Search

Williamsrhizoecus Koz��r & Konczn�� Benedicty, 2007: 354. (Type species: Williamsrhizoecus baskyi, by monotypy.) Checklist of species placed in Williamsrhizoecus Williamsrhizoecus baskyi Koz��r & Konczn�� Benedicty, 2007: 355. Williamsrhizoecus coffeae Caballero & Ramos, 2018: 3. Williamsrhizoecus epicopus (Williams, 1970): 155. Williamsrhizoecus udzungwensis sp. n. Generic diagnosis. Body elongate oval. Antennae each with 5 or 6 segments; with 1 blunt sensory seta situated on penultimate antennal segment. Legs well developed. Dorsum and venter with trilocular pores. Multilocular disc pores present or absent. Oral collar tubular ducts absent. Tritubular pores present on dorsum and venter. With flagellate and clavate or falcate setae present on body surface, anal ring, legs, and antennae in varying combinations. Anal ring with oval to elongate pores, some with spicules, and 6���18 flagellate or clavate setae. Dorsal ostioles entirely absent, or only weakly developed if present. Circuli present or absent. Comments. Following Koz��r & Konczn�� Benedicty (2007), this genus belongs to the subtribe Rhizoecina based on the presence of tritubular pores; the presence of clavate body setae distinguishes this genus from the others in the subtribe. Note, however, that the study of adult male morphology by Hodgson (2012) found little support for the subdivisions of Rhizoecini (now Rhizoecidae) proposed by Koz��r & Konczn�� Benedicty. This casts some doubt on their decision to separate Ripersiellina from Rhizoecina, which was based on adult females having either bitubular or tritubular pores, respectively. The possession of blunt sensory setae on the penultimate antennal segment is not diagnostic for this genus, as originally described (Koz��r & Konczn�� Benedicty 2007), as this feature is common throughout the family. The description of Williamsrhizoecus is here updated from the original account (Koz��r & Konczn�� Benedicty 2007) to accommodate recent additions of species, including W. coffeae and the new species described here. The genus now includes species with 5 or 6-segmented antennae (originally 5-segmented only), with or without circuli (originally described as present), with or without multilocular disc pores (originally described as absent), with anal ring cells oval to elongate (originally described as elongate), and with 6���18 anal ring setae (originally described as having 6 setae). Caballero & Ramos-Portilla (2018) implied several of these changes when they described W. coffeae, but they did not explicitly revise the genus. The absence of dorsal ostioles is a rare, notable trait shared by all but one of the species comprising this genus. However, synapomorphies based on the absence of features are more equivocal than those based on presence. Koz��r & Konczn�� Benedicty apparently regarded the presence of clavate setae on the anal ring as more critical to diagnosis, since they chose to recombine Neorhizoecus epicopus Williams into Williamsrhizoecus based on this trait, despite it being the only member of the genus to possess (weakly developed) dorsal ostioles. Williamsrhizoecus is evidently Gondwanan in origin, drawing on the known geographical distribution of the few species that comprise it, which includes Antigua and Barbuda, Colombia, Mexico, Tanzania, and Trinidad and Tobago. The rather disjunct distribution of species may reflect that root mealybugs are generally under-sampled, particularly in the Afrotropical region where only 33 out of 216 total species have been recorded (Garc��a Morales et al. 2016; last accessed 13.viii.2020). It could also indicate artificiality of the genus, but this question would be best resolved with molecular evidence and morphological data from additional life stages that are unavailable at present., Published as part of Schneider, Scott A. & Lapolla, John S., 2020, Trophobiosis between a new species of Williamsrhizoecus (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Rhizoecidae) and Acropyga silvestrii (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Tanzania, pp. 283-291 in Zootaxa 4853 (2) on page 285, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4853.2.9, http://zenodo.org/record/4410715, {"references":["Kozar, F. & Konczne Benedicty, Z. (2007) Rhizoecinae of the World. Plant Protection Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences Budapest, 617 pp.","Williams, D. J. (1970) The mealybugs (Homoptera, Coccoidea, Pseudococcidae) of sugar-cane, rice and sorghum. