Valid Names Results

Ceroplastes theobromae Newstead, 1908 (Coccidae: Ceroplastes)

Nomenclatural History

• Ceroplastes theobromae Newstead 1906a: 74. nomen nudum
• Ceroplastes theobromae Newstead 1908b: 38. Type data: CAMEROON: Soppo and Bamba, on cacao.. Syntypes, female, Type depository: London: The Natural History Museum, England, UK; accepted valid name
• Ceroplastes coniformis Newstead 1913: 72. Type data: UGANDA: Entebbe, Botanic Gardens, on Ficus sp.. Syntypes, female, Type depository: London: The Natural History Museum, England, UK; junior synonym (discovered by HodgsoPe2012, 189-194).

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 3 | Genera: 3

Geographic Distribution

Keys

• HodgsoPe2012: pp.171-172 ( Adult (F) ) [Key to adult females of Ceroplastes theobromae-group]

Remarks

• Systematics: A fairly diagnostic combination of C. theobromae include: (i) legs without a tibio-tarsal articulation; (ii) claw digitules clearly different; (iii) distribution of the stigmatic setae in a group extending dorsally away from a rather deep cleft; (iv) each stigmatic spine mainly rounded and almost as wide as long; (v) each group of stigmatic setae with a single slightly larger spine; (vi) anal plates rather rounded; (vii) dorsal loculate microducts of the rusci-type, those with 2 satellite loculi scarce, and (viii) caudal process dorsal and probably not very convex. Hodgson and Peronti, 2012, determined that on the basis of the present knowledge of C. theobromae, C. coniformis appeared to be indistinguishable and was synonymised with C. theobromae Newstead. C. theobromae is very similar to C. lamborni.
• Structure: Unmounted material. C. theobromae. "Test of adult female reddish pink, darker in older examples, nucleated; margin with two large bilateral, stout, white appendages; caudal process uncovered at the tip; posterior extremity with two large mammiform swellings. Length 4-5; width 3.50-4.75 mm." (Newstead, 1908b). Unmounted material. C. coniformis. Female test "thin and distinctly cone-shaped, with the apex bluntly pointed; not divided into plates, but with a more or less distinct, minute, ovate patch of secretion at the apex of the test, and in the more perfect individuals some small white patches of secretion over the stigmatic clefts. Colour translucent yellowish-brown, sometimes with indefinite darker markings due evidently to foreign matter. Height 3.9-4.7 mm; greatest diameter at base 2.8-4 mm." (Newstead, 1913). Mounted material. Body probably quite broad and convex; stigmatic clefts quite deep; lateral tubercles small. Caudal process well developed and dorsal, probably forming a shallow cone. Length perhaps 1.3-4.0 (2.25) [4-5] mm, total width 1.0 (1.3-?) [3.5-4.75] mm. (Hodgson & Peronti, 2012) (The data in [..] brackets are those given for C. theobromae by Newstead (1908b))
• General Remarks: Detailed description and illustrations in Hodgson & Peronti, 2012.

Illustrations

Citations