Poliaspis ceraflora 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 : 7-8

Poliaspis ceraflora Hardy & Henderson sp. n. Fig. 5

Material examined.

Holotype: female: Australia, WA, Perth [-31.95, 115.86], ex Chamelaucium uncinatum , 7.1989, J Donaldson (ANIC).

Paratypes: WA. 5 adult females: same data as holotype (QDPI); 6 adult females: Perth City Council Nursery, ex Melaleuca sp., 8.1973 (ANIC).

Description, n=10.

Slide-mounted adult female 807-1639 μm long (holotype 1076 μm long), body outline pyriform, thoracic and abdominal lobes weakly produced (undulate). Pygidium with 2 pairs of lobes; median lobes non-zygotic (separate), each lobe with rounded apex; margin between median lobes not incised; second lobe bi-lobed, lateral lobule minute, medial lobule with small basal sclerosis. Gland spines minute, 7-11 μm long, 1 gland spine lateral of each lobe; pair of setae absent between median lobes. Dorsal ducts smaller than marginal ducts; present in non-linear clusters; ca. 4 submedial ducts present on segment 6; ca. 6 submarginal and ca. 8 submedial ducts on segment 5. Marginal ducts: 1 on segment 7, 3 on segment 6, 3-4 on segment 5. Perivulvar pores: 4-5 posteromedial, 9-11 posterolateral, 15-24 posterior, 4-5 anteromedial, and 4-6 anterolateral. Trilocular pores in cluster of 4-5 near anterior spiracle; absent from posterior spiracle. Microducts numerous on dorsal surface of head, scattered mesad of gland tubercles on thorax, in medial and submarginal areas of abdomen. Antenna with 1 fleshy seta.

Comments.

This is the only species of Poliaspis with non-zygotic median lobes. The two pairs of minute gland spines are also distinctive, although Poliaspis callitris Laing shares the character of possessing only two pairs of small gland spines.

Etymology.

The species name is derived from the Latin words for wax (cera) and flower (floris), in reference to the common name, wax flower, of the host plant genus Chamelaucium .