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 60, 109 - 188. https: // doi. org / 10.1017 / S 0007485300034209","Hodgson, C. (2012) Comparison of the morphology of the adult males of the rhizoecine, phenacoccine and pseudococcine mealybugs (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea), with the recognition of the family Rhizoecidae Williams. Zootaxa, 3291 (1), 1 - 79. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 3291.1.1","Caballero, A. & Ramos-Portilla, A. A. (2018) Hypogeal scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) of the coffee agro-system in Chiapas state, Mexico, with description of a new species of Williamsrhizoecus Kozar and Konczne Benedicty (Rhizoecidae). The Journal of Basic and Applied Zoology, 79, 1 - 7. https: // doi. org / 10.1186 / s 41936 - 018 - 0054 - 2","Garcia Morales, M., Denno, B. D., Miller, D. R., Miller, G. L., Ben-Dov, Y., & Hardy, N. B. (2016) ScaleNet: a literature-based model of scale insect biology and systematics. Database, 2016, bav 118. Available from: http: // scalenet. info / (accessed 13 August 2020) https: // doi. org / 10.1093 / database / bav 118"]}

Williamsrhizoecus udzungwensis Schneider & LaPolla sp. n. Fig. 1 Material examined. Holotype adult female: TANZANIA: Udzungwa Mountains, attended by / colony of Acropyga silvestrii within nest / chambers, under rocks alongside a stream, / -7.8449, 36.8835, 350m; 27 March 2011; / J.S. LaPolla coll. (JSL110327-04A) (USNM). Paratypes: TANZANIA: 1 adult female, same data as holotype (JSL110327-02A) (USNM); 1 adult female, same data as holotype (JSL110327-02B) (USNM); 1 adult female, same data as holotype (JSL110327-03A) (USNM); 1 adult female, same data as holotype (JSL110327-03B) (USNM) (voucher ID: S0430A); 2 immature instars together on 1 slide, same data as holotype (JSL110327-03C) (USNM); and 1 adult female, same data as holotype (JSL110327-04B) (USNM). Description of adult female (N = 6). Mounted on microscope slide, body approximately oval and membranous throughout, 0.88���0.95 mm long, 0.64���0.73 mm wide, widest near abdominal segment II. Abdomen gently tapering toward posterior end; abdominal segment VIII approximately 250 ��m wide at base. Anal lobes poorly developed, indicated by slight protrusions of the body margin, each lobe with a cluster of several dorsal clavate setae, each seta 10���18 ��m long. Anal ring dorsal, located slightly anterior of body apex, with two concentric rows of ovoid cells, some lateral cells each bearing a spicule. Anal ring setae arranged in 9 pairs, numbering 18 in total, each seta approximately 19���24 ��m long. Antennae 6-segmented, situated close to each other on ventral submargin of head. Stout flagellate setae present on each antennal segment, 12���21 ��m long; with 1 falcate sensory seta present on segment V and 3 falcate sensory setae present on segment VI. One sensory pore and two seta-like sensillae present on antennal segment II. Average antennal segment lengths in ��m: I ��� 32, II ��� 19, III ��� 16, IV ��� 12, V ��� 13, VI ��� 38; overall length 130 ��m. Eyes absent. Dorsal ostioles absent. Labium 3-segmented, 76 ��m long and 48 ��m wide, with few short flagellate setae present on each segment. Cephalic plate absent. Legs well developed; hind leg average length measurements in ��m: trochanter + femur 108; tibia + tarsus 129. Ratio of lengths of metatrochanter + femur to tibia + tarsus, 0.84; ratio of lengths of metatibia to tarsus, 1.39. Hind tarsus widest at base and tapering to claw, about 24 ��m long. Claws with simple digitules, shorter than the claw, and without denticles. Several flagellate setae present on each leg segment, about 15 setae present on each hind tibia. Spiracles normal for the family, each approximately 23 ��m in diameter at widest point. Circulus absent. All body setae on dorsum and venter clavate to falcate, 8.5���10 ��m long, either linear or curved, widest at tip or widest just proximal to tip and tapering distally. Setae arranged in irregular rows separated by bald intersegmental