Lopholeucaspis taiguensis Shen & Wei, 2025

Lopholeucaspis taiguensis Shen & Wei , sp. nov.

Material examined. Holotype: CHINA, 1 adult female mounted singly on a slide, CHINA, Shanxi, Jinzhong City, Taigu County, Shanxi Agricultural University (Taigu Campus), Diligent Garden [37.4241°N, 112.5677°E] / on the bark of Populus alba ( Salicaceae ) / 14.vi.2024, coll. Xuejie Shen, Dengen Fu and Yunyun Lu / ( SD000535 ) ( SAUC). GoogleMaps

Allotype: 1 adult male mounted on 1 slide, same collection data as holotype.

Paratypes: Specimens all mounted singly on slides, all with same collection data as holotype; 9 adult females: 7 SAUC ( SD000535 A-SD000535G), 2 NWAFU ( SD000535 H- SD000535I); 8 second-instar female nymphs: 5 SAUC ( SD000535 J-SD000535N), 2 NWAFU ( SD000535 O-SD000535P); and 5 adult males, 3 SAUC ( SD000535 Q-SD000535S), 2 NWAFU ( SD000535 T-SD000535U) .

Description of adult female

Appearance in life. Adult female pupillarial, living inside the cuticle of the second-instar nymph. Female scale cover snow white ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ). Second-instar female cuticle elongate, reddish brown, oyster-shell shaped.

Slide-mounted adult female (n=10) ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ). Body 648–852 μm long (768 μm), 426–528 μm wide (488 μm), broadest at metathorax or abdominal segment I. Body membranous except for pygidium.

Cephalothorax. Antennae each with 2 long setae and 1 or 2 short setae; distance between antennae 40 – 51 (43) μm. Anterior spiracles each associated with 7 – 14 quinquelocular pores in a cluster, posterior spiracles without associated pores. Each lateral submargin of abdomen with single row of consecutively arranged gland tubercles and small glandular ducts running from side of mouthparts to abdominal segment IV.

Pygidium with 2 pairs of lobes on pygidial margin: L1 well developed, without basal sclerosis or yoke, each lobe tooth-like, broad at base, tapering to apical point, sometimes with single notches on inner and outer margins; L2 similar shape to L1 but slightly smaller, sometimes with single notches on inner and outer margins. Plates between L1 numbering 2, each plate spine-like, broadest at base, gradually tapering apically to acute tip (5 specimens at hand including holotype); plates between L 1 in other specimens with a mixture of fringed and acute tips (5 specimens at hand). Plates between L1 and L2 numbering 2, each slightly narrower than those between L1, similar in feature, forming elongate spines at tip. Plates absent from lateral to L2, but with 2–5 rounded processes, each broader and shorter than a plate.

Venter: Gland tubercles present from prothorax to abdominal segment IV in irregular lateral row, numbering 26–45 on each side. Ventral ducts similar size to dorsal macroducts, with few on pygidium, scattered; 4 or 8 on abdominal segment III, 3–8 on segment IV, and 6–8 on segment V. Perivulvar pores present in 5 groups on segment VI, numbering 11–18 in median group, 21–25 in anterolateral group, and 10–21 in posterolateral group; groups usually merging, forming an arc; also with supplementary groups of pores present on ventral submargins of abdominal segments III and IV, each side with 5–9 pores on segment IV, and 4–10 on segment V.

Dorsum: Dorsal macroducts 2-barred, those present in marginal area of pygidium slightly larger than those in other areas, with 1 between L1, about 10–15 (13) μm long; 1 or 2 between L1 and L2; each side of pygidium with 39–62 macroducts in total. Other dorsal macroducts irregularly present on pygidium, mostly associated with sclerotized areas. Prepygidial dorsal macroducts decreasing in size anteriorly, numbering 0–52 on abdominal segment II, 0–7 on segment III, and 1–6 on segment IV. and 7–14 on segment V. Dorsum of pygidium with 6–8 pairs of small dorsal sclerotized areas of various shapes. Anal opening oval, diameter 16–21 (18) μm, situated about 86–114 (100) μm anterior to bases of L1.

