Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 1946 No. 1: 1 Dec. 2008
Type: Article
Published: 2008-12-01
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1946.1.3
Page range: 55–68
Abstract views: 78
PDF downloaded: 26

A new ortheziid (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) from Australia associated with Acropyga myops Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and a key to Australian Ortheziidae

Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, 8000 York Road, Towson, Maryland 21251, USA
Biodiversity Program, Queensland Museum, P.O. Box 3300, South Brisbane 4101, Queensland, Australia
Department of Entomology and Laboratories of Analytical Biology, Smithsonian Institution, 4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, Maryland 20746, USA
Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, USA
Hemiptera mealybug trophobiosis trophophoresy

Abstract

A peculiar new genus of Ortheziidae is described from Queensland, Australia. Acropygorthezia williamsi LaPolla & Miller, n. gen. & sp. was discovered in two localities in the nests of Acropyga myops. Descriptions and illustrations are provided for the adult female, adult male, first-instar nymph, prepupa, and pupa; descriptions only are provided for the secondand third-instar nymphs. Prior to this study, Acropyga ants were known to enter into trophobiotic relationships only with mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Therefore, this study represents the first non-mealybug association between a scale insect and Acropyga. The new ortheziid genus has a number of unusual morphological attributes: no definite wax plates; no ovisac; an anal ring lacking setae and pores, located dorsally in the middle of the abdomen; simple, large metasternal and mesosternal apophyses; numerous spines over the body, and various instars that are so similar that they are difficult to separate. These characteristics may represent adaptations to its relationship with ants. A key is provided to the Australian Ortheziidae.

References

  1. Anonymous (2006) Specimen Preparation Guidelines: Sternorrhyncha, United State Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland. Available from: http://www.ars.usda.gov/Main/docs.htm?docid =9832 (18 January 2008).

    Bünzli, G.H. (1935) Untersuchungen über coccidophile Ameisen aus den Kaffeefeldern von Surinam. Mitteilungen der Schweizerische Entomologische Gesellschaft, 16, 453–593.

    Cockerell, T.D.A. (1905) Three new Coccidae from Colorado. Canadian Entomologist, 37, 135–136.

    Gullan, P.J. & Kosztarab. (1997) Adaptations in scale insects. Annual Review of Entomology, 42, 23–50.

    Johnson, C., Agosti, D., Delabie, J.H., Dumbert, K., Williams, D.J., Von Tschirnhaus, M. & Maschwitz, U. (2001) Acropyga and

    Azteca ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with scale insect (Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea): 20 million years of intimate symbiosis. American Museum Novitates, 3335, 1–18.

    Kozár, F. (2004) Ortheziidae of the World. Plant Protection Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary, 525 pp.

    LaPolla, J.S. (2004) Acropyga (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the World. Contributions of the American Entomological Institute, 33, 1–130.

    LaPolla, J.S.,Cover, S.P., & Mueller, U.G. (2002) Natural history and distribution notes on the mealybug-tending ant Acropyga epedana, with descriptions of the male and queen castes. Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 128(3), 367–376.

    Miller, D.R. (1991) Scale Insects (Coccoidea, Homoptera). In: Gorham, J. R. (Ed.), Insect and Mite Pests in Food: an Illustrated Key (Volume 2). Agriculture Handbook No. 665. Superintendant of Documents, U.S. Government, Washington, DC, 421–448.

    Miller, D.R. & Kozár, F. (2002) Systematic analysis of Afrotropical Newsteadia (Hemiptera, Coccoidea: Ortheziidae) with descriptions of nine new species. Acta Phytopathologica et Entomologica Hungarica, 37, 201–250.

    Morrison, H. (1925) Classification of scale insects of the subfamily Ortheziinae. Journal of Agricultural Research, 30, 97–154.

    Richard, C. (1976) Révision du groupe des Stictococcus, et création de taxa nouveaux (Homoptera, Coccoidea). Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, 12, 653–669.

    Smith, C.R., Oettler, J., Kay, A., & Deans, C. (2007) First recorded mating flight of the hypogeic ant, Acropyga epedana, with its obligate mutualist mealybug, Rhizoecus colombiensis. Journal of Insect Science, 7(11), 1–5.

    Strickland, A.H. (1947) Coccids attacking cacao (Theobroma cacao L.), in West Africa, with descriptions of five new species. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 38, 497–523.

    Way, M.J. (1954) Studies of the life history and ecology of the ant Oecophylla longinoda Bulletin of Entomological Research, 45, 93–112

    Williams, D.J. (1998) Mealybugs of the genera Eumyrmococcus Silvestri and Xenococcus Silvestri associated with the ant genus Acropyga Roger and a review of the subfamily Rhizoecinae (Hemiptera, Coccoidea, Pseudococcidae). Bulletin of the Natural History Museum. Entomology Series (London), 67, 1–64.

    Williams, D.J. (2004) A synopsis of the subterranean mealybug genus Neochavesia Williams and Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae: Rhizoecinae). Journal of Natural History, 38(22), 2883–2899.

    Williams, D.J. & LaPolla, J.S. (2004) The subterranean mealybug, Rhizoecus colombiensis (Hambleton) (Hem., Pseudococcidae), described originally from Colombia, now found associated with the ant Acropyga epedana Snelling (Hym., Formicidae) in Arizona, U.S.A. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine, 140(1679–1681), 106.