Platylecanium species

Hodgson, Chris, 2025, Revision of the soft scale genus Platylecanium (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae), with descriptions of eight new species, Zootaxa 5646 (2), pp. 151-198 : 154-155

Key to Platylecanium species, based on adult female morphology

1. Each stigmatic cleft with 4 or more stigmatic spines......................................................... 2

- Each stigmatic cleft with 3 stigmatic spines (rarely 4 in one or two clefts).. ....................................... 3

2. Mature adult small (<4.3 mm long). Antennae fairly short, not obviously 4 or 5 segmented. Anal plates less than 210 μm long. On Orchidaceae ................................................................ P. vanda Hodgson spec. nov.

- Mature adult larger (> 4.2 mm long). Antennae each clearly 4 or 5 segmented. Anal plates more than 240 μm long. On nonorchidaceous hosts, mainly Arecaceae ..................................................... P. nepalense Takagi

3. Antennae each clearly with 3 or more segments, total length more than 3 times width of scape (= segment I)............ 4

- Antennae very reduced, each consisting of a narrow basal scape and another ‘segment’, total length generally less than 3 times longer than width of scape.............................................................................. 6

4. Multilocular disc-pores present in venter of abdominal segments V, VI and VII. Marginal setae evenly distributed around margin....................................................................... P. palmae Hodgson , sp. nov.

- Multilocular disc-pores only present in venter of abdominal segments VI and VII. Marginal setae distributed unevenly, tending to form groups of 1‒4 at end of each marginal reticulation point................................................ 5

5. Stigmatic spines short and thick. Anal plates together quadrate, about as long as their combined widths. Body rounded at both ends ....................................................................... P. coelogyne Hodgson , sp. nov.

- Stigmatic spines long and relatively narrow. Anal plates much longer than their combined widths. Body lemon-shaped, somewhat pointed at both ends............................................................ P. fusiforme Green

6. Underside of each anal plate with a deep cleft on inner margin (arrowed in Figs 1 & 2 ); also with a seta displaced from lateral margin of anal cleft (arrowed in Figs 1 & 2 )........................................... P. asymmetricum Morrison

- Underside of each anal plate without a deep cleft on inner margin, and lacking an additional seta near lateral margin of anal cleft................................................................................................... 7

7. Body elongate, length clearly more than twice width......................................................... 8

- Body relatively broad, length less than twice width......................................................... 12

8. Anal plates subequal in length to their combined widths; each plate with anterior margin as long as or longer than posterior margin............................................................................................. 9

- Anal plates significantly longer than their combined widths; each plate with posterior margin clearly longer than anterior margin............................................................................................ 10

9. Margin not crenulated. Dorsum with areolations present submarginally....................... P. riouwense Takahashi *

- Margin crenulated. Dorsal submargin without areolations............................... P. eastopi Hodgson , sp. nov.

10. Dorsum without areolations. Stigmatic spines subequal in length or with median spine shortest. Stigmatic spines not reaching to margin........................................................................ P. elongatum Takahashi *

- Dorsum with distinct areolations. Stigmatic spines long; spines may be subequal in length but median spines never shortest. Stigmatic spines may or may not reach to margin........................................................... 11

11. Dorsal areolations very obvious, forming a broad submarginal band. Marginal setae frequent, forming groups of 1‒3 (mainly 2) per marginal reticulation point. Stigmatic spines not reaching margin. Body rounded at both ends... .. P. cyperi Takahashi

- Dorsal areolations not very obvious, not forming a broad submarginal band. Marginal setae few, with rarely more than 1 per marginal reticulation point. Stigmatic spines long, with median spines reaching to margin. Body somewhat pointed at both ends........................................................................... P. dendrobii Hodgson , sp. nov.

12. Anal plates subequal in length to their combined widths, length of single plate no more than twice as long as width, with apex not acute........................................................................................... 13

- Anal plates much longer than broad, length of single plate about 3 times as long as width, with apex acute............. 14

13. Multilocular disc-pores each with only 6 or 7 loculi. Preopercular pores large and abundant, associated with all clear areas. Dorsal setae blunt or even capitate. .............................................. P. faveolatum Hodgson , sp. nov.

- Multilocular disc-pores each with mainly 10 loculi. Preopercular pores small and few, associated mainly with posterior clear areas, but rare or absent from anterior clear areas. Dorsal setae finely setose........ P. cribrigerum (Cockerell & Robinson)

14. Anal plate apodemes fused at anterior end of anal cleft..................................... ... P. mesuae Takahashi

- Anal plate apodemes completely separate, not nearly meeting at anterior end of anal cleft.......................... 15

15. Margin not crenulated. ................................................................... P. citri Takahashi *

- Margin crenulated. ................................................................................... 16

16. With 4 pairs of clear areas on abdomen and none elsewhere. Anal plates each 176‒244 μm long, 134‒164 μm combined width...................................................................... ... P. sarawakense Hodgson , sp. nov.

- With 5 pairs of clear areas on abdomen and an additional pair at inner end of each anterior stigmatic ray. Anal plates each 150‒153 μm long, combined width about 118 μm. .................................. P. watsoniae Hodgson , sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Platylecanium asymmetricum Morrison, adult female (paratype female, Singapore). Where A= a clear area; C = crenulations; E = eyepost; L = a reticulation line between reticulation plates; M = a marginal reticulation point, where a reticulation line reaches the margin, and P = a reticulation plate, the margins of which are indicated by reticulation lines.

FIGURE 2. Platylecanium asymmetricum Morrison, adult female (Pl. cocotis Laing, paralectotype, from Vanuatu).