Leptopulvinaria harishi Joshi, 2025

Leptopulvinaria harishi Joshi , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8DDF6689-36AA-4F33-8296-EF71D451878F

( Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 and 2 View FIGURE 2 )

Material examined: 64 specimens mounted on 24 slides.

Holotype: adult ♀, encircled with a red permanent marker, on a slide together with one paratype adult ♀: INDIA, Karnataka, Kanakapura, Ramnagara / Litchi chinensis Sonn. / 01.VII.2020 / Harish, K. leg. / [ICAR/ NBAIR/COCCI/ Leptopulvinaria /070720].

Other paratypes: all collected on Litchi chinensis Sonn. from INDIA, Karnataka, Ramanagara district (12.5462° N, 77.4199° E) GoogleMaps : 20 adult ♀♀ on 7 slides, Kanakapura, 11.VI.2018, Harish, K. leg. [ICAR/NBAIR/ COCCI/ Leptopulvinaria /110618–01–07] ; 8 adult ♀♀ on 2 slides, same data except 01.VII.2018 [ICAR/NBAIR/ COCCI/ Leptopulvinaria /040718–08–09] ; 10 adult ♀♀ on 5 slides, same data except 07.VII.2020 [ICAR/NBAIR/ COCCI/ Leptopulvinaria /070720–10–14] ; 5 adult ♀♀ on 3 slides, same data except 30.VII.2020 [ICAR/NBAIR/ COCCI/ Leptopulvinaria /300720–15–17]; and 19 adult ♀♀ on 7 slides, same data except 28.IV.2023 [ICAR/NBAIR/ COCCI/ Leptopulvinaria /280423–18–24] .

Description

Unmounted material ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ). Adult female mostly flat but slightly convex in medial area; body outline ovate, with posterior half widest, extremities rounded ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ); indentations at spiracular clefts distinct in earlier instars, with white woolly wax accumulation at the entrance of each cleft. Medial area and anal plate pale yellowish; submarginal and marginal areas covered with minute brown specks, these specks merging to form transverse bars from marginal area to medial area on each side ( Fig. 1H View FIGURE 1 ). Near medial area, the bars merge to form larger spots around paler mid-dorsal line ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ). Individual females overlap each other, often forming a dense infestation covering entire twig. As female grows, derm becomes leathery; just before oviposition the body turns pinkish completely, losing all brown specks ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ) but after the onset of oviposition it turns brownish again. Ovisac secreted from under venter, but wax threads also develop on dorsum of ovipositing females ( Fig. 1F View FIGURE 1 ). Eyes not seen. Eggs yellowish initially but turning pinkish as embryos develop. Males not observed in the field.

Slide-mounted adult female ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) (n = 62). Body 3.8–4.2 mm long, 2.0– 2.5 mm wide, ovate ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ), narrowing slightly anteriorly towards head, broadest across abdominal margins with slight indentation at each stigmatic cleft; anal cleft quite short, approximately 1/8 th to 1/9 th of body length.

Dorsum. Derm membranous. Older females with dermal areolations moderately developed in medial and marginal areas ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ). Setae spiniform ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 ), each 7–10 µm long; frequent, scattered throughout dorsum. Preopercular pores present or absent, when present, small and difficult to detect, each 1.2–1.5 µm wide, situated in paler eye-shaped area ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ); with a scattering of 12–16 present anterior to anal plates, reaching as far forward as abdominal segment II. Tubular ducts present, all of 1 type ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ), each with short outer ductule, 4–5 µm long and 1–2 µm wide, and very fine inner ductule 1.5–2.0 µm long; frequent, scattered throughout. Microducts ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ) frequent, scattered throughout. Dorsal tubercles convex ( Fig. 2G View FIGURE 2 ), each 11–12 µm in diameter and of similar height, present submarginally, numbering 9‒11 between the anterior stigmatic clefts, and each side with 1 or 2 between anterior and posterior stigmatic clefts, and 8‒16 between posterior stigmatic cleft and anal cleft.Anal plates together quadrate ( Fig. 2H View FIGURE 2 ), 130–137 µm long; each plate with posterior margin 90–93 µm long, slightly longer than slightly concave anterior margin, which is 85–88 µm long. Each anal plate 65–68 µm wide, with 3 fine apical setae each 17–20 µm long; also with 1 setal base on dorsal surface, just anterior to apical setae ( Fig. 2H View FIGURE 2 ), indicating presence of a subapical seta (not measured because broken in all specimens); each plate with a well-developed supporting bar. Ano-genital fold ( Fig. 2I View FIGURE 2 ) with 3 pairs of setae on anterior margin measuring 40–42 µm, 65–70 µm and 70–75 µm long respectively, and each lateral margin with 3 setae measuring 34–38 µm, 45–50 µm and 62–65 µm long respectively. Anal ring ( Fig. 2J View FIGURE 2 ) with 2 or 3 rows of pores and bearing 4 pairs of setae.

