Protortonia crotonis Reyne, 1964

Williams, D. J. & Gullan, P. J., 2008, A revision of the Neotropical scale insect genus Protortonia Townsend (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Monophlebidae: Llaveiini), Journal of Natural History 42 (1 - 2), pp. 77-128 : 101-106

Protortonia crotonis Reyne

( Figures 6 , 7 )

Protortonia crotonis Reyne, 1964:122 ; Foldi, 2001:215; Ben-Dov, 2005:263. Syntypes, Bonaire, Washington, Netherlands Antilles, on Croton flavens , 31.v.1957 (R.H. Cobben) (ZMA).

Adult female

Measurements based on a pharate adult only half emerged from third-instar female (thus not illustrated). Body membranous. Eyes each 130 Mm long, 115 Mm wide. Legs and antennae not fully developed. Mesothoracic spiracles each about 210 Mm long, 135 Mm wide. Metathoracic spiracles each about 250 Mm long, 135 Mm wide. Diameter of atrium of each abdominal spiracle about 25 Mm. Anal opening about 75 Mm long, 60 Mm wide; inner ring of anal tube about 100 Mm wide. Medial cicatrix about 250 Mm long, 190 Mm wide; each outer cicatrix about 225 Mm long, 200 Mm wide.

Dorsal surface with multilocular disc pores fairly numerous, those surrounding anal opening each about 12.5 Mm in diameter, with about 16-20 outer loculi, and usually a bilocular centre; other pores distributed over body, mostly each about 10 Mm in diameter, with about 12–16 outer loculi and an obscure oval centre. Minute duct-like pores probably present (not seen in pharate adult). Dorsal setae fairly crowded, acutely pointed, most each 25–55 Mm long and about 3 Mm wide at base, with collars mostly much smaller than pores; many setae near posterior end of body each about 135 Mm long, about 5 Mm wide at base. Long posterior marginal setae at apex of abdominal segment VIII paired, each inner seta about 500 Mm long, each outer seta about 465 Mm long; other marginal abdominal setae each about 250 Mm long, these with noticeably large conical collars about 35 Mm wide and 25Mm long; long setae on head margin each about 340 Mm long; setae surrounding anal opening more slender than others on dorsum, numbering about 40 in 3–4 rows.

Ventral surface with multilocular disc pores similar to dorsal pores, more crowded around vulva. Setae similar to those covering dorsum.

Third-instar female ( Figure 6 )

Body on microscope slide membranous, 3.25–5.25 mm long, 2.1–4.0 mm wide, broadly oval with posterior end rounded. Eyes each 90–105 Mm long, about 75 Mm wide. Antennae each with 7–9 segments (if fewer than nine, then one or two segments partially divided), 570–630 Mm long, third or fourth segment sometimes partially divided; apical segment 110–160 Mm long, 60–70 Mm wide; antennal flagellate setae mostly 70–95 Mm long, longest on apical segment about 150 Mm long; fleshy setae present on two apical antennal segments, each seta 45–60 Mm long. Legs well developed; hind trochanter +femur 400–420 Mm long, hind tibia +tarsus 520–600 Mm long; ratio of lengths of hind tibia + tarsus to hind trochanter + femur 1.27–1.45; ratio of lengths of hind tibia to tarsus 1.32–2.25; claws each about 50 Mm long, with three minute denticles near apex and paired knobbed digitules slightly longer than claw; distal trochanteral setae each about 190–220 Mm long; inner tibial and tarsal setae spine-like, each 25–35 Mm long.

Clypeolabral shield 215–250 Mm long, 145–205 Mm wide. Mesothoracic spiracles each 145–150 Mm long, 80–100 Mm wide. Metathoracic spiracles each 115–150 Mm long, 90–110 Mm wide. Diameter of atrium of each abdominal spiracle 15–17 Mm. Anal opening about 75–80 Mm long, 65 Mm wide, often distorted, with about 32 setae each about 40 Mm long in 1–2 rows; inner ring of anal tube 100–110 Mm wide. Medial cicatrix about 145 Mm long, 100 Mm wide, slightly notched medially; outer cicatrices each about 125 Mm long, 95 Mm wide.

