Pseudococcus iffahae Zarkani & Watson & Kaydan 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Zarkani, Agustin
name: Watson, Gillian W.
name: Kaydan, Mehmet Bora
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Pseudococcidae
Pseudococcus
Pseudococcus iffahae

description: Pseudococcus iffahae Zarkani & Kaydan, sp. nov.
(Figs 1, 2 and 3)
Material examined. Holotype, adult female, left label: AZ 1220 / 11.xi. 2022 / Indonesia, Sumatra, Bengkulu / Piper aduncum / 3°27’59.1”S / 102°42’59.1”E / 900 m a.s.l; right label: Pseudococcus iffahae Zarkani & Kaydan, 1 ♀ / coll. A. Zarkani / det. M.B. Kaydan. In addition to the holotype specimen (ringed with red ink on the coverslip), the slide mount also contains 2 specimens of Paracoccus sp. (MMUB).
Paratypes. INDONESIA: same data as for holotype; 6 ♀♀ on 3 slides, each slide with 2 specimens (AZ1221–1223) (2 slides at MMUB, 1 slide at MZB).
Description of adult female (n = 7)
Appearance in life (Fig. 1). Living on underside of leaves, frequently attended by unidentified ants (not visible in Fig. 1). Body of adult female yellowish-orange in 70% ethanol; in life, body covered by thin layer of white to yellowish powdery wax on all surfaces, with pairs of narrow white wax projections arranged segmentally on body margins, those on posterior end longest (up to half as long as body); at maturity, an ovisac of white wax filaments is produced posteriorly.
Slide-mounted adult female (Figs 2 and 3). Body elongated oval to broadly oval, 4.24 (3.70–4.25) mm long, 1.83 (1.83–2.05) mm wide. Eyespots present on margin, each about 35 μm wide, without associated discoidal pores. Antenna 8 segmented, 1.25 (1.00–1.25) mm long; each antennal segmental lengths (in μm): segment I, 100 (100–110); II, 100 (100–105); III, 113 (113–118); IV, 75 (75–80); V, 75 (75–80); VI, 63 (63–68); VII, 75 (75–80); VIII (apical segment), 150 (150–155), with 4 fleshy setae each about 35–40 μm long, and an apical seta 40 (38–50) μm long. Clypeolabral shield 210 (200–270) μm long and 180 (150–190) μm wide. Labium 3 segmented, 210 (200–270) μm long, with basal segment 100 (100–130) μm wide. Anterior spiracles each 60 (60–65) μm long and 10 (10–11) μm wide across atrium, posterior spiracles each 70 (70–75) μm long and 15 (15–17) μm wide across atrium. Circulus situated between ventral abdominal segments III and IV, 200 (140–200) μm wide, divided by intersegmental line. Legs well developed; segment lengths for hind leg (in μm): coxa, 230 (200–250); trochanter + femur, 520 (500–540); tibia + tarsus, 580 (560–680); claw 40 (40–50), without a denticle. Ratio of lengths of hind tibia + tarsus to trochanter + femur, 1.12 (1.08–1.12): 1; ratio of lengths of tibia to tarsus, 3.8 (3.6–4): 1; ratio of lengths of trochanter + femur to greatest width of femur, 4.3 (4.2–4.5): 1. Hind legs without translucent pores. Tarsal digitules capitate, each 50–55 μm long. Claw digitules capitate, each about 40.0–42.5 μm long. Anterior and posterior ostioles well developed, each with a total for both lips of 8 (8–13) trilocular pores and 6 or 7 setae. Cerarii numbering 17 pairs, preocular pair (C 2) absent. Anal ring about 100 (100–120) μm long and 140 (140–150) μm wide, with 2 rows of pores and bearing 6 setae, each seta 230–250 μm long.
Dorsum. Derm membranous. Setae slender and flagellate, mostly each about 100–170 μm long, intermixed with shorter setae of various lengths and some minute setae, each about 10–15 μm long. Multilocular disc-pores absent. Trilocular pores scattered, widely spaced and evenly distributed, each 2.5–3.0 μm in diameter. Oral rim tubular ducts few (numbering 4 or 5), present in sub-median and median areas of thorax and abdomen, each duct 11–13 μm long, with rim about 10 μm in diameter, often each with 1 or 2 discoidal pores adjacent to rim. Oral collar tubular ducts present near margins (Fig. 2D), occurring singly by most abdominal cerarii but becoming more numerous anteriorly (particularly on head), each duct about as wide as a trilocular pore, orifices often with narrow indistinct rims and each associated with 1 or 2 discoidal pores. Anal lobe cerarii well developed (Fig. 3H), each about 20–32 μm long and 12.5 μm wide, set on an almost circular sclerotization with 2 enlarged conical setae, numerous trilocular pores, and 3–5 hair-like auxiliary setae, each 125–138 μm long. Cerarii on more anterior segments each situated on sclerotized and mostly containing 2 (anteriormost 4 pairs of cerarii often each containing 3) conical enlarged setae, 2 or 3 slender straight auxiliary setae and a concentration of trilocular pores.
