant.

Salix sp.

Distribution.

China (Sichuan, Tibet).

Biology.

This species colonizes the undersides of leaves of its host plant (Fig. 22A, B ).

Figures

Figure 10. Aspidophorodon (Eoessigia) furcatum Qiao & Xu, sp. nov. Apterous viviparous female A dorsal view of head B antenna 4 - segmented C antenna 5 - segmented D ultimate rostral segment E spinal process of abdominal tergite VIII F siphunculus G cauda H anal plate I genital plate. Scale bars: 0.10 mm.

Figure 11. Aspidophorodon (Eoessigia) furcatum Qiao & Xu, sp. nov. Apterous viviparous female A dorsal view of body B dorsal view of head C antenna 4 - segmented D antenna 5 - segmented E ultimate rostral segment F hind tibia G siphunculus H spinal process of abdominal tergite VIII I cauda J anal plate K genital plate. Scale bars: 0.10 mm.

Figure 12. Aspidophorodon (Eoessigia) furcatum Qiao & Xu, sp. nov. A dorsal view of fourth instar apterous nymph. Fourth instar alate nymph B dorsal view of body C dorsal view of head D hind tibia and tarsi E oval and wavy sculptures of abdomen tergites F spinal process of abdominal tergite VIII G siphunculus. Scale bars: 0.10 mm.

Figure 22. The ecological photos of Aspidophorodon in the field A, B the apterae and nymphs of Aspidophorodon furcatum Qiao & Xu, sp. nov. on undersides of leaves C-E the apterae and nymphs of Aspidophorodon indicum (David, Rajasingh & Narayanan) on main veins of upperside of leaves F the fundatrices of Aspidophorodon indicum (David, Rajasingh & Narayanan) on main vein of upperside of leaf.