Tanyscelis mollicornuta Hardy & Gullan

Hardy, Nate B. & Gullan, Penny J., 2010, Australian gall-inducing scale insects on Eucalyptus: revision of Opisthoscelis Schrader (Coccoidea, Eriococcidae) and descriptions of a new genus and nine new species, ZooKeys 58, pp. 1-74 : 30-32

Tanyscelis mollicornuta Hardy & Gullan sp. n. Fig. 17

Gall.

Female. On leaves. Gall a circular raised area, up to 5 mm across and 1-2 mm high; opening slit-like.

Male. Not known.

Adult female

(Fig. 17) (n = 4). Body turbinate, margin incised at intersegmental boundaries, length 2.0-2.6 mm, greatest width 1.4-1.5 mm; abdomen tapered, about as long as head + thorax, extending beyond femur. Eyespot undetected; large (330-425 µm long), papilliform fleshy protuberance on each side of head in place of eyes. Antennae 1-segmented, 38-123 mm long. Frontal lobes difficult to see, each ca 120 µm long, 110 µm wide. Tentorial box 225-315 mm long. Labium 100-113 mm long, 60-75 mm wide. Pump chamber 28-33 µm long, 28-33 µm wide. Spiracles 85-120 mm long, 43-50 mm wide across atrium. Fore leg 50-65 µm long; mid leg 58-105 µm long. Hind leg slender and elongate; coxa conical, 300-430 µm long, trochanter + femur 580-610 µm long, tibia 630-720 µm long, tarsus 290-300 µm long; translucent pores on proximal-lateral area of each coxa, plus on both surfaces of tibia and tarsus; trochanter with 3 campaniform sensilla on each side; femur-tibia articulation functional; claw and digitules present but reduced. Anal opening ventral, 13 -15 µm wide, without distinct sclerotic anal ring, surrounded by rugose area of cuticle bearing ca 10 setae.

Dorsum. Derm weakly sclerotised, densely beset with small papillae. Dorsal setae flagellate, 50-165 mm long; arranged in a transverse band across each abdominal segment, densely scattered over surface of head and thorax; setae increasing in length caudad. Macrotubular ducts 15 mm long, dermal orifice with rim ca 7 mm in diameter; in transverse row across each abdominal segment, scattered over marginal and submarginal areas of head and thorax. Microtubular ducts absent. Quinquelocular pores absent.

Venter. Oral lobes membranous to sclerotic, forming circular feeding pad around mouthparts. Setae 63-190 mm long, in a transverse band across each abdominal segment plus across meta- and mesothorax, and along margin of head and prothorax. Macrotubular ducts absent. Quinquelocular pores very large, ca 10 µm in diameter, on abdominal segments and medial area of mesothorax.

Material examined.

Holotype (here designated): AUSTRALIA: Queensland: 1 adult female (2.0 mm long, 1.5 mm wide): ex gall on leaf, Eucalyptus populnea , 3 km WSW of Millmerran, Turallin Rd, -27.88°; 151.24°, 1 May, 1995, LGC (ANIC).

Paratypes: AUSTRALIA: Queensland: 5 adult female: same data as holotype (ANIC).

Comments.

Adult females of Tanyscelis mollicornuta are most similar to those of Tanyscelis grallator [see comments under Tanyscelis grallator ].

Etymology.

The species name is formed from the Latin word mollis, for soft, and cornuta, for horn. It refers to the pair of fleshy projections on the anterior surface of the head. The name is a noun in apposition.