Rhizococcus asperulae, Moghaddam, 2019

Moghaddam, Masumeh, 2019, Two new scale insect species (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Acanthococcidae and Pseudococcidae) and a new country record from protected areas in Iran, Zootaxa 4706 (3), pp. 451-460 : 454-456

Rhizococcus asperulae sp. n.

( Figs. 2 and 3 )

Material examined. Holotype, adult female: IRAN, left label: 2965 / Markazi province: / Arak / Haftad-Gholleh / Protected Area / 12.vi.2018 / N34˚05′41.2″ / E50˚14′34.7″; right label : Holotype / Rhizococcus asperulae sp. n. / on Asperula glomerata (Rubiaceae) / coll. M. Moghaddam ( HMIM). Paratypes: IRAN, 11 adult females mounted singly on slides, each with same data on left label as holotype slide; right label: Paratype / Rhizococcus asperulae sp. n. ’ (9 slides HMIM, 2 NHGR).

Live adult female ( Fig. 2 ). Body oval, dark green; ovisac white, rounded, completely covering body. Living on upper leaf surfaces.

Slide-mounted adult female ( Fig. 3 ), based on 8 specimens. Body oval, 2.08 (1.08–1.27) mm long, 1.34 (1.18–1.34) mm wide. Antenna 7 segmented, 216 (216–256) μm long, length of segments: I: 32 (32–40), II: 32 (30–34), III: 57 (44–57), IV: 40 (36–44), V: 24 (22–24), VI: 22 (20–22), VII: 24 (24–32) μm; apical segment with apical seta 32 (32–38) μm long and 3 sensory falcate setae, each about 25 μm long; segments V and VI each with 1 sensory falcate seta. Frontal lobes and frontal tubercle absent. Eyes situated on venter near margin. Anal lobes well developed, each lobe with 3 enlarged setae, each 32–36 (30-36) μm long, plus 3 or 4 dorsal microtubular ducts; api- cal seta 260 (240–300) μm long, and ventral hair-like subapical seta 72 (72–104) μm long.

Dorsum. Derm with enlarged setae all spine-like with pointed apices, varying in size, 22.5–50 μm long, base 7.5–15 μm wide, present in transverse rows on each body segment but rows irregular on head. Macrotubular ducts of 1 size, each 14–18 μm long and 4–6 μm wide, each duct with sclerotized rim surrounding orifice, present through- out. Microducts distributed on whole body in a regular arrangement, each about 6 μm long. Anal ring well-devel- oped, about 54 (54–64) μm in diameter, with a partially double row of pores and 8 strong setae, each seta about 88 (88–108) μm long.

Venter. Legs well developed; prothoracic leg measurements: femur: 128 (124–140) μm, tibia: 106 (88–120) μm, tarsus: 100 (92–108) μm, claw: 32 (30–36) μm long, with a denticle, trochanter + femur: 164 (160–180) μm, tibia + tarsus: 200 (188–212) μm, tarsal digitules: each 42 (40–42) μm and claw digitules: each 25 (22–35) μm long. Mesothoracic leg measurements: femur: 132 (120–144) μm, tibia: 120 (116–136) μm, tarsus: 108 (104–116) μm, claw 28 (28–40) μm long, trochanter + femur: 168 (160–184) μm, tibia + tarsus: 220 (208–228) μm, tarsal digitules: each 44 (40-44) μm, and claw digitules: each 33 (30–34) μm long. Metathoracic leg measurements; fe- mur: 140 (128–148), tibia: 120 (120–156) μm, tarsus: 116 (108–124) μm, claw: 37 (36–37) μm long, trochanter + femur: 180 (172–192) μm, tibia + tarsus: 238 (220–244) μm; tarsal digitules knobbed, each about 44 μm, and claw digitules slightly knobbed and longer than claw, each about 30 μm; claw with denticle. Hind coxa with fewer than 5 translucent pores. Tibiae each with 5 setae, median seta present. Ventral derm with normal hair-like setae in varying sizes, usually 24–54 μm long, scattered on median and submedian areas of segments; enlarged setae, same as size as those on dorsum, situated on margin and in submarginl band. Quinquelocular pores each about 4.8 μm in diameter, sparsely distributed on thoracic segments, and in rows across abdominal segments I–VIII+IX. Multilocular pores absent. Trilocular pores each about 4 μm in diameter, numbering 2 or 3, present singly near anterior spiracle and hind leg. Macrotubular ducts similar to those on dorsum, each 14.4–24 μm long and about 7.2 μm wide, present in submarginal band, absent from mesal area of venter. Microducts in a regular arrangement over entire body, each duct about 6 μm long. Cruciform pores absent.

Comments. Rhizococcus asperulae sp. n. is closely related to R. crassispinus ( Borchsenius, 1949) , in possessing: (i) antenna 7 segmented, (ii) each anal lobe with 3 enlarged setae, (iii) abdominal segment VII with 2 or 3 enlarged marginal setae, (iv) dorsal and marginal enlarged setae sharply pointed, (vi) enlarged setae on dorsum equal in size to marginal enlarged setae. Rhizococcus asperulae sp. n. differs from R. crassispinus as follows (character-states of R. crassispinus in brackets): (i) cruciform pores absent from venter (present), (ii) ventral microtubular ducts present (absent).

Etymology. The species epithet is based on the Latin genitive of the host plant name, Asperula .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Live females of Rhizococcus asperulae sp. n. on Asperula glomerata (Rubiaceae).

FIGURE 3. Adult female of Rhizococcus asperulae sp. n.