Venter. Derm membranous. Setae slender and flagellate, each 15–88 μm long, longest setae located medially on head. Apical setae on anal lobes each 230 (230–320) μm long. Multilocular disc-pores, each 6.3–7.5 μm in diameter, very few, numbering 14 (14–20), present mainly on abdominal segments VII and VIII. Vulva leading to heavily sclerotized internal mushroom-shaped structure (Fig. 2A), about 100–160 μm long and 120–170 μm in diameter. Orifices of oral rim tubular ducts and largest oral collar ducts often each associated with 1 or 2 discoidal pores. Trilocular pores as on dorsum, each 2.5–3.0 μm across, evenly distributed throughout. Oral rim tubular ducts of 2 sizes (Fig. 2C): longer ducts each 11–13 μm long, with rim about 10 μm in diameter (Fig. 3B), and shorter ducts each 8–10 μm long and with rim about 8 μm in diameter (Fig. 3C). Two sizes of oral rim tubular ducts often intermixed, forming a submarginal to marginal cluster of 5–7 anteriorly on prothorax by C 7 and single ducts present in submarginal areas of abdominal segments II–V. Oral collar tubular ducts (Fig 2B) of 3 sizes (Fig. 3 bottom right): (i) largest ducts each 12–13 μm long and about 6 μm wide (Fig. 3D), similar to those on dorsum but often each with an indistinct rim, present on abdominal margins of segments IV‒VII, and on head between antennal bases; (ii) slightly smaller ducts (Fig. 3E), each 10–12 μm long and about 5 μm wide, varying in number, present posterior to vulva and across medial posterior edges of abdominal segments V‒VII; and (iii) minute ducts (Fig. 3F), each 6–7 μm long and about 2.5 μm wide, few, with 1 or 2 situated medially on abdominal segments V and VI.
Etymology. The species is named iffahae after the collector of the new species, Iffah Izzatun Niswah, daughter of Agustin Zarkani, in recognition of her great assistance in the field during mealybug-collecting activities.
Host plant. Piper aduncum L. (Piperaceae) (Fig. 1).
Distribution. Indonesia (Sumatra, Bengkulu Province).
Comments. Pseudococcus iffahae sp. nov. is closest to P. philippinicus in having: (i) dorsal oral collar tubular ducts with faint narrow rims; and (ii) vulva leading to a sclerotized internal structure. However, P. iffahae can be distinguished from P. philippinicus by having (character states for P. philippinicus are given in parenthesis): (i) vulva leading to sclerotized internal mushroom-shaped structure (vulva saccate, leading to 4 sclerotized internal pouches); (ii) translucent pores absent from hind legs (translucent pores present on hind femur and tibia), and (iii) anal lobe cerarius with 3–5 hair-like auxiliary setae (with about 8 auxiliary setae).
The new species is also morphologically close to P. longispinus in having: (i) ventral multilocular disc-pores absent from anterior to abdominal segment VI; (ii) tibia + tarsus of hind legs either mostly same length as trochanter + femur or longer; and (iii) penultimate cerarii (C 17) heavily sclerotized and larger in diameter than anal ring. However, P. iffahae differs by having (character states for P. longispinus given in parenthesis): (i) dorsal oral rim tubular ducts of only one size, these present in submedian to median areas, often each with 1 or 2 discoidal pores adjacent to rim (dorsal oral rim ducts of two sizes present near margin, in groups of 2 or 3, each without discoidal pores adjacent to rim); (ii) dorsal oral collar ducts present around margins (usually absent, occasionally with very few (1 or 2) present near margins); and (iii) hind legs without translucent pores (hind coxa and tibia with translucent pores).
Pseudococcus iffahae also resembles P. odermatti Miller & Williams in possessing oral rim and oral collar tubular ducts each with discoidal pores adjacent to the rim or orifice on both dorsum and venter. However, P. iffahae can be readily distinguished by having (character states for P. odermatti given in parenthesis): (i) multilocular disc-pores few, on venter of abdominal segments VII and VIII only (multilocular disc-pores numerous, on venter of abdominal segments IV‒IX); (ii) dorsal oral rim tubular ducts few, present on submedian and median areas, absent from margins (dorsal oral rim tubular ducts quite numerous, present on margins and submedian areas only); and (iii) translucent pores absent from hind legs (present on hind femur and tibia).
description: Published as part of Zarkani, Agustin, Watson, Gillian W. & Kaydan, Mehmet Bora, 2024, A new species in the mealybug genus Pseudococcus Westwood (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) from Indonesia, pp. 590-598 in Zootaxa 5555 (4) on pages 592-596, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5555.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/14595013