Valid Names Results

Apiomorpha nookara Mills MacDonald, Rigby & Cook, 2011 (Eriococcidae: Apiomorpha)

Nomenclatural History

• Apiomorpha nookara Mills MacDonald, Rigby & Cook 2011: 57-62. Type data: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales, Arakoon, Arakoon Road, S30°53’29".6,E153°04'06.1", on Eucalyptus racemosa, 7/26/2008, by L.G. Cook. Holotype, female, by original designation Type depository: Canberra: Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO Entomology, Australia; accepted valid name Notes: Additional material of the holotype specimen (LGC01098) includes gut and ovary tissue stored at -70°C in the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Queensland (Australia) and genomic DNA stored at -20°C at the same institution (both labeled LGC01098); holotype material also includes DNA sequence data: partial 18S SSU rDNA (Genbank accession: JN863287), partial 28S LSU rDNA (Genbank accession: JN863288) and partial COI (Genbank accession: JN863289).

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 1 | Genera: 1

Geographic Distribution

Keys

Remarks

• Systematics: Analysis of the mtDNA COII region suggests that A. nookara is closely related to A. minor. Although there is little support for most relationships within Apiomorpha using this gene region, there was strong bootstrap support for a sister relationship between A. minor and A. nookara. Apiomorpha nookara is also morphologically similar to members of the A. minor species group (A. minor, A. sessilis and A. annulata). (Mills, et al., 2011) The two-chambered gall of the adult female of A. nookara clearly distinguishes the species from all other described species of Apiomorpha. Only one other described species (A. variabilis) has two cavities within the gall, but the galls of adult females of A. variabilis are much larger. Tthe galls of A. nookara are ovoid to ovo-cylindrical rather than pyriform like those of A. variabilis. The adult female of A. variabilis is also different from A. nookara. Most strikingly, A. variabilis has many more spine-like setae than A. nookara on abdominal segments AIII-AV. (Mills, et al., 2011)
• Structure: Abdomen tapered to anal lobes. Integument mostly membranous in young adult females but moderately to heavily sclerotised in older specimens. Abdominal segment VIII longer ventrally than dorsally. Gall ovoid to ovo-cylindrical attached to plant stem at gall base. Young galls red or green, turning brown or grey when older. Apex of gall blunt. Outer opening of gall irregular. Apical orifice of inner chamber (in which female resides) circular.. Inner chamber similar in shape to that of adult female. (Mills, et al., 2011) Gall of adult male is small and tubular, flared at the apical opening and found on a leaf. (Mills, et al., 2011)
• Biology: Apiomorpha nookara has been found only on E. racemosa, the narrow-leaved scribbly gum (Eucalyptus subgen. Eucalyptus sect. Cineraceae, ser. Psathyroxylon; sensu Brooker 2000). Prior to the synonymies recognised by Pfeil and Henwood (2004), the populations of scribbly gum from which A. nookara has been collected were known as E. signata F. Muell. (Mills, et al., 2011)
• General Remarks: Detailed description, illustration and photographs in Mills, et al., 2011.

Illustrations

Citations