Valid Names Results

Ripersiella campensis Schneider & LaPolla, 2022 (Rhizoecidae: Ripersiella)

Nomenclatural History

• Rhizoecus new sp. Schneider & LaPolla 2011. unavailable name that is placed
• Ripersiella campensis Schneider & LaPolla 2022: 7. Type data: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Loma Novillero (Fonestal Reserva) near Villa Altagracia (18.7032, -70.1931), elev. 187 m; in nes of Acropyga dubitata 7/4/2009; by JS LaPolla & SA Schneider. Holotype, female, by original designation Type depository: Washington: United States National Entomological Collection, U.S. National Museum of Natural History, District of Columbia, USA; accepted valid name Notes: Paratypes. Dominican Republic • 1 adult ♀; same data as holotype; USNM (nest DR8: prep S0439A) Illustr.

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 1 | Genera: 1

Associates:

Families: 1 | Genera: 1

Geographic Distribution

Keys

• SchneiLa2022: pp.25-26 ( Adult (F) ) [Neotropical Ripersiella lacking bitubular cerores]

Remarks

• Systematics: https://zoobank.org/5FACC224-2788-4034-A03B-83D0C95F321D

  Ripersiella campensis is similar in appearance to R. montanae. Morphological differences between the two species are subtle, but they can be distinguished based on the following suite of characteristics. In R. campensis, multilocular disc pores are present on abdominal segments V–VIII and usually present on segments III–IV as well, body setae are comparatively longer and sparsely distributed, antennal segments II–IV are subequal in length (average lengths in μm: 19, 16, 17), and segment V is approximately 57 μm long. In R. montanae, multilocular disc pores are restricted to abdominal segments VI–VIII, body setae are comparatively shorter and densely distributed, antennal segments II–IV differ in length (average lengths in μm: 13, 24, 20), and segment V is approximately 40 μm long. (Schneider & LaPolla, 2022)

• Structure: In life, body bright white to cream colored and free of obvious waxy secretions, small deposits of wax from trilocular pores visible under SEM, tending to gather in intersegmental regions of the body and appendages. Mounted on microscope slide, body broadly oval and membranous, 0.86–1.03 (0.93) mm long, widest near abdominal segments III–V, 0.50–0.70 (0.60) mm wide. Abdomen slightly constricted between segments VII and VIII or smoothly tapering; abdominal segment VIII 186–251 (210) μm wide at base. Anal lobes poorly developed with several flagellate setae on venter and dorsum. (Schneider & LaPolla, 2022)
• Biology: Schneider & LaPolla verified direct species-to-species association (trophobiosis) between the scale insects and ants through observation of attendance by worker ants and by the fact that all colonies contained numerous individuals of the same root mealybug species within their nest chambers and no additional species of scale insects were present.
• General Remarks: Detailed description, photograph and illustration in Schneider & LaPolla, 2022.

Illustrations

Citations