Valid Names Results

Phyllococcus cryptocaryae Percy, Watson & Hodgson, 2024 (Pseudococcidae: Phyllococcus)

Nomenclatural History

• Phyllococcus cryptocaryae Percy, Watson & Hodgson 2024: 363. Type data: USA: Hawaiian Islands, Oahu, Central Waianae / Mountains, (21.4574N, -158.0970W), on Cryptocarya mannii, 7/5/2014, by D. Percy. Holotype, female, by original designation Type depository: London: The Natural History Museum, England, UK; accepted valid name Notes: Paratypes: data as for holotype; 3 adult females, mounted singly on slides (2 NHMUK, 1 BPBM); 1 pharate second-instar female nymph on 1 slide, and 2 third-instar female nymphs, one containing a pharate adult female, mounted together on 1 slide (NHMUK). Illustr.

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 1 | Genera: 1

Associates:

Families: 1 | Genera: 1

Geographic Distribution

Keys

• PercyWaHo2024: pp.370 ( Adult (F) ) [Phyllococcus species]
• PercyWaHo2024: pp.370 ( Adult (F) ) [Adult females of Phyllococcus species]

Remarks

• Systematics: Phyllococcus cryptocaryae is the second species of Phyllococcus to be described. The morphology of the adult female differs from the type species, Ph. oahuensis, in having the following character states (Ph. oahuensis character states given in parentheses): (i) body oval (tadpole-shaped, narrowing posteriorly); (ii) dorsal sclerotised shield composed of dorsum of abdominal segments III–VII + anal lobes (composed of segments V–VII + anal lobes); (iii) legs long and slender (short and robust); (iv) translucent pores restricted to femur and tibia of hind legs (also present on trochanter and tarsus); (v) oral collar tubular ducts present on sclerotized shield (absent); (vi) each anal lobe with 8 spinose conical setae along posterior margin (conical spinose setae restricted to 2 on apex); (vii) long setose seta on each anal lobe arising from posterior margin (arising from ventral surface); (viii) trilocular pores present on venter of almost all abdominal segments (only present on segments II‒IV); (ix) ventral setae abundant on venter of posterior abdominal segments (very sparse); and (x) the gall is rounded and dome-shaped (horn-shaped, tapering to a point). (Percy, Watson & Hodgson, 2024)
• Structure: Found in large subsurface chamber galls with the aperture on the lower leaf surface and a raised dome on the upper leaf surface of Cryptocarya mannii. Each adult female lives within a chamber gall that is approximately ovoid. The gall projects on both upper and lower leaf surfaces. The opening of the gall is sealed by the sclerotized dorsal shield and anal lobes of the adult female. Wax secretions were not seen. Slide-mounted adult female body broadly oval to almost circular in mature specimens, 1.24 (1.15‒1.45) mm long, 0.82 (0.82‒1.33) mm wide, oval, with a strongly sclerotized dorsal shield covering most of abdomen; large clear areas present on dorsum, especially around the ostiole, and on venter of thorax; pores and setae absent in intersegmental areas. Anal lobes each approximately quadrate, with inner margins closely aligned but with spinose setae along posterior and inner margins, also on ventral surface. (Percy, Watson & Hodgson, 2024)
• Biology: The galls induced by Ph. cryptocaryae appear to be less numerous and, although superficially similar to the psyllid galls in appearance, in particular with a similar-sized rounded gall opening on the lower leaf surface, are formed of a larger chamber within the leaf lamina, resulting in a more noticeably raised dome on the upper leaf surface. The galls induced by Ph. cryptocaryae are more lignified than those of the psyllid, with a raised lip around the gall opening, similar to that described and illustrated by Ferris (in Zimmerman 1948) around the opening of the gall of Ph. oahuensis. (Fig. 2Z). When cut open, the largest of these chamber galls of Ph. cryptocaryae was found to contain only an adult female, with the gall orifice tightly plugged by the oval sclerotised anal shield (indicated by an arrow in Fig. 4D), and the surface of the shield just below the rim of the gall opening (Fig. 4E).
• General Remarks: Detailed description, illustration and photographs in Percy, Watson & Hodgson, 2024.

Illustrations

Citations