regions, otherwise fairly evenly distributed throughout. Trilocular pores numerous across dorsum and venter, interspersed with setae. Tritubular pores also numerous on both dorsum and venter, though less common than trilocular pores; arranged in singular transverse rows toward the midline or posterior edge of each segment, those on dorsum of abdomen mostly located medially to submarginally, those on venter of abdomen mostly located marginally to submarginally, except for segment VII, where they extend from midline to margin. Multilocular disc pores absent. Comments. Williamsrhizoecus udzungwensis sp. n. is similar to W. coffeae in that they both possess 6 antennal segments, lack ventral abdominal circuli, and have clavate body setae. However, in W. udzungwensis sp. n. (Fig. 1) the body setae are short and thickened throughout the length of the seta, sometimes curved and appearing falcate (sickle-shaped), whereas in W. coffeae the body setae have a longer flagellate stem that terminates in a dilated tip. The same trait distinguishes W. udzungwensis sp. n. from W. baskyi, which is also from Tanzania. Additionally, whereas W. udzungwensis sp. n. lacks circuli and has six antennal segments, W. baskyi has two circuli and only five antennal segments. There are similarities between W. udzungwensis sp. n. and the only other rhizoecid confirmed to associate with Acropyga in the Old World (Tanaka 2016), Ishigakicoccus shimadai Tanaka. Besides the obvious ecological connection, both species lack dorsal ostioles and both have body setae that could be described as clavate. The body setae of I. shimadai are mostly flagellate and hooked at the apex, but rarely they are knobbed at the apex (Tanaka 2016), suggesting a potential affinity to Williamsrhizoecus. Tanaka considered Ishigakicoccus as being similar to Capitisetella and Pseudorhizoecus because they all lack dorsal ostioles, but did not consider Williamsrhizoecus in his discussion, which differs from the other genera by having tritubular pores. Tanaka used the presence of two types of wax pores in Ishigakicoccus, small pores with 6 loculi surrounding a central chamber and large 3���5 locular pores without a central chamber, as justification for establishing a new genus (Tanaka 2016). These structures are distinct from the multilocular disc pores found in Williamsrhizoecus, which are present only in W. coffeae. Acropyga workers were observed actively carrying individuals of W. udzungwensis sp. n. around within the nest-box and gathering them together into small chambers that the workers had excavated from loose soil. The behavior of arranging root mealybugs into protected clusters is a critical observation of direct association. No mating swarms of A. silvestrii were observed, so trophophoresy of W. udzungwensis sp. n. (transportation of gravid females by A. silvestrii queens) cannot be confirmed at present. Prior to this study, the only known root mealybug association with an African Acropyga species was between A. arnoldi Santschi and the xenococcid, Eumyrmococcus scorpioides (De Lotto) (Prins 1982; LaPolla & Spearman 2007). Eumyrmococcus williamsi Koz��r & Konczn�� Benedicty also occurs in Tanzania, in the Uluguru Mountains, but the Acropyga species associated with this xenococcid was not recorded at the time of its collection (Koz��r & Konczn�� Benedicty 2007). Eumyrmococcus williamsi was later found to associate with a new species of Acropyga (JSL manuscript in preparation). Interestingly, the neighboring Udzungwa and Uluguru Mountain ranges each harbor a distinct Acropyga species partnered with a root mealybug. Ecological associates. Acropyga silvestrii Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae); W. udzungwensis sp. n. was feeding on roots, host plant not recorded. Etymology. The specific epithet is an adjective formed from Udzungwa, the mountain range where it was discovered, together with the Latin suffix - ensis, meaning of or from a place., Published as part of Schneider, Scott A. & Lapolla, John S., 2020, Trophobiosis between a new species of Williamsrhizoecus (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Rhizoecidae) and Acropyga silvestrii (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Tanzania, pp. 283-291 in Zootaxa 4853 (2) on pages 285-288, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4853.2.9, http://zenodo.org/record/4410715, {"references":["Tanaka, H. (2016) A new genus and species of Rhizoecidae (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha, Coccomorpha) associated with Acropyga yaeyamensis (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Formicinae). ZooKeys, 616, 115 - 124. https: // doi. org / 10.3897 / zookeys. 