Remarks. Lopholeucaspis taiguensis can be distinguished from other species of Lopholeucaspis mainly by having most plates acute apically, and in lacking plates lateral to L2. The new species resembles L. japonica in having a similar distribution of gland tubercles and in the shape of the lobes but differs in lacking plates lateral to L 2 in all the slide-mounted specimens at hand (whereas L. japonica usually has 1–3 plates lateral to L2 on each side, according to the description by Miller & Davidson (2005)). The new species can be distinguished from L. cockerelli by the number of dorsal macroducts, having 26–45 on each side (whereas L. cockerelli has no more than 15).

Second-instar female nymph

Appearance in life. Scale cover snow white, subpyriform ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ). Body long fusiform, the prosoma of body narrower than postsoma.

Slide-mounted second-instar female nymph (n=8) ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ). Body 835–1150 μm long (1009 μm), 380–506 μm wide (452 μm). Antennae each with 3 or 4 long setae. Pygidium with 2 pairs of well-developed lobes, strongly sclerotized, each with basal constriction, slightly narrower than apex; L1 robust, rounded apically, with a notch on each side; L2 slightly smaller than L1 and similar in shape, with a notch on each side. Plates fringed apically, each similar in length to L1 or slightly longer, numbering 2 between L1 and L2; also with a series of plates present lateral to L2, extending anteriorly as far as abdominal segment V.

Venter: Ventral ducts similar size to dorsal macroducts, forming a cluster of 8–10 near each anterior spiracle; gland tubercles present in marginal areas between prothorax and abdominal segment III.

Dorsum: Dorsal macroducts present from metathorax to pygidium, scattered, numbering 80–89 on each side. Pygidial dorsum with 4 or 5 pairs of small dorsal sclerotized areas in various shapes. Anal opening oval.

Adult male

Appearance in life. Scale cover snow white, elongate and parallel sided, with terminal brown exuviae ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ).

Slide-mounted adult male (n=6) ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ). Body 724–840 (786) μm long, 226–301 (275) μm wide.

Head: 102–114 (109) μm long, width across genae 121–158 (140) μm. Ventral midcranial ridge slightly sclerotised, with 1 hs on each side; postoccipital ridge fairly well developed, transverse median body robust, with 1 hs on each side; genae with 2 hs on each side. Eyes simple: with 1 large dorsal pair and 1 ventral pair subequal in size, each eye 20–26 (23) μm wide; with 3 pairs of ventral interocular setae. Preocular ridge present, not obvious. Postocular ridge well developed; cranial apophysis 40–58 (49) μm long. Antennae each 10 segmented and filiform, each 472–538 (508) μm long; ratio of total body length to antennal length 1:0.64; antenna with many fleshy setae (fs) and few hs. Segment measurements (in μm): scape 26–33 (30) long; pedicel 16–20 (18) long and 23–36 (28) wide; segments III–IX each about 15–22 (19) wide, lengths: III: 57–65 (59); IV: 63–76 (68); V: 60–72 (68); VI: 67–74 (71); VII: 74–86 (79); VIII: 45–62 (55); IX: 48–58 (52); and X: 52–62 (56), slightly constricted apically. Antennal setae: fs each about 23–33 (27) μm long; approximate number of setae per segment: pedicel with 3 hs; III: 9–12 fs; IV: 0 or 1 hs + 11–17 fs; V: 1 hs + 12–19 fs; VI: 0–2 hs + 10–17 fs; VII: 1 hs + 14–18 fs; VIII: 0–2 hs + 11–16 fs; IX: 0–2 hs + 7–16 fs + 1 bristle; and X: with 1 capitate seta, 2 or 3 bristles, and 5–7 fs.

