Graminorthezia graminis (Tinsley)

Vea, Isabelle M., 2014, Morphology of the males of seven species of Ortheziidae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea), American Museum Novitates 2014 (3812), pp. 1-36 : 7-9

Graminorthezia graminis (Tinsley)

Figures 1 , 2, 3A

Orthezia graminis Tinsley, 1898: 13–14 .

MATERIAL EXAMINED: USA, New Mexico, Dona Ana , on “grass,” 26. ix. 1897, Townsend coll. ( USNM): 1/2 ad male (in good condition but uncleared; description of specimens also based on confocal microscope images (fig. 1) and thus some pores and setae not observable and mentioned as such) .

DESCRIPTION (as for family description unless otherwise stated): Mounted material: Body length 1.9 mm. Antenna nearly 1.17× body length (as opposed to 1.3 to 2.0 in other genera), most segments approximately subequal in length, with numerous fs randomly distributed. Body hs when visible, broad with a blunt apex; lp, smp, and mcp usually not visible but described when otherwise.

Head: Broad, wider than long (280 µm wide, 225 µm long). Dorsally, midcranial ridge with dorsal arm narrow and fading posteriorly, setae and pores not visible. Laterally, compound eyes about 100 µm long, each with about 60 ommatidia. Ocellus 25–30 µm wide. Ventrally, ventral setae and pores not visible. Ventral plate rectangular. Antenna. Total length 2.28 mm (ratio of body length to antennal length 1:1.17). Scape almost square shaped: 78–92 µm long, 73–82 µm wide, each probably with 4 or 5 short setae. Pedicel: length 73–82 µm, width 52–60 µm; each with at least 3 or 4 fs. Segments III–IX: with proximal segments about 40–50 µm wide, apical segment 22–25 µm wide; fs short, those on segment III 25–30 µm long, those on apical segment about 20 µm long; lengths of segments (µm): III 250–265; IV 300–340; V 282–350; VI 317–339; VII 281– 323 and VIII 258–267; approximate number of setae per segment: III–VIII with about 30–45 fs. Segment IX elongate: length 270–275 µm; with about 30 fs + 1 strong terminal bristle, about 22 µm long + 2 short antennal bristles laterally near apex; coeloconic sensilla not detected.

Thorax: Prothorax: dorsally, pronotal setae: 2 hs anterior propleural setae anteriorly on shoulder; no other setae observed. Ventrally, cervical sclerites complex, anteriorly articulating with postocular ridge; prosternal setae not detected but probably present. Anteprosternal setae probably absent. Mesothorax: dorsally, prescutum 90 µm long, 135 µm wide; sclerotized but without nodulations; mesoprephragma not observable but probably shallow; prescutal ridge almost absent, represented by a small sclerotization anterolaterally to prescutum; margin of prescutum posteriorly delineated by a short pair of convergent, unsclerotized; prescutal setae or pores not detected; distance between prescutum and scutellum medially 80 µm; scutal setae with 4 or 5 hs medially posterior to prescutum; hs near lateral margins not observed. Scutellum rounded anteriorly, 169 µm wide, 125 µm long; without setae but with 2 or 3 lp. Laterally, prealare quite long and narrow, terminating near mesepisternum; tegula with 3 tegular setae. Mesothoracic spiracle with peritreme almost round, width 40 µm. Ventrally, basisternum 400 µm wide, 182 µm long, 8–10 hs basisternal setae furca not observable. Postmesospiracular setae not detected. Metathorax: dorsally, metatergal setae and pores not observed. Dorsospiracular setae: at least 2 hs + 3 lp present. Ventrally, metasternal setae and pores not observable. Metathoracic spiracle with peritreme almost round, width 35 µm. Wings: Forewing 1940–2040 µm long, about 705–765 µm wide (ratio of length to width 1:0.37; ratio of body length to wing length 1:1); hamulohalteres, each about 212–247 µm long, 35–40 µm wide, with 2 apical hamuli placed on anterior margin at distal end of sclerotized ridge; each hamulus about 50 µm long.

Legs: Coxae: I 138–144; II 129–147; III 142–147 µm long; coxa III with at least 3 setae. Trochanter + femur: I 400–518; II 408–450; III 490 µm long; trochanter III with 3 or 4 setae; each trochanter with 3 campaniform sensilla, more or less in a straight line on each surface; femur III with about 45 setae. Tibiae: I 695; II 560–630; III 670–675 µm; tibia III with about 70 setae; spurs on ventral surface of distal end each 14–27 µm long. Tarsi: I 225; II 230–240; III 225–235 µm long (ratio of lengths of tibia III to tarsus III 1:0.34); tarsus III with about 35 setae, mainly spurlike; tarsal digitules very short and spinose. Claws much longer than width of tarsus (each tarsus about 25 µm wide), claw III 50 µm long; each with a minute denticle; claw digitules spinose, shorter than claw.

Abdomen: Segments I–VII: Loculate pores detectable only on dorsopleurites, loculate pores on tergites and sternites not observable. Tubular ducts present in a band across tergite VII, each duct 6–10 µm wide, 15 µm deep. Dorsal abdominal setae and pores (totals): segments I–V 4 hs; VI 4 hs; VII about 20 hs and between 24 and 35 tubular ducts, in a band with about 3 rows of ducts. Pleural setae: dorso- and ventropleural setae combined on each side: I–VII 3 or 4 hs + at least 5 lp. Ventral abdominal setae and pores not observable. Abdominal spiracles present on anterodorsal part of pleurites II–VI and possibly present on pleurite VII; each peritreme about 13 µm wide. Segment VIII: tergite with 1 pair hs dorsal abdominal setae plus about 60 small locular pores and many smp; sternite with setae detected but number uncertain; pores not detected, with 2 or 3 hs pleural setae. Abdominal spiracles not detected but probably present. Genital segment: With 2 or 3 hs dorsally; anus 40 µm wide, with a lightly sclerotized area along anterior margin; ventrally, segment IX with a median ridge; with at least 3 or 4 setae on each side. Penial sheath broad, width similar to posterior margin of abdominal segment VIII, length without segment IX 260 µm, with segment IX 365 µm; greatest width 170 µm; ventrally and laterally with a group of about 15 short, apically rounded setae on each side of anterior end of penial sheath. Aedeagus parallel sided anteriorly but becoming pointed posteriorly in dorsal view, extending to near apex of penial sheath; length about 225 µm.

COMMENTS: Most of the structures were observable on these two uncleared specimens apart from some pores and setae on the thorax and the abdominal sternites. Some setae could be identified by their basal sockets, which are visible with confocal images. However, loculate pores (lp) were mostly not identifiable, and so mentioned as “not observable/ detected” in the description; minute simple pores could not be detected with confocal images. Despite these missing details, it is clear that Graminorthezia is distinguishable from Orthezia based on male morphology. The distinctive characters are the general shape of the setae covering the body and appendages, which were distinctly blunt apically (fig. 2A); the shorter appendages than on the other species studied, and the larger and fewer ommatidia (i.e., about 60) in each compound eye.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal surface of Graminorthezia graminis (Tinsley). A. Compound light microscope. B. Confocal microscope. Scale bar: 500 µm.