Margin. Marginal setae spinose ( Fig. 2K View FIGURE 2 ), mostly shorter than longest stigmatic spines, each seta 25–45 µm long, with simple pointed apex and well-developed basal-socket; on each side, numbering 18–22 between anterior and posterior stigmatic clefts. Stigmatic clefts not deep but distinct, each containing 3 stigmatic spines, with middle spine in profile appearing knife-shaped ( Fig. 2L View FIGURE 2 ), 55–62 µm long, 1.4‒1.5 times longer than a lateral spine (each 37‒40 µm long). Eyespots situated near margin, each 20–25 µm wide.

Venter. Derm membranous. Multilocular disc-pores ( Fig. 2M View FIGURE 2 ) each with 10 or 11 loculi, present around genital opening and on medial and mediolateral areas of abdominal segments VI and V, and only on mediolateral areas of segments IV, III and II; also present on all thoracic segments near and between all coxae and extending laterally as far as spiracles, plus a few pores present anterior to mouthparts and near antennal bases. Spiracular disc-pores ( Fig. 2N View FIGURE 2 ) each with 5‒7 (usually 5) loculi, present in a narrow band 1‒3 pores wide (usually in 2 rows) between each spiracle and margin; with 48–52 pores in each anterior band and 72–75 pores in each posterior band. Ventral microducts ( Fig. 2O View FIGURE 2 ) present in a broad submarginal band and sparsely distributed elsewhere. With ventral tubular ducts of 2 types: type I ducts ( Fig. 2P View FIGURE 2 1 View FIGURE 1 ) each with outer ductule 9–10 µm long, inner ductule 20–22 µm long and a well-developed flower-shaped terminal gland, present submarginally on posterior segments, where they are mixed with type II ducts, a few ducts also present medially on abdominal segments; and type II ducts ( Fig. 2P 2 View FIGURE 2 ) each with outer ductule shorter than in type I (only 6–8 µm long), and filamentous inner ductule 4–5 µm long with flower-shaped terminal gland, present submarginally and mixed with type I ducts; a few ducts present medially on abdominal segments. Submarginal band of ducts complete, but ducts sparser on thorax and head. Ventral setae: with a pair of long preopercular setae on each of abdominal segments VII–IV. Pregenital seta lengths (in µm): on segment VII, 97–100; VI, 170–175; V & IV, 230–240. Abdominal segments III and II without long setae, but each with 1 pair of medium-sized setae, each seta 140–150 µm long. Long setae, similar to pregenital setae, present on medial areas of all thoracic segments and on head, each 160–175 µm long. With 4 pairs of interantennal setae, measuring 190–200, 200–245, 170–175 and 195–200 µm long, respectively. Many small intermediate setae present between pregenital setae on abdomen and on thorax, each 65–75 µm long. Submarginal setae ( Fig. 2Q View FIGURE 2 ) each 120–123 µm long, numbering about 8 or 9 between anterior and posterior spiracular clefts on each side. Other setae short and fine, each 12–15 µm long, sparsely distributed throughout venter. Spiracles ( Fig. 2R View FIGURE 2 ) normal, without any distinctive features; both anterior and posterior peritremes each 50–60 µm wide. Legs well developed ( Fig. 2S View FIGURE 2 ), each with a tibio-tarsal articulation and an articulatory sclerosis; claws each without a denticle; both tarsal and claw digitules knobbed; claw digitules rather slender but broader than tarsal digitules, and subequal to tarsal digitules in length. Measurements of metathorasic leg (in µm): coxa 135–140, trochanter 130–135, femur 200–215, tibia 290–295, tarsus 130–135, claw 35–40, tarsal digitule 50–52 and claw digitule 48–50. Antennae ( Fig. 2T View FIGURE 2 ) each with 8 segments; total length 452–477 µm; segment measurements (in µm): I and II subequal, each 50–55; III longest, 115–120; IV & V each 60–63; VI and VII each 35–38; and VIII slightly longer (45–48 µm) than segments VI and VII. Setal distribution on antennal segments: segment I with 3 setose setae; II with 3 setose; III and IV each with 1 setose; VI with 1 setose; VII with 1 fleshy and 1 setose; and segment VIII with 4 setose and 3 fleshy setae. Longest setae on antenna each 110–120 µm long, on segment VIII. Ventral derm adjacent to each scape (antennal segment I) with 2 or 3 egg-shaped discoidal pores ( Fig. 2U View FIGURE 2 ), each with a granulated surface. Labium 70–75 µm long and 100–105 µm wide.