Thorax: prothorax membranous; pronotal ridge strong, mesoprephragma absent; sternum with a median ridge, transverse ridge absent. Proepisternum and cervical sclerite strong and sclerotised. Prescutum oblate, 81–91 (86) μm wide, 78–97 (89) μm long. Scutum weakly sclerotised, with median area approximately trapezoid, 66–93 (75) μm long, 89–119 (104) μm wide, without scutal seta. Scutellum 27–46 (37) μm long, 105–122 (113) μm wide, with a small foramen located posteriorly. Prosternum well developed, inverted T shape; basisternum 125–170 (152) μm wide, 76–113 (96) μm long, bounded anteriorly by strong marginal ridges and posteriorly by strong precoxal ridges, without setae; furca well developed, each arm extending anteriorly to a point where marginal ridge and precoxal ridges join. Mesothoracic spiracles: each peritreme about 16–22 (19) μm wide. Prealare and triangular plate well developed. Mesopostnotum well developed; postnatal apophysis and postalare well developed and strongly sclerotised. Tegula small, striated, with 1 hs tegular seta on each side. Metapostnotum scleritized. Metathorax membranous, without seta. Metasternum slighty sclerotised; metathoracic spiracular peritremes similar to those on mesothorax, each about 16–20 (18) μm wide. Wings: hyaline and membranous, with only 2 obvious veins, each wing about 740–836 (800) μm long and 317–346 (334) μm wide; ratio of length to width 1: 0.41; ratio of total body length to wing length 1: 0.99; entire wing covered in microspines, large and obvious. Hamulohalteres each 61–68 (64) μm long and 18–23 (21) μm wide, with 1 apically hooked seta, about 48–57 (53) μm long. Legs: metathoracic legs longest. Total leg lengths (in μm) for anterior (I), middle (II) and hind (III) legs: I: 49–65 (58); II: 48–67 (58); III: 42–54 (48). Coxal seta counts: I: 1; II: 2 or 3; III: 3, each seta about 15–29 (23) μm long. Trochanter + femur lengths (in μm): I: 135–146 (140); II: 121–144 (127); III: 139–156 (146). Trochanters I and II each with 1 hs, trochanter III with 1 or 2 hs, each seta around 14–28 (21) μm long. Femur I with 2–3 hs, femora II and III each with 3–5 hs, each seta around 14–23 (18) μm long. Tibia lengths (μm): I: 91–103 (96); II: 106–119 (112); III: 108–121 (115). Tibia III with 8–13 hs; metathoracic leg with 1 tibial apical spur, about 17–26 (22) μm long. Tarsus lengths (in μm): I: 76–86 (82); II: 82–89 (85); and III: 79–92 (86); tarsus III with 12–15 hs + 5–7 fs, also with some bifurcate fleshy setae; claw digitules longer than claw. Claw thin and curved, without a denticle, claw III 18–23 (22) μm long.

Abdomen: segments II–VIII each with tergum and sternum with some striations+ microtrichia.Ventral abdominal setae: segment IV: 0 or 1; segments V –VII each with 2 hs on each side, Dorsal abdominal setae: segments I–VII each with 1 hs on each side; segment VIII with 2 or 3 hs. Segments I–VII each with 1 long submarginal abdominal seta on each side. Segment VIII sclerotized. Genital segment: penial sheath 234–311 (284) μm long and 72–87 (80) μm wide with pointed apex, about 1/4 of total body length (ratio of total body length to penial sheath length 1: 0.37); with 1 pair of post-anal setae, and venter of genital segment base with 2 pairs of setae, each 45–47 (46) μm long. Aedeagus about 215–296 (269) μm long, broad basally, almost reaching distal end of penial sheath.

Remarks. So far as we know, only one species of Lopholeucaspis ( L. japonica ) has had its adult male described ( Bienkowski 1993). The adult male of L. taiguensis is similar to that of L. japonica , but can be distinguished by following combination of features (character states for L. japonica are given in brackets): (i) mesoprephragma (phr 1) absent (present); (ii) segment VIII with 2 or 3 marginal abdominal setae (mrs) (with 4 marginal abdominal setae); (iii) abdominal segments Ⅴ –VII each with 2 submarginal ventral setae (svs) present laterally, and abdominal segment IV with 0 or 1 submarginal ventral seta on each side (submarginal ventral setae present only on segments VI and VII).

Host plant. Populus alba ( Salicaceae ).

Distribution. China (Jinzhong).

Etymology. The specific epithet is formed from Taigu, the name of the type locality, combined with the Latin suffix -ensis, meaning “from”.