Towards identification of the scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) of continental Africa: 2. Checklists and keys to six archaeococcoid families
Author
Watson, Gillian W.
text
Zootaxa
2022
2022-03-04
5105
3
301
356
journal article
20341
10.11646/zootaxa.5105.3.1
797fca93-60bf-40ce-bb55-e5cb695f6356
1175-5326
6332761
187B04D7-4C35-4E27-9B2D-A616BF59F380
Genus
Aspidoproctus
Newstead
Aspidoproctus
(
Fig. 17
) is an African genus of 21 described species, 20 of which occur in continental Africa (
García Morales
et al
. 2016
). They prefer woody hosts and are of no economic importance. The crowded dorsal spines and ventral setae on these insects makes study of the pores very difficult and the species have been very little studied.
Aspidoproctus pallidus
is only known from the adult male (
García Morales
et al
. 2016
).
During this study the
type
specimen of
Pseudaspidoproctus zimmermanni
was examined; it is quite heavily sclerotized, with 10-segmented antennae and 7 pairs of abdominal spiracles, each without pores in the atrium. The species is clearly not congeneric with the other species assigned to
Pseudaspidoproctus
, as it possesses numerous small, rounded cicatrices on the ventral submargins of head, thorax, and abdomen, forming rows across the abdominal sternites (but not within the marsupium). Many pores on the derm and in the anterior marsupial band are quadrate with rounded corners, each containing 4 loculi with their outer edges rounded. These features are shared with members of
Aspidoproctus
, so
Pseudaspidoproctus zimmermanni
(Newstead)
is here transferred to
Aspidoproctus
, as
Aspidoproctus zimmermanni
(Newstead)
,
comb. n.
This brings the total number of species in
Aspidoproctus
to 22.
Key to some species of
Aspidoproctus
found in eastern and southern Africa
, adult females
1(0) Anterior marsupial pore band with largest pores flower-like, each with 6 radiating narrow loculi. Venter of abdomen inside marsupial band with cicatrices across some anterior abdominal segments...............................................2
-
Anterior marsupial pore band with largest pores quadrate with rounded corners, each containing 4 loculi, each loculus either circular or with at least the outer margin rounded. Venter of abdomen inside marsupial band without cicatrices................3
2(1) Body up to
3.3 cm
long. Dorsal spines relatively short and well-spaced, apart from dense segmental clusters on margins. Dorsal tubercles relatively small and well-spaced...................................................
maximus
(
Fig. 17
)
-
Body 1.0‒
1.7 cm
long. Dorsal spines relatively long and crowded over entire dorsum. Dorsal tubercles often present in pairs on thoracic and anterior abdominal segments, those on metathorax sometimes fusing to form a bifid ridge.............
neavei
3(1) Dorsum with at least 1 long projection.................................................................... 4
- Dorsum without long projections..............................................................
zimmermanni
4(3) Dorsum with 3 long, slender, tapering projections; the longest arising from the head, about
7 mm
long, and meso/metathorax with 1 shorter projection on each submargin..........................................................
tricornis
-
Centre
of dorsum with 1 median long, slender, tapering projection; subdorsum with 2 shorter lateral projections on each side, the posteriormost shortest........................................................................
mirabilis