616.9442","Prins, A. J. (1982) Review of Anoplolepis with reference to male genitalia, and notes on Acropyga (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Annals of the South African Museum, 89, 215 - 247.","LaPolla, J. S. & Spearman, L. A. (2007) Characterization of an Acropyga arnoldi mating swarm and early stage colony founding behavior. Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 133, 449 - 452. https: // doi. org / 10.3157 / 0002 - 8320 - 133.3.449","Kozar, F. & Konczne Benedicty, Z. (2007) Rhizoecinae of the World. Plant Protection Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences Budapest, 617 pp."]}

Prenolepis nepalensis, sp. nov. Figs. 13���15 (worker) Holotype worker, NEPAL: 4 km SSW Pokhara; 28��12'N, 83��58'E; elev. 900 m; Schima-Castanopsis forest; low vegetation; 10.xii.1988; P.S. Ward 9670-7 (ANTWEB CASENT0281462) (USNM). Worker diagnosis: Posterolateral borders of the clypeus are shallow, making the cuticle of the clypeus appear continuous with that of the gena (Fig 3). Three small ocelli present. Mesosoma is robust and compact. Pronotum is rounded and discontinuous with the mesonotum, which forms a dorsal hump anteriorly (Fig 6). Petiole is forwardinclined, subtriangular, and not elongate (Fig 6). A distinct sparsity of long macrosetae on the head and mesosoma. Scapes and legs with an abundance of smaller, decumbent setae and pubescence. Compare with: P. darlena, P. fisheri, P. fustinoda WORKER. Measurements (n=1): CMC: 2; EL: 0.19; HL: 0.72; HW: 0.67; MMC: 0; PMC: 2; PrMC: 2; SL: 0.75; TL: 2.86; WL: 0.92; CI: 93; REL: 26; REL2: 28; SI: 112. Uniformly medium to dark brown head, mesosoma, gaster, legs, and antennae; entire cuticle smooth and shiny, with some light reticulation on head and gaster; sparse erect macrosetae on head and mesosoma; longer erect macrosetae on gaster; no erect macrosetae on scapes or legs, except for long, erect hairs on lateral margins of procoxae; decumbent setae and sparse pubescence cover entire head, mesosoma, and gaster; scapes and legs covered in dense pubescence; head about as broad as long and subtriangular in shape, with indistinct posterolateral corners; three small ocelli present; eyes moderately large and convex, but do not surpass lateral margins of head in full-face view; torulae overlap with posterior border of clypeus; clypeus without prominent anterolateral lobes; posterolateral borders of clypeus also relatively shallow, so that cuticle of clypeus and gena appears continuous (Fig 3); mandibles with 5 teeth on masticatory margin; ectal surface of mandibles smooth and shiny; in profile view, mesosoma is overall robust and compact; pronotum is rounded and discontinuous with mesonotum, which is also rounded and abruptly rises above pronotum, and declines posteriorly (Fig 6); metathoracic spiracles abruptly rise above the mesonotum at the point of mesosomal constriction; propodeum is slightly rounded with a flattened dorsal face; dorsal apex of petiole scale is low in profile and forward-inclined (Fig 6). Etymology: The specific epithet is named after the country of Nepal, where the holotype was collected. Notes: This species most strongly resembles the other three that are known from Nepal and nearby regions (P. darlena, P. fisheri, and P. fustinoda) but can most readily be distinguished by its lack of long, erect macrosetae and distinct body shape. Of these four species, P. nepalensis is the only one to have: (1) relatively shallow posterolateral clypeal borders, making the cuticle of the clypeus and gena appear continuous (Fig 3); (2) a sparse layer of pubescence or decumbent hairs across the mesosoma, rather than an abundance of erect macrosetae; (3) scapes that are densely covered in pubescence and lack erect macrosetae; (4) a distinctly more robust and compact mesosoma, with the mesonotum rounded and rising above the pronotum; and (5) a forward-inclined triangular petiole that is relatively short in length., Published as part of Williams, Jason L. & Lapolla, John S., 2018, Two new Prenolepis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Indomalaya and Australasia, with a redescription of P. dugasi from Vietnam, pp. 171-180 in Zootaxa 4441 (1) on pages 178-179, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4441.1.10, http://zenodo.org/record/1301999

