Antecerococcus fradei (Castel-Branco) Castel-Branco, 2016

Chris J. Hodgson & Douglas J. Williams, 2016, (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha, Coccomorpha) with particular reference to species from the Afrotropical, western Palaearctic and western Oriental Regions, with the revival of Antecerococcus Green and description of a new genus and fifteen new species, and with ten new synonomies, Zootaxa 4091 (1), pp. 1-175 : 49-51

Antecerococcus fradei (Castel-Branco) , comb. nov.

( Fig. 15 )

Cerococcus fradei Castel-Branco 1952: 27 –32.

Cerococcus multipororum Lambdin & Kosztarab 1977: 152 –155. Syn. nov.

Type details. C. fradei : MOZAMBIQUE, Tete, on unidentified host, 30.ix.1948. Depository: CZLP, Portugal: syntypes (not seen).

Type details. C. multipororum : MOZAMBIQUE, A.J.F. Castel-Branco. Depository: MNHN: holotype adf (MNHN 6287-3); paratype ff: same data as holotype, 5/9adff (MNHN 6287-1: 5 adf; MNHN 6287-2: 1 adf; MNHN 6287-4: 1 adf; MNHN 6287-5: 1 adf; 6287-6: 1 adf). USNM: paratype f: collection data as above but with “sur” before Mozambique: 1/1adf.

Material studied. C. multipororum : paratype: MOZAMBIQUE, no other collection data, 19, Castel-Branco (USNM, J.I.C. [Junta de Investigações Coloniais] –Entomologia); R.E.165 EA; 1752 (MNHN #6287.2): 1/1adf (f– g).

Mounted material. Body roundly pear-shaped, large, 2.3 mm long, and 1.5 mm wide.

Dorsum. Eight-shaped pores of basically 4 sizes: (i) largest pore, each 23 x 14 µm, present in a line of 6 or 7 on either side of posterior abdominal segments; (ii) a slightly smaller large pore, each 15– 17 x 10–11 µm, present throughout rest of dorsum except absent on posterior abdominal segments; forming a few, rather obscure, whirls medially and submedially; (iii) an intermediate-sized pore, each 10–11 x 6.0–6.5 µm, also present throughout most of dorsum, but absent from among larger pores on either side of stigmatic pore bands, and becoming significantly smaller posteriorly (each 6– 7 x 4.0–4.5 µm) on posterior abdominal segments; and (iv) a small pore, each 6 x 3.5– 4.0 µm, in a group of 5–10 within apex of each spiracular disc-pore band, each group surrounded by disc-pores. Simple pores small, each 3 µm wide; sparse. Cribriform plates in a line of 5 or 6 submedially on each side of abdominal segment IV, each approximately round, 8–16 µm wide; each with a narrow border and moderately large micropores. Dorsal setae few, each setose, showing nothing distinctive. Tubular ducts unusually long, with each outer ductule about 35 µm long, inner ductules about 15 µm long; outer ducts broader than those on venter; abundant throughout. Anal lobes with broad areas of sclerotization on each inner margin, without obvious folding; setae as follows: apical seta broken but each at least 160 µm long; more basal fleshy setae on dorsal surface each 30–33 µm long, more apical fleshy setae each about 25 µm long; ventral setose seta near apex short, 8 µm long; medioventral setae absent; outer margin setae each about 8 µm long; each lobe with a single small 8-shaped pore ventrally. Median anal plate bluntly triangular, about 50 µm long, 58 µm wide at base. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each about 90 µm long.

