Artemicoccus poacearum Moghaddam & Watson, 2022

MOGHADDAM, MASUMEH & WATSON, GILLIAN W., 2022, The Scale Insects Of Iran (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) Part 2 The Mealybugs (Pseudococcidae And Rhizoecidae) And Putoidae, Zootaxa 5126 (1), pp. 1-169 : 28-30

Artemicoccus poacearum Moghaddam & Watson sp. n.

( Fig. 5 , distribution map Fig. 66 D )

Material examined: Holotype, adult female: IRAN, left label: 2917 / Date. 30.v.2017 / Markazi province, Arak / Haftad-Gholleh / Protected Area / Chekab / Alt. 2227 m / N34˚07′09.0″ / E50˚16′30.2″; right label: Holotype / Artemicoccus poacearum sp. n. / on Poaceae / coll. M. Moghaddam ( HMIM).

Field characteristics: Found inside the leaf sheaths of grass. Live adult female completely enclosed in a white ovisac of felted wax.

Slide-mounted adult female ( Fig. 5 ), based on 1 specimen: Body oval, 3.77 mm long and 1.95 mm wide. Eye situated on margin, about 36 μm in diameter. Anal lobes well developed, each ventral surface bearing an apical seta about 166 μm long, and a slender anterior seta about 95 μm long. Antennae each with 9 segments, about 400 μm long; apical segment about 53 μm long, and 20.0 μm wide, without apical fleshy setae. Legs well developed, hind leg measurements: coxa about 176 μm long; trochanter+femur about 256 μm long, tibia+tarsus about 320 μm long; claw stout, about 28 μm long, without a denticle. Ratio of lengths of hind tibia+tarsus to trochanter+femur 1: 1.25; and ratio of lengths of hind tibia to tarsus 1: 2.41. Translucent pores few, on hind coxae only. Tarsal digitules hair-like, each about 22 µm long and shorter than claw. Claw digitules knobbed, each about 26 µm long, longer than claw. Cerarii numbering about 9 pairs, but some poorly defined. Anal lobe cerarii (C 18) each containing 2 large lanceolate setae, each seta about 30 μm long and 4 μm wide at base, with an elongate flagellate tip, often bent, situated on prominent collar; and about 10 trilocular pores, all situated on a sclerotized area. Penultimate cerarii (C 17) and C 16 each with 2 enlarged setae and about 5 or 6 trilocular pores; C 12–15 each with 1 seta and 1 or 2 trilocular pores near seta base; and 2 pairs of cerarii on head (C 2 and C 3), each with 2 lanceolate setae and 4 or 5 trilocular pores. Circulus absent. Both ostioles absent. Anal ring about 80 μm in diameter, with 1 inner row of pores and 2 outer rows of pores, and bearing 6 setae, each about 80 μm long.

Dorsum with 2 types setae: large lanceolate setae each 20–50 μm long with a prominent setal collar, similar to cerarian setae, present in rows across each segment; and simple setae each about 4–7 μm long, without a prominent collar, few, scattered throughout. Multilocular disc pores absent. Trilocular pores each about 3 μm in diameter, scattered throughout, some pores associated with bases of enlarged setae. Oral collar tubular ducts of 1 type, each with outer ductule 10 μm long and 4 μm wide, numerous across all segments.

Venter with slender flagellate setae of various sizes. Multilocular disc pores, each with 10 loculi and about 7 μm in diameter, present posterior to vulva and medially on posterior margin of abdominal segment VI, anterior and posterior margins of segment VII, and medially on segments VIII and IX. Quinquelocular pores, each about 5 μm in diameter, occurring in moderate numbers next to mouthparts, and in medial areas of thorax and abdominal segments II – VIII. Trilocular pores each about 3 μm in diameter, present around margins. Oral collar tubular ducts of 2 types: larger type same as those on dorsum, present around margins; and smaller type, each with outer ductule about 6 μm long and 2 μm wide, present medially on thorax and abdominal segments .

Host-plant: An unidentified grass ( Poaceae ).

Etymology: The species epithet ‘ poacearum ’ is derived from the family name of its host-plant, belonging to the Family Poaceae , in the Latin genitive, meaning “on grass”.

Comments: The separation of Coccidohystrix and Artemicoccus is discussed above. Artemicoccus poacearum sp. n. belongs in Artemicoccus Balachowsky because it has (i) ostioles absent, and (ii) the live adult females are enclosed in a felted wax ovisac. Artemicoccus poacearum is a peculiar species, not close to other species of Artemicoccus . It is closest to A. bispinus in having (i) numerous dorsal collar tubular ducts and (ii) trilocular pores present on both surfaces. It differs in having (characters for A. bispinus in brackets): (i) dorsal enlarged setae present singly (present in groups of up to 3 setae), (ii) antennae each with 9 segments (7 segments), (iii) claw without a denticle (with a denticle), and (iv) dorsum without cellular plates (with cellular plates).

Genus BREVENNIA (Goux)

Ripersia (Brevennia) Goux, 1940: 58 . Type species: Ripersia tetrapora Goux , by original designation. Asphodelococcus Morrison, 1945: 41 . Heterococcopsis Borchsenius, 1948a: 955 . Heterobrevennia Kaydan, 2011: 50‒62 .

Principal characters: Body of adult female usually elongate oval, membranous. Antennae each with 8 segments. Legs well developed, small and slender for size of body; claw with or without denticle; tarsal digitules setose. Cerarii numbering 1‒4 pairs. Circulus present or absent. Ostioles represented by posterior pair only. Multilocular disc pores present on dorsum and venter. Quinquelocular pores numerous on dorsum and venter. Trilocular pores present mostly on venter next to spiracular openings, but usually a few on dorsum also.

Comments: Worldwide, 13 species are included in Brevennia ( García Morales et al. 2016) ; one species is known from Iran ( Asadeh & Mossadegh 1993a).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Adult female of Artemicoccus poacearum Moghaddam & Watson sp. n.

FIGURE 66. Maps of species distributions in Iran. A. Antonina crawi Cockerell; B. Antonina graminis (Maskell); C. Artemicoccus bispinus Borchsenius; D. Artemicoccus poacearum Moghaddam & Watson sp. n.; E. Brevennia (Brevennia) rehi (Lindinger); F. Ceroputo pilosellae Šulc; G. Chorizococcus pazoukii Moghaddam; H. Chorizococcus viticola Kaydan & Kozár; I. Coccidohystrix burumandi Moghaddam; J. Coccura circumscripta (Kiritshenko); K. Dysmicoccus angustifrons (Hall); L. Dysmicoccus boninsis (Kuwana).