Protastegopteryx vietnamensis sp. nov.

(Figs 5–13, Table 1)

Material. Holotype: apterous viviparous female, No. 15178 (collection number of ISEA SB RAS), slide No. 15178, left specimen, “ Protastegopteryx vietnamensis gen. nov., sp. nov., 20.iv.2021, Vietnam, Cát Tiên National Park, 11°27′39″N 107°22′34″E, Bambusa sp., on stem and lower surface of leaves, apt., dark, along the veins, with a halo of wax rays. Leg. T.A. Novgorodova ”. Paratypes: 44 apterous viviparous females, together with holotype; 4 apterous viviparous females, No. 15180, 23.iv.2021, 11°26′56″N 107°26′31″ E, the same place and host-plant as holotype .

Holotype is deposited at ISEA SB RAS; paratypes are deposited at ISEA SB RAS, ZIN RAS, the Natural History Museum ( London, United Kingdom) and Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris, France).

Etymology. The specific epithet—adjective “ vietnamensis ”—is derived from “ Vietnam ”, the name of the country where the species was found.

Description. Apterous viviparous female. Body 1.5–2.0 (1.7) times as long as its width. Living specimens black-green, with a flat, horizontal white fringe of wax along border of body, with a narrow and low wax crest along center line of body and with lightly wax-powder on rest of dorsal surface. Marginal wax glands plates consist of 5–8 (7.0) glands on prothorax, on 4–8 (6.1) on mesothorax, 4–6 (5.0) on metathorax, and 3 or, very rarely, 2 or 4 glands on abdominal segments I–VII; on head between eyes there are two groups of glands identical to marginal ones, 5–9 (6.5) glands in each; on abdominal tergite VIII 8–12 (10.4) marginal glands. Horn-like processes on frons high, 1.19–2.11 (1.71) and 1.36–2.46 (1.90) times longer than 1st and 2nd antennal segments, respectively; wide base of horn-like processes occupies upper border of frons in such a way that frontal setae often located on it. Rostrum reaching anterior margin of mesothorax. Ultimate rostral segment 0.83–1.06 (0.95) times as long as its width. Length of setae on first tarsal segment (not sense peg if present) considerably exceeds length of this segment. Numbers of marginal setae 0–1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1–3 and 1–2 on each side of abdominal segments I–VII, respectively; on abdominal segments VI and VII one marginal seta located dorsal to row of marginal glands, second seta or, rarely, two more setae ventral to row of marginal glands. Two setae on abdominal segment VIII located dorsal to row of marginal glands, close to central line of body, two more setae located ventral to row of marginal glands, widely spaced and located much further from central line of body than dorsal setae. On each of lobes of anal plate, along with relatively not long thin, finely pointed, almost wavy setae, there are three also finely pointed, but long, thick at base and for most of their length setae, there are two such setae on cauda.

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For more morphological data, see description of the genus.

Measurements of holotype. Body—1218×741, antenna—235: I—43; II—38; III—81×18 (in the middle), IV— 56+18; hind femur—264, hind tibia—305; cauda—56×91 (at base) ×33 (in constriction)×29 (lenght of knobb)×73 (width of knobb). For more biometric data, see Table 1.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality— the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Đồng Nai Province, Tân Phú District, Cát Tiên National Park.

Biology. Life cycle is unknown. Colonies of aphids were located on lower and upper surfaces of leaves and partially on young stems of Bambusa sp. (Fig. 14). Some aphid colonies were attended and actively guarded by ants Dolichoderus thoracicus (Smith, 1860) .

Systematic relationships. See the generic diagnosis.