Valid Names Results

Choneochiton casuarinae Hodgson, Mille & Cazère, 2014 (Eriococcidae: Choneochiton)

Nomenclatural History

• Choneochiton casuarinae Hodgson, Mille & Cazère 2014: 153-. Type data: NEW CALEDONIA: Pocquereux, on Casuarina collina, 8/18/2003, by C. Mille. Holotype, female, male, and first instar, by original designation Type depository: Paris: Museum National d'Histoire naturelle, France; accepted valid name

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 1 | Genera: 1

Geographic Distribution

Keys

• Hodgso2020: pp.73 ( Adult (M) ) [some “Gondwanan” Eriococcidae]
• HodgsoGeMa2018: pp.384 ( Adult (F) ) [Eriococcidae from New Caledonia]
• HodgsoMiCa2014: pp.163 ( Adult (F) ) [Key to Eriococcidae from New Caledonia (modified after Williams, 2007)]

Remarks

• Systematics: The presence of the very large macrotubular ducts with a large funnel-shaped opening with dorsal setae associated with their outer rim and the presence of these ducts over much of the dorsum separates this species from all other known eriococcid adult females. A few other species are known to have setae associated with macrotubular pores (e.g. E. williamsi Danzig), but in this case, the setae are merely loosely grouped around the orifice, not actually associated with the rim. Setae are also known associated with the macrotubular pores in the E. eucalypti species-group from Australia. However, in all of these other species in which the crawlers have been examined, enlarged ducts are found only in the adult females (Cook & Gullan, 1999), whereas they are present on most other instars in Choneochiton, including the first-instar nymphs. (Hodgson, et al., 2014) The adult males of C. casuarinae can be quickly distinguished from all other adult male "eriococcids" in having the following combination of characters: (i) a particularly large group of pores on the dorsal surface of head, laterad to the dorsal mid-cranial ridge; (ii) presence of an alar lobe but absence of hamulohalteres; and (iii) fleshy and hair-like setae rather similar, each frequently with a slightly capitate apex. (Hodgson, et al., 2014)
• Structure: Adult female body reddish. Total length 1.1–1.6 [2.5] mm, width 0.9–1.25 [2.0] mm, more or less oval. Derm mainly membranous but with small, slightly sclerotized, nodulations and heavily sclerotized anal plates. Dorsum wider than venter. [data in square brackets refer to exceptionally large female,] First instar nymph body reddish. Total length about 0.5–0.68 mm, width 0.35–0.50 mm, slightly more pointed posteriorly. Derm mainly membranous but with small, slightly sclerotized, nodulations and heavily sclerotized anal plates. Venter perhaps slightly wider than dorsum. Second instar female body reddish. Mounted material. Total length about 0.75–0.98 mm, width 0.65–0.72 mm, more or less oval. Derm mainly membranous but with heavily sclerotized anal plates. Venter slightly wider than dorsum. Second instar male body reddish. Total length about 0.8 mm, width 0.6 mm, more or less oval. Derm mainly membranous but with heavily sclerotized anal plates. Venter slightly wider than dorsum. The main differences between this instar and the second-instar female are (characters for this instar): (i) the fewer large macrotubular ducts on the dorsum; (ii) the presence of normal tubular ducts on the dorsum, and (iii) the more widespread distribution of the loculate pores on the venter. Adult male moderate sized, total body length about 1.25–1.38 mm; antennae quite long, about half body length, with moderately long fleshy setae (fs) and with capitate setae on several apical segments; body with few setae, mostly fleshy setae (fs), each 25–35 μm long, hair-like setae (hs) few, shorter and straighter, each 15–18 ìμong; all setae with blunt apices, often even appearing slightly capitate; with a large group of pores on head but other pores absent apart from in glandular pouches. Wings about 0.8 total body length and about 0.4 as wide as long.
• General Remarks: Detailed descriptions and illustrations in Hodgson, et al., 2014.

Illustrations

Citations