Valid Names Results

Kermicus wroughtoni Newstead, 1897 (Pseudococcidae: Kermicus)

Nomenclatural History

• Kermicus wroughtoni Newstead 1897b: 170. Type data: INDIA: Bombay District, on undetermined plant, attended by Pecophylla smaragdria. Syntypes, female and first instar, Type depository: London: The Natural History Museum, England, UK; accepted valid name

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 1 | Genera: 2

Geographic Distribution

Keys

Remarks

• Systematics: Williams (2004a) showed that the first instars of this species are dimorphic. One form possesses ostioles and has the anal ring situated about twice its diameter from the apex of abdomen, while the other form lacks ostioles and has the anal ring is placed 4-5 times its diameter from the apex of abdomen. K. wroughtoni is a difficult species to describe satisfactorily as some features are difficult to see clearly under the microscope, and the setae had been lost on most slide-mounted adult females available to Williams. Adult females are usually heavily sclerotized. Thus there are differences between descriptions made by different workers. (Wu, et al., 2020)
• Structure: The first-instar nymph of K. wroughtoni was described and illustrated by Williams (2004) based on specimens from either India or Malaysia, or perhaps both Indian and Malaysian populations; two morphs were found, one with ostioles and other without, both with 24–28 anal ring setae. However, Dr. Gullan has examined 23 first-instar nymphs from Malaysia (but not all the specimens studied by Williams) and found that all of them lack ostioles, and the number of anal ring setae varies from 24 to 30. (Wu, et al., 2020)
• Biology: Attended by Pecophylla smaragdina and by Tetraponera ants, within stems of bamboo (Williams, 2004a).
• General Remarks: Description and illustration of adult female and first instar by Williams (2004a). Description of the adult female given by Hendricks & Kosztarab (1999).

Illustrations

Citations