Gigantococcus theobromae

Gigantococcus theobromae (Newstead)

Palaeococcus theobromae Newstead, 1908b: 154.

Steatococcus theobromae (Newstead); Vayssière (1926: 307).

Gigantococcus theobromae (Newstead); Unruh & Gullan (2008: 37).

Unmounted material. Adult female almost flat, covered in densely felted, bright yellow secretion. Dorsal surface with medial, submarginal and submedial bare patches of derm, medial patches forming longitudinal row, submarginal and submedial patches following outline of body, appearing as dark secretions. Derm surrounding anal opening sclerotized (Newstead, 1908b).

Slide-mounted material. Adult female oval (lectotype 4.5 mm long, 3.2 mm wide, widest across abdomen). Antennae 9 to 10 segmented; each segment with short hair-like setae. Eyes, mouthparts and legs as for tribe. Thoracic spiracles as for genus, derm at opening with 4–6 simple multilocular pores with bilocular or trilocular centre and 4–8 outer loculi. Hair-like setae as for genus, scattered on derm, longest around margin. Flagellate setae as for genus. Compound multilocular pores, each 17–20 µm in diameter, with trilocular (rarely bilocular) centre and 6 outer loculi clustered in pairs (4 outer loculi with bilocular centre), covering dorsum and margins of ventral head and thorax and submarginal to marginal ventral abdomen. Simple multilocular pores, each with trilocular centre and 4–6 outer loculi, scattered on ventromedial head and thorax. Marsupium present, marsupial band forming distinctive V-shape with lateral flanges at anterior; band formed by multilocular pores, each 10–12 µm in diameter with bilocular or trilocular centre and 4–6 outer loculi clustered in pairs. Simple multilocular pores, each with trilocular, quadrilocular, quinquelocular or hexalocular centre and 4–10 outer loculi, scattered on ventromedial abdomen (within marsupium) and on derm around marsupial opening on medial to submedial abdomen. Vulva as for genus. Cicatrices not visible on specimens examined. Abdominal spiracles as for genus. Anal tube as for genus; derm around anal opening sclerotized, surrounded by long hair-like setae.

Type data. NIGERIA: Calabar, ex leaves of cultivated cocoa [= Theobroma sp.], i.1907 (Slater Jackson).

Type material. Lectotype here designated: ad ♀, “ Palaeococcus /theobromae, n.sp/(Newstead) Types./on Cacao, Calabar/ W. Africa. i.07/ Sl. Jackson /B.M. 1945, 121” (BMNH). Paralectotypes: ad ♀ (torn in half), ad ♀ (bottom half only), 2 2 nd -instar nymphs (all specimens on same slide as lectotype); ad ♀, “ Palaeococcus / theobromae, n.sp/Newstead./on Caco, Calabar/ W. Africa / S. Jackson /i.07/B.M. 1945, 121” (BMNH); 2 nd - instar nymph, “ Palaeococcus /theobromae, n sp. / Newstead Type lot -/On Cacao. Calabar/ W. Africa / Sl. Jackson. 1.07/B.M. 1945, 121” (BMNH); ad ♀, ca. 15 embryos (within marsupium of ad ♀), 2 nd -instar nymph, 1 st - instar nymph, “ Steatococcus / Palaeococcus /theobromae/Newst./on?/Calabar, W. Coast /Africa/ Dr. S. Jackson, Coll/Jan, 1907./Co-Type” (USNM); dry material (USNM).

Taxonomic notes. This species forms a V-shaped marsupial band and the dorsal surface is densely covered with large pores with a trilocular centre and 6 outer loculi clustered in pairs. The marsupial band shape is unique as other Gigantococcus species form a semicircular marsupial band. The lectotype is the only intact adult female on the slide.