Venter. Eight-shaped pores similar to intermediate-sized pores on dorsum, each about 10 x 6.5–7.0 µm; in a narrow submarginal band on head and thorax and in sparse segmental bands 1 or 2 pores wide across abdominal segments III–VIII. Simple pores sparse. Small bilocular pores roundish, each about 5 x 4 µm, frequent medially on head and thorax. Spiracular disc-pores, each 4–5 µm wide with mainly 5 loculi; each band quite long, sparse near spiracles but becoming broader and denser dorsally; in a small group of about 13 near each peritreme; and anterior band with a total of about 150 pores; posterior bands non-bifurcated, represented by more posterior arm, also with about 150 pores; apex of each band with a group of 5–10 small 8-shaped pores in central clear area but surrounded by disc-pores; also with 0–3 quinquelocular disc-pores laterad to each antenna. Small convex closed pores absent. Multilocular disc-pores, each 6.5–7.5 µm wide, mainly with 10 loculi, in transverse bands across abdomen, each band mainly 1–3 pores wide, as follows: IX 0; VIII 2 on each side; VII with 10–12 on each side of vulva; VI 6 or 7 submarginally + 42 medially; V 7 or 8 submarginally + 38 medially; IV 8 submarginally + 40 medially; III 5 or 6 submarginally + 34 medially, and II 3–5 submarginally + 15 medially; absent from metathorax but with 6 or 7 in a line extending medially from each posterior spiracle and 1–5 medially from each anterior spiracle. Tubular ducts similar to those on dorsum but narrower; present throughout. Ventral setae showing nothing distinctive; preanal setae each 75 µm long; smaller companion seta 20 µm long. Leg stubs absent. Antennae unsegmented, each about 33 µm long, 35 µm wide, with 7 or 8 fleshy setae; antennae without either a strong apical point or a setal cavity. Clypeolabral shield 160 long. Spiracular peritremes each about 35 µm wide.

Comment. It is here considered that the name C. multipororum Lambdin & Kosztarab is a junior synonym of A. fradei Castel-Branco. A. fradei was collected in Mozambique, by Castel-Branco (Tete, on unidentified host, 30.ix.1948). The present specimen of A. multipororum (and those seen by Lambdin & Kosztarab) also was collected in Mozambique by Castel-Branco. Castel-Branco (1952) provides several illustrations of parts of the derm of A. fradei , including the apex of the stigmatic pore bands. These illustrations are identical to the unique distribution described above (5–10 minute 8-shaped in a central clear area surrounded by spiracular disc-pores). It is also clear from these figures that the posterior stigmatic pore band is not branched, but that the single band represents the posterior half of an originally branched band—as described for the specimen studied above. No other species of Antecerococcus was mentioned by Castel-Branco (1952) and no other species of Antecerococcus is known from Mozambique (Miller et al. 2015a). Both Lambdin & Kosztarab (1977) and the present authors have tried to trace the type series of A. fradei but without success but it here considered that the above specimen of C. multipororum is one of the syntype specimens of A. fradei collected by Castel-Branco.

The above description differs from that of Lambdin & Kosztarab as follows: (i) posterior stigmatic bands have a distinct dog-leg (shown as straight in their figure), and (ii) the presence of the group of minute 8-shaped pores in a clear area medially in the apex of each pore band (not mentioned). The main characters diagnosing the adult female of A. fradei are: (i) dorsum with four sizes of 8-shaped pore; (ii) posterior abdominal segments with a line of six or seven largest 8-shaped pores along each margin; (iii) other 8-shaped pores abundant, forming a swirl-like pattern on dorsum; (iv) cribriform plates in a line of five or six across each side of abdominal segment IV; (v) leg stubs absent; (vi) posterior stigmatic pore bands not bifurcated; (vii) apex of each disc-pore band with a group of small 8-shaped pores in a clear area surrounded by disc-pores; (viii) multilocular disc-pores present across all abdominal segments but absent on metathorax; (ix) multilocular disc-pores also in a radial line extending mesad from each spiracle, and (x) antennae without a distinct setal cavity or cone-like apex.

The adult female of A. fradei is superficially similar to those of A. oumeensis Hodgson & Williams from Ivory Coast, described as new below, but differs significantly as follows (character-states for A. fradei in brackets): (i) posterior stigmatic pore band bifurcated (not bifurcated); (ii) leg stubs present but small (absent); (iii) multilocular disc-pores present on metathorax (absent), and (iv) minute 8-shaped pores in each stigmatic pore band in a curved line through each apex (in a group medially).

The adult female of A. fradei falls within Group A in the key to species of Antecerococcus , perhaps most similar to A. dumonti .

Figures

FIGURE 15. Antecerococcus fradei (Castel-Branco). Adult female.