Intecticoccus viridis Kondo & Hardy & Cook & Gullan 2006, sp. nov.

Intecticoccus viridis Kondo sp. nov.

(Figs 2A–B, 3)

Type material. HOLOTYPE, adult female. CHILE: IX region, Villarrica, Fundo Flor del Lago, 39°09'S, 72°06'W, 15.xii.2003, coll. T. Kondo, ex leaf of Nothofagus antarctica (ñirre) (MNNC). PARATYPES: CHILE: same data as holotype, 29 adult females (13 BME + 4 BMNH + 8 MNNC + 4 USNM); ARGENTINA: Parque Nacional Lanín, Lago Queñi, 22.i.1997, coll. P.J. Gullan, ex leaves (mostly undersides) of N. antarctica, 6 adult females (1 BME + 1 IMLA + 3 MLPA + 1 USNM); c. 5 km W. of Villa Mascardi, 31.xii.1996, coll. P.J. Gullan, ex underside leaves of N. antarctica, 7 adult females (2 BME + 3 IMLA + 1 MLPA + 1 USNM).

Description of adult female (n = 43)

Live appearance. Found on leaves, mostly undersides. Insects covered by a thin layer of glassy wax, not producing a test. Body of young adult female yellowish-green, shiny, often with a yellowish or brownish mid-longitudinal line (Fig. 2A). Older specimens becoming brown in color, beginning around mid dorsum (Fig. 2B). Venter becoming concave during egg laying period, sheltering many eggs.

Mounted material. Body oval to elongate oval, slightly tapering towards posterior end (Fig. 3). Body 1.8–3.4 mm long, 1.7–2.9 mm wide. Eyespots present as dark spots anterior to or approximately level with antennal scapes, each 20–25 µm wide. Antennae 175–195 µm long, 6-segmented (one specimen with left antenna with 5 segments); generally located far from mouthparts on area close to anterior margin; 4 hair-like setae (trichoid sensilla) on segment I, 3 hair-like setae on segments II and III, respectively, 1 fleshy seta on segment IV, 5 hair-like setae and 1 fleshy seta on segment V, about 5 hair-like setae and 3 fleshy setae on segment VI. Tentorial box 113–138 µm long, 80–118 µm maximum width. Labium 105–113 µm long, 65–93 µm wide across base. Legs: all legs with trochanter + femur 130–150 µm long, tibia + tarsus 135–160 µm long; tarsal digitules 38–45 µm long, knobbed apex ca. 5 µm wide; claw digitules 28–33 µm long, knobbed apex ca. 2 µm wide; translucent pores present only on dorsal side of hind coxae, none on ventral side; microtrichia on ventral side of all coxae. Spiracular peritremes each 23–28 µm wide. Anal lobes variable in shape, conical to triangular depending on orientation, often with a long medial extension arising from ventral side of inner margin, each plate 130–155 µm long, 55–80 µm wide. Anal lobe setae difficult to interpret due to variable shape of lobes and their position when slide-mounted, however, number and relative position of setae typical of eriococcids. Each lobe with 6 setae: dorsolateral lobe setae (dls) 7–13 µm long, dorsomedial lobe seta (dms) 37–50 µm long, dorsoapical lobe seta (das) 11–15 µm long, caudal seta (cs) 38–55 µm long, ventral lobe setae (vls) 25–37 µm long. Anal ring 45–55 µm long, 53–65 µm wide, each seta 75–100 µm long. Suranal setae (sas) sometimes appearing ventral on anal lobes but apparently on a sclerotized medial extension of anal lobe, each seta 25–55 µm long.

Dorsum: Derm with microtrichia on last 4 abdominal segments, on area between each pair of parallel longitudinal setae. Setae each 2.5–6.5 µm long, found in 2 or 3 parallel longitudinal rows on mid dorsum and around body margin. Microtubular ducts scarce, in about 4 longitudinal rows on each side of body, usually with a microduct present near each dorsal seta, diameter of duct rim 2.5–3.0 µm.

Venter: Derm membranous; microtrichia present on mid areas of all abdominal segments. Ventral setae bluntly to sharply spinose, longer setae 25–70 µm long, shorter setae each 3–25 µm long, intermixed in segmental rows on mid areas of abdomen, scarce elsewhere, with one long seta associated with each mid and hind coxa; with 4 pairs of setae in a longitudinal line extending from interantennal area to area anterior to mouthparts, these setae becoming progressively longer towards mouthparts. Ventral microducts present in groups of 10–20 on area between each antenna and eye, and between each anterior spiracle and body margin, absent elsewhere. Multilocular pores each 4–6 µm in diameter, with 3–8 (mostly 5) loculi; present on mid areas of abdominal segments, with a few pores on thorax around hind coxae. Spiracular pores each 3–4 µm in diameter.

Etymology. The species epithet “ viridis ” is derived from the Latin meaning green, after the color of the young insect in life.

Diagnosis. Intecticoccus viridis can be distinguished from other species of eriococcids by the following combination of features: (i) a bare dorsum, not covered by a felted cover, (ii) the very small dorsal and marginal setae, each 3–7 µm long, (iii) claws without denticle, and (iv) the lack of bilocular pores on the dorsum and venter. I. viridis appears most similar to Icelococcus charlini Miller & González and Chilechiton lynnae due to the absence of dorsal macroducts. Intecticoccus viridis differs from both in: (i) having all dorsal setae evenly short (large-sized setae present on medial area in I. charlini; all enlarged on C. lynnae), (ii) lack of a small accessory plate at the anterior base of sclerotized anal lobes (present on I. charlini and C. lynnae); (iii) translucent pores minute on hind coxae (rather large on I. charlini and C. lynnae) and in (iv) the lack of claw denticles (present on I. charlini and C. lynnae).