Aspidophorodon (Aspidophorodon) obtusus Qiao, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Chen, Jing
name: Zhang, Bin
name: Zhu, Xichao
name: Jiang, Liyun
name: Qiao, Gexia
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Aphidomorpha
Aphididae
Aspidophorodon
Aspidophorodon obtusus

description: Aspidophorodon (Aspidophorodon) obtusus Qiao sp. nov.
(Figs 39–70, Table 1)
Specimens examined. Holotype: apterous viviparous female, CHINA: Sichuan (Luding County, Minya Konka), 16.v.2009, No. 22562-1-3-1, on Salix sp., coll. X. M. Su (NZMC). Paratypes: 1 apterous viviparous female and 4 fundatrices (slides), and 1 apterous viviparous female (COI: KJ374723; Buchnera 16S rRNA: KT 221037), with the same collection data as holotype (NZMC); 1 apterous viviparous female and 2 fundatrices, No. 22562-1-1, with the same collection data as holotype (BMNH).
Etymology. The new species is named for the marginal processes on body having obtuse apices in apterae. The Latin word “ obtusus ” means “dull, blunt”.
Description. Apterous viviparous females: Color of living specimens: green. General measurements see Table 1.
Color of mounted specimens: body pale (Fig. 51).
Body: Elongated elliptical.
Head. Dorsum of head with distinct wavy sculptures on marginal area, median area with weak wrinkles (Figs 39, 52). Median frontal tubercle distinctly protuberant, hemispherical (Figs 39, 52), with 1 pair of pointed setae on venter. Antennal tubercles developed, short cylindrical and wrinkled, with obtuse apices, higher than median frontal tubercle, each with a stiff, blunt or weakly capitate seta at apex (Figs 39, 52). Dorsal setae of head short and weakly capitate. Head with 1 pair of cephalic setae, 1 pair of dorsal setae between antennae, and 2 pairs of dorsal setae between compound eyes arranged transversely (Fig. 39). Antennae 5-segmented, Ant.I–IV pale in color, Ant.V light brown; Ant.I–II with weak wrinkles, distal part of Ant.III and Ant.IV–V with imbrications; Ant.I slightly projected at inner apex (Figs 40, 53). Antennal setae short and blunt; Ant.I–V each with 4, 4, 2–3, 1, 1–2+1 setae, respectively; PT with 2–3 apical setae. Primary rhinaria ciliated, secondary rhinaria absent. Rostrum reaching mid-coxae, with apex dark brown. URS long wedge-shaped (Figs 41, 54), with 2 pairs of primary setae and 2 pairs of accessory setae.
Thorax. Pronotum with distinct irregular wavy and small oval sculptures (Fig. 55), meso- and metanotum with wrinkles and small irregular oval markings. Pro-, meso-, and metanotum each with 1 pair of cylindrical, imbricated, and strongly wrinkled marginal processes, each process with a short blunt or weakly capitate seta at the obtuse apex (Fig. 42); processes on pronotum very short (Figs 42, 55); processes on meso- and metanotum sometimes also with a seta near the apical quarter or the middle (Figs 42, 56). Thoracic dorsal setae sparse, short, and weakly capitate. Legs normal, tarsi light brown, claws brown. Distal part of tibiae with spinulose short stripes, 2HT with short imbrications. Setae on legs short, stiff, and pointed. First tarsal chaetotaxy: 3, 2–3, 2.
Abdomen. Abdominal tergites I–V with reticulations formed by small irregular oval markings (Fig. 57), tergites VI–VIII with distinct irregular scaly sculptures. Abdominal tergites I–IV each with 1 pair of cylindrical, imbricated, and strongly wrinkled marginal processes, each process with a short blunt or weakly capitate seta at the obtuse apex (Figs 42, 56). Abdominal dorsal setae similar to those on thorax. Abdominal tergite VIII with 4–5 long, thick, and capitate setae. SIPH long cylindrical, broad at base, gradually thin towards distal part, distal 1/5 slightly expanded and smooth, other parts with imbrications, obliquely truncated at tip, without flange (Figs 43, 58). Cauda light brown, long tongue-shaped, slightly constricted near the middle, with spinulose imbrications (Figs 44, 59), with 4 setae. Anal plate light brown, semicircular, and spinulose, with 13–15 setae (Figs 45, 60). Genital plate broad round, with dense spinulose transverse stripes, with 2 anterior setae and 6 setae along the posterior margin (Figs 46, 61).
Fundatrices: Color of living specimens: green. General measurements see Table 1.
Color of mounted specimens: body pale (Fig. 62).
Body: Broadly elliptical.
Head. As in apterous viviparous females, except the following: Antennal tubercles distinctly protuberant, about as high as median frontal tubercle (Figs 47, 63). Dorsal setae of head short and pointed. Antennal setae short and pointed (Figs 48, 64); Ant.I–V each with 3–4, 3–4, 1–2, 1, 2+1 setae, respectively; PT with 2–3 apical setae. URS (Fig. 65) with 2 pairs of primary setae and 4–5 accessory setae.
Thorax. As in apterous viviparous females, except the following: Marginal processes on Pro-, meso-, and metanotum thicker and much shorter than those in apterae, setae on process short and pointed (Figs 49, 66, 67). Thoracic dorsal setae sparse, short, and pointed. First tarsal chaetotaxy: 3, 3, 2–3.
Abdomen. As in apterous viviparous females, except the following: Marginal processes on abdominal tergites I–IV thicker and much shorter than those in apterae, setae on process short and pointed (Figs 49, 67). Abdominal dorsal setae pointed. Abdominal tergite VIII with 4 long, thick, and pointed setae. Distal part of SIPH brown (Fig. 68). Cauda elongate triangular, sometimes slightly constricted near the middle (Figs 50, 69), with 4–5 setae. Anal plate (Fig. 70) with 12–15 setae. Genital plate with 2 anterior setae and 4–6 setae along the posterior margin.
Distribution. China (Sichuan).
Host plant. Salix sp.
Biology. Colonized on undersides of leaves of host plants. The life cycle is unknown.
Comments. The new species resembles A. (A.) harvensis Verma, but differs from it as follows: marginal processes on thoracic nota and abdominal tergites present (in harvensis: absent); antennal tubercles short cylindrical, with obtuse apices, 1.30–1.60 times as long as median frontal tubercle (in harvensis: long finger-like, about 2.00 times); Ant.I slightly projected at inner apex (in harvensis: with distinct finger-like projections); first tarsal chaetotaxy: 3, 2–3, 2 (in harvensis: 3, 3, 3).
description: Published as part of Chen, Jing, Zhang, Bin, Zhu, Xichao, Jiang, Liyun & Qiao, Gexia, 2015, Review of the aphid genus Aspidophorodon Verma, 1967 with descriptions of three new species from China (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Aphidinae), pp. 551-576 in Zootaxa 4028 (4) on pages 563-567, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4028.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/241495