Clavaspis patagonensis Schneider, Claps, Wei, Normark & Normark, 2020

Schneider, Scott A., Claps, Lucia E., Wei, Jiufeng, Normark, Roxanna D. & Normark, Benjamin B., 2020, Five new species of Aspidiotini (Hemiptera, Diaspididae, Aspidiotinae) from Argentina, with a key to Argentine species, ZooKeys 948, pp. 47-73 : 47

Clavaspis patagonensis Schneider, Claps, Wei, Normark & Normark sp. nov. Figs 3 , 4

Material examined.

Holotype: Argentina • 1 adult female; Neuquén, PN Lanin, Pucará; 40.15S, 71.63W; 28.XI.2001; L. Claps and L. Díaz Briz leg.; IFML, L. E. Claps catalog # 16-01, #1090 (D0274E). Paratypes: Argentina • 1 adult female; same slide as holotype; IFML (D0274E) • 1 adult female; same data as holotype; UMEC (D0274B) • 1 adult female; same data as holotype; USNM (D0274A).

Description

(N = 4). Adult female presumed to secrete scale cover, not pupillarial. Appearance in life not recorded. Slide-mounted adult female 850-1240 (holotype 1240) μm long, 780-1000 (holotype 1000) μm wide; broadest near mesothorax. Body outline turbinate. Derm membranous throughout at maturity except for light pygidial sclerotization. Antennae simple, each with one spine-like seta. Distance between antennae 150-185 μm. Without disc pores associated with anterior or posterior spiracles. Lobes: Only L1 well developed and sclerotized, slightly wider than long, inner margins parallel or slightly converging, with 0-1 medial notch and 1-2 lateral notches; median lobes separated by space 1/5 their width; L2 and L3 absent in typical form, one specimen with single poorly formed L2 present in type series. Paraphyses: With 1 pair of paraphysis-like pyriform sclerotizations between L1; interlobular spaces between L1 and L2 and between L2 and L3 each with 2 clavate paraphyses, inner paraphysis slightly larger than outer paraphysis of each pair; paraphyses arising from lateral angle of L1 only slightly swollen at anterior end and directed away from meson. Plates: Difficult to observe; apparently 1 or 2 present between L1 and L2, 2 present between L2 and L3, 0-3 beyond L3, all roughly rectangular with minor fringing at apex, about as long as L1. Ducts: Dorsal pygidial macroducts of 1-barred type; one macroduct present between median lobes with duct exceeding beyond posterior margin of anal opening; with 2-3 macroducts arising from first interlobular space; roughly single-file row of 7-8 macroducts arising from second interlobular space; 8-13 in marginal and submarginal areas of abdominal segment V, arising from third interlobular space. Few pre-pygidial macroducts on marginal line from mesothorax to abdominal segment III, 1-3 per segment on each side, shorter than pygidial macroducts; 1-2 submarginal macroducts present on each side of abdominal segment IV; small sets of 1-4 short submedial macroducts present on each side of abdominal segments I-IV. Ventral marginal or submarginal microducts present in small groups on each segment from prothorax to abdominal segment VI. Anal opening: Positioned in posterior third of pygidium, 12-14 μm in diameter, positioned about 2 anal lengths from base of L1. Perivulvar pores : Divided into 4 or sometimes 5 groups, 2-7 in each anterolateral, 3-4 in each posterolateral group, and 0-2 in anterior group; 12-21 pores in total.

DNA sequences.

DNA sequences of Clavaspis patagonensis sp. nov. have been published, all from one of the paratypes (D0274B): 28S, GenBank accession number KY218988.1; EF-1α, MH915713.1 and KY221285.1; COIII, MH916221.1 and KY220694.1; 16S of primary endosymbiont ( Uzinura diaspidicola ), KY220094.1.

Informal synonyms.

A specimen from the type series (D0274B) has appeared in published molecular-phylogenetic analyses, designated as " Clavaspis undescr" ( Schneider et al. 2018) and " Clavaspis ud0274" ( Normark et al. 2019).

Remarks.

The traditional morphology-based assignment for this species would be in the genus Diaspidiotus , but recent molecular-phylogenetic studies have shown that Diaspidiotus is radically non-monophyletic and that the true affinities of this species lie with the genus Clavaspis ( Schneider et al. 2018). The morphological character traditionally used to distinguish between these genera is the shape of paraphyses arising from the lateral angles of median lobes. In typical Clavaspis species, these paraphyses are swollen at the anterior end and directed toward the midline of the body or they have a detached knob giving them a mushroom-like appearance ( Ferris 1938). In C. patagonensis sp. nov., the paraphyses are slightly swollen at the anterior end but they are pointing away from the midline, similar in appearance to those found in species of Diaspidiotus and other near relatives, like Hemiberlesia .

Adult females of C. patagonensis sp. nov. are nearly identical in appearance to C. covilleae (Ferris), but the species are separated on the phylogeny by several other members of Clavaspis . The two can be distinguished based on the shape of paraphyses arising from the lateral angles of median lobes and the distribution of macroducts. Clavaspis patagonensis sp. nov. has fairly narrow paraphyses and possesses one or two dorsal submarginal macroducts on abdominal segment IV. Clavaspis covilleae has broadly swollen paraphyses, typical of Clavaspis , and lacks any submarginal macroducts on abdominal segment IV. The new species could also be easily confused with Diaspidiotus osborni (Newell & Cockerell). In this case, C. patagonensis sp. nov. can be distinguished by possessing submarginal macroducts on IV, having more than one marginal macroduct on at least one pre-pygidial segment, lacking dorsal submarginal microducts on pre-pygidial segments, and having a prosoma that remains membranous in mature adult females. In contrast, D. osborni lacks submarginal macroducts on IV, typically has one marginal macroduct per pre-pygidial segment, has small groups of dorsal submarginal microducts on pre-pygidial segments, and the prosoma becomes sclerotized in mature adult females.

Host plant.

Embothrium coccineum J. R. Forst. & G. Forst. ( Proteaceae )

Etymology.

The specific epithet is an adjective formed from the name Patagonia, the region in which it was found + the suffix - ensis, meaning of or from a place.

Distribution.

Argentina ( Neuquén).

Figures

Figure 3. Clavaspis patagonensis sp. nov. Adult female, full body view, illustrated from the holotype (D 0274 E).

Figure 4. Clavaspis patagonensis sp. nov. Adult female, expanded view of pygidium, illustrated from the holotype (D 0274 E) and a paratype (D 0274 A), reflecting variation in the degree of visibility of the plates.