Comments. Leptopulvinaria harishi resembles L. sapinda in possessing numerous multilocular disc-pores on the abdomen, fairly numerous on the thorax and few on the head. The new species can be distinguished from L. sapinda by having (character states of L. sapinda given in parentheses, based on information in He et al. 2018): (i) body of mature adult female elongate ovate, narrowing anteriorly but with anterior end rounded (narrowing and becoming almost pointed anteriorly); (ii) dorsal tubular ducts, microducts and dorsal setae randomly scattered (arranged in a reticulate pattern); (iii) preopercular pores reaching as far forward as abdominal segment II (extending as far forward as prothorax); (iv) ano-genital fold with 3 setae along anterior margin and 3 setae on each lateral margin (each margin of fold bearing only 2 setae); and (v) ventral tubular ducts always present on head and thorax (only occasionally present).

Biological notes. The scale insect infestation was observed on Litchi chinensis ( Sapindaceae ) grown as homestead trees ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ). The infestation was reported first in 2018 when the trees were 5–6 years old and again in 2020 when trees were 7–8 years old. In both cases, it was always recorded on border trees and on terminal young shoots of pencil thickness. Both collections were made in May and June, just before the onset of the monsoon. The scale insects could be easily detected because they were living under the silken thread webbing or inside the leaf nests of the ant Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius) ( Hymenoptera : Formicidae ) ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ). Honeydew production by the scales was moderate; no sooty mold was observed on infested branches, possibly because all the honeydew had been collected by the ants. There were around 60 trees of L. chinensis grown over an area of half an acre (= 0.202 ha), but the infestation was found only on four trees on both occasions. Although the trees are being grown in a completely organic manner, the scale insects do not reach dense populations, perhaps because naturally occurring parasitoids maintain them at low levels. The parasitized females showed dark brown to black colouration, indicating the presence of a developing parasitoid ( Fig. 1H View FIGURE 1 ). Two species of hymenopteran parasitoids: Encyrtus noyesi Singh ( Encyrtidae ) ( Fig. 1I View FIGURE 1 ) and Coccophagus sudhiri Hayat ( Aphelinidae ) ( Fig. 1J View FIGURE 1 ) were found parasitizing L. harishi in the field. In Assam, India, E. noyesi has been recorded also parasitizing Coccus sp. on Mangifera indica L., Spondias pinnata (L. f.) Kurz, and Terminalia chebula Retz. ( Singh 1997) , whereas C. sudhiri was found parasitizing an undetermined coccid ( Hayat 1993). For both these parasitoids, L. harishi is a new host-insect record and Karnataka is a new regional distribution record. Litchi chinensis is a new host-plant record for the genus Leptopulvinaria .

Etymology. The species is named after Mr K. Harish (ICAR-NBAIR, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India), who collected the species, and in recognition of his help in processing coccids for me over the last decade.