Dorsal surface with multilocular disc pores each 7.5–8.5 Mm in diameter with four or five (rarely three) well-defined central loculi and 0–8 outer loculi, with number of outer loculi highly variable; pores fairly numerous, those on abdomen more concentrated near anterior and posterior edges of segments; pores more scattered on head and thorax; pores surrounding anal opening each with oval centre surrounded by 7–10 outer loculi. Minute duct-like pores present, each no more than 2 Mm in diameter, scattered. Setae mostly thick and bluntly to acutely pointed, elongate and spine-like, with truncate-conical collars; most setae on head, thorax and anterior abdominal segments each 20–50 Mm long, about 5 Mm wide at base, with collars either same diameter as pores or a little larger; some thick setae present on abdomen and medial areas of thorax, each 90–110 Mm long; some setae on abdominal segments VII and VIII near anal opening each about 125 Mm long, with collars noticeably larger than pores; slender flagellate setae sparse, each about 20 Mm long with dome-shaped collars, present in no definite arrangement, interspersed with thick setae. Paired marginal setae at apex of abdomen long and thick, each about 7.5 Mm wide at base and 180–375 Mm long (most with broken apex); these setae with collars each about 20 Mm wide at base and 20 Mm long, noticeably larger than pores; marginal to submarginal setae on abdominal segments VI and VII each 135–200 Mm long, others present on abdominal segments I–V each about 110 Mm long; marginal setae on head and thorax each 90–120 Mm long.

Ventral surface with multilocular disc pores similar to those on dorsum but with three, sometimes four, central loculi, fairly numerous and evenly distributed; a few pores with an oval centre present, especially on posterior abdomen; a few pores with five central loculi present near spiracular openings and occasionally mixed with other pores. Minute duct-like pores present, as on dorsum, sparsely present near marginal setae. Slender flagellate setae present in medial areas, where mostly each about 30 Mm long except for some on mid thorax and near cicatrices each 60–100 Mm long; other setae in a marginal to submarginal zone, similar to typical dorsal setae except for one or two thick marginal setae, each 100–200 Mm long, on each of abdominal segments VII and VIII and some between antennae each 120–200 Mm long.

Second-instar nymph ( Figure 7 )

Body on microscope slide membranous, broadly oval, 1.6–1.7 mm long, 1.1–1.3 mm wide. Eyes each 65–75 Mm long, about 60 Mm wide. Antennae each 6-segmented, 350– 400 Mm long; apical segment 120–130 Mm long, 60 Mm wide, wider in middle than width of segment V; all segments with a few flagellate setae mostly each about 75 Mm long; apical segment with one or two fleshy setae each about 68 Mm long. Legs well developed; hind trochanter +femur 230–270 Mm long, hind tibia +tarsus 360–430 Mm long; ratio of lengths of hind tibia + tarsus to hind trochanter + femur 1.42–1.59; ratio of lengths of hind tibia to tarsus 1.34–1.53; claw moderately stout, 35–38 Mm long, with two minute denticles near distal end and a pair of slightly knobbed digitules a little longer than claw; distal trochanteral setae each 105–135 Mm long; inner and other tibial setae each 30–45 Mm long. Clypeolabral shield about 125 Mm long, 120 Mm wide. Labium about 150 Mm long, 110 Mm wide. Mesothoracic spiracles each 85 Mm long, 50–55 Mm wide. Metathoracic spiracles each 90–100 long, 60–65 Mm wide. Diameter of atrium of each abdominal spiracle about 10 Mm. Anal opening usually distorted, at least 65 Mm long, with about 24 slender flagellate setae, each about 30 Mm long, around perimeter. Medial cicatrix about 110 Mm long, 75 Mm wide; each lateral cicatrix about 55 Mm long, 50 Mm wide.

