Poliaspis alluvia Hardy & Henderson

Hardy, Nate & Henderson, Rosa C., 2011, Revision of Poliaspis (Hemiptera, Coccoidea, Diaspididae), with descriptions of 8 new species from Australia, ZooKeys 137, pp. 1-40 : 5-6

Poliaspis alluvia Hardy & Henderson sp. n. Fig. 1

Material examined.

Holotype: 1 adult female: Australia, QLD, Mt Whitestone [-27.67, 152.16], ex Loranthaceae , 13.6.1989, M Taylor (ANIC).

Description, n=1.

Slide-mounted holotype female 952 μm long, body outline pyriform, thoracic and abdominal lobes weakly produced. Pygidium with 2 pairs of lobes; median lobes divergent, with dentate apex; margin between lobes incised to a variable degree; second lobe bi-lobed, each lobule with basal sclerosis, more strongly developed on medial lobule. Gland spines 24-38 μm long, 2-3 × length of median lobes, 1 gland spine on margin of each pygidial segment; pair of setae between median lobes. Dorsal ducts smaller than marginal ducts present in rows; 8 submedial ducts present on segment 6; ca. 9 submarginal and ca. 10 submedial ducts on segment 5; ducts also present on segment 2. Perivulvar pores numerous: ca. 12 posteromedial, ca. 20 posterolateral, ca. 40 posterior, ca. 12 anteromedial, and ca. 5 anterolateral. Trilocular pores in cluster of 7-8 near anterior spiracle; 4 near posterior spiracle. Microducts few to numerous on dorsum of head, scattered anterior to anterior spiracles and mesad of gland tubercles on thorax and abdomen, few or absent on median abdomen. Antenna with 2 fleshy setae.

Comments.

The relatively large number (ca 8) of submedial ducts on abdominal segment 6, as well as the large number of perivulvar pores (ca 90) can be used to distinguish Poliaspis alluvia from other species of Poliaspis .

Etymology.

The species name is taken from the Latin word alluvio,meaning flood, in commemoration of the flooding of the Brisbane river in January 2011.