Prenolepis dugasi Forel, 1911, comb. rev. Figs. 7���9 (worker) Prenolepis (Nylanderia) dugasi Forel, 1911: 227 (w.). Lectotype worker (designated here), VIETNAM: Cochinchine Fran��aise, Region de Mo��s; A. Forel (ANTWEB CASENT0911004) (MHNG). 4 paralectotype workers (designated here), same locality as lectotype (MHNG). Combination in Paratrechina (Nylanderia): Emery, 1925: 220; in Nylanderia: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck 2010a: 127. Worker diagnosis: A clypeal tooth with a single seta extending from its point found medially on the anterior border of the clypeus (Fig 1). This species also has three small ocelli on the head. Compare with: P. melanogaster. WORKER. Measurements (n=5): CMC: 12���17; EL: 0.16���0.18; HL: 0.67���0.72; HW: 0.61���0.70; MMC: 2���3; PMC: 4���5; PrMC: 2���3; SL: 0.64���0.70; TL: 2.53���2.80; WL: 0.80���0.91; CI: 91���96; REL: 23���25; REL2: 24���26; SI: 99���105. Light to medium brown, with gaster (and sometimes head) darker than mesosoma; overall cuticle smooth and shiny; decumbent setae on head; long, erect macrosetae on head, mesosoma, and gaster; abundant suberect setae on scapes and legs; head about as long as broad and subtriangular in shape with indistinct posterolateral corners and a straight posterior margin; three small ocelli present; compound eyes moderately large and convex, but do not surpass lateral margins of head in full-face view; torulae do not touch posterior border of clypeus; anterior border of clypeus without prominent anterolateral lobes (Fig 1); single clypeal tooth with an erect seta projecting from its point, located medially on anterior border of clypeus; mandibles with 5 teeth on masticatory margin; ectal surface of mandibles smooth and shiny; in profile view, pronotum is rounded and continuous with mesonotum, which flatly declines posteriorly at a shallow angle before abruptly deepening at mesosomal constriction; propodeum is obtusely angled with flat dorsal and posterior faces; dorsal apex of petiole scale is sharply angled and forwardinclined (Fig 4). Notes: Although this species most closely resembles P. melanogaster, the latter is still quite distinct and confusion between the two is very unlikely. Prenolepis dugasi is much smaller in comparison, does not have the distinct body color pattern seen in P. melanogaster (yellow-brown head and mesosoma with dark brown to black gaster), has suberect rather than erect setae on the scapes, and fewer erect macrosetae overall across the head, mesosoma, and gaster. Additionally, P. melanogaster has a head that is broader than long, with scapes that are about a third longer than the head width. Prenolepis dugasi has a head that is about as long as it is broad, and the scapes are about as long as the head is wide. Prenolepis dugasi also has three small ocelli, while P. melanogaster does not have any ocelli at all., Published as part of Williams, Jason L. & Lapolla, John S., 2018, Two new Prenolepis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Indomalaya and Australasia, with a redescription of P. dugasi from Vietnam, pp. 171-180 in Zootaxa 4441 (1) on pages 175-176, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4441.1.10, http://zenodo.org/record/1301999, {"references":["Forel, A. (1911) Ameisen aus Ceylon, gesammelt von Prof. K. Escherich (einige von Prof. E. Bugnion). In: Escherich, K. (Ed.), Termitenleben auf Ceylon. Gustav Fischer, Jena, pp. 215 - 228.","Emery, C. (1925) Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum, 183, 1 - 302.","LaPolla, J. S., Brady, S. G. & Shattuck, S. O. (2010 a) Phylogeny and taxonomy of the Prenolepis genus-group of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology, 35, 118 - 131. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1365 - 3113.2009.00492. x"]}