Dorsal surface with multilocular disc pores each about 6.5–7.5 Mm in diameter, with 2–5 well-defined central loculi and usually with 10 outer loculi with faint margins, distributed across segments; pores with different numbers of central loculi in no definite arrangement except that those with two central loculi sparse, mainly found at anterior end of body, and those with five central loculi normally largest, occasionally present with other pores but more numerous at posterior end of body; pores surrounding anal opening about same size as other dorsal pores, each pore with oval sclerotized centre, surrounded by 7–10 outer loculi. Minute duct-like pores apparently absent. Setae normally thick, bluntly to acutely pointed, mostly situated across middle of abdominal segments, more scattered on head and thorax; most with prominent collars noticeably wider than pores; medial setae on dorsum of abdominal segments VI and VII each about 75 Mm long and others on dorsum each 20–50 Mm long, mostly about 3.5 Mm wide at base; all thick setae possessing prominent, almost conical collars; slender flagellate setae, each about 30 Mm long with smaller domeshaped collar, sparse. Marginal setae on abdominal segment VIII paired, subequal in length, longer seta about 340 Mm long and about 8.5 Mm wide at base, shorter seta about 290 Mm long, each with prominent collars about 25 Mm wide at base and about 15 Mm long; longest marginal setae on abdominal segment VII each about 160 Mm long; other marginal abdominal setae each about 90 Mm long; single marginal setae present opposite mid coxa about 125 Mm long and opposite fore coxa about 200 Mm long; longest setae on anterior margin of head about 150 Mm long and opposite each eye about 190 Mm long.

Ventral surface with multilocular disc pores similar to those on dorsum, mostly with three or four central loculi; some pores, each as wide as 10 Mm with five central loculi, present next to spiracular openings. Minute duct-like pores absent. Slender flagellate setae, each mostly about 20 Mm long, except for some about 60 Mm long near medial area and posterior margin of abdomen; a few setae present between antennal bases and clypeolabral shield each about 125 Mm long; thick setae, each about 70–90 Mm long, present on apex of abdomen and on head but exact positions varying depending on condition of preparations.

Material examined

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES, Bonaire, Washington, on Croton flavens (Euphorbiaceae) , 31.v.1957 ( R.H. Cobben), five third-instar females (one with pharate adult female), six second-instar nymphs (one with pharate third-instar female), syntypes on 8 slides ( ZMA); two third-instar females (one with pharate adult female) + one second-instar female (with pharate third-instar female) on one slide ( USNM); same collection as previous but mounted from dry syntype collection by PJG in 2006, five third-instar female, three third-instar exuviae, four secondinstar nymphs, one first- and 13 second-instar exuviae, on 17 slides ( USNM).

Comments

Reyne (1964) described this species as new because the dorsal setae of the second- and third-instar nymphs were different from the setae of the first-instar nymph of P. cacti illustrated by Morrison (1928). Furthermore, as stated by Reyne, the secondinstar antennae of P. crotonis differ from first-instar antennae of P. cacti . Comparing characters based on different instars of different species is not satisfactory when describing a new species. All of the material that Reyne used for his description has been available for study. It has been possible to illustrate the second-instar nymph from material in Amsterdam and the third-instar female from the material in the USNM. The species seems to be most similar to P. navesi , both collected on Euphorbiaceae . On the second-instar nymph of P. navesi , the majority of the dorsal setae are thick and almost dagger-shaped, each at most 20–30 Mm long, whereas the majority of the dorsal setae on second-instar nymphs of P. crotonis are more slender and longer, each 20–50 Mm long. Dorsal setae on the third-instar females of P. navesi are also more robust than on the third-instar females of P. crotonis .

It has been difficult to compare the pharate adult females of P. crotonis with that instar of other species and it has been impossible to illustrate the adult instar. However, the species seems to be distinct.

Figures

Figure 6. Protortonia crotonis Reyne, third-instar female.

Figure 7. Protortonia crotonis Reyne, second-instar nymph.