A new species of armored scale, Mycetaspis ailynaomi (Hemiptera, Diaspididae, Aspidiotinae), associated with Mammea americana L. (Malpighiales, Calophyllaceae) from Puerto Rico

Abstract A new species of armored scale, Mycetaspis ailynaomi Dones and Evans is described and illustrated from specimens collected on mamey (Mammea americana) from Puerto Rico. A key to the species of Mycetaspis is provided.

introduction Mamey (Mammea americana L., Calophyllaceae), also known as mammee apple, Santo Domingo apricot or South American apricot, is an evergreen, native to the West Indies and northern South America, whose fruit is edible. Mamey is confined to tropical or subtropical climates due to its sensitivity to low temperatures and seems remarkably resistant to pests and diseases. It has been introduced successfully into several tropical areas of the Old World (West Africa, Madagascar, southern Asia, Java, Philippines and Hawaii) but has not survived well in California and Florida (M orton 1987). It has formed part of the diet of the inhabitants of the Caribbean Islands for many generations. Mamey produces toxins that have medicinal and insecticidal properties and may cause discomfort, especially to the digestive system, in some individuals.
Nine species of armored scales have been reported from Puerto Rico on mamey. Martorell (1981) reported Aspidiotus destructor, Howardia biclavis, Mycetaspis personata and Pseudaulacaspis pentagona. Colón-Ferrer and Medina-Gaud (1998) reported Abgrallaspis cyanophylli, Hemiberlesia palmae, Howardia biclavis, Mycetaspis personata, Selenaspidus articulatus, and Lopholeucaspis cockerelli. In addition to these, Houser (1918) reported Melanaspis calura from Cuba and Deitz and Davidson (1986) listed Melanaspis smilacis as occurring on mamey but did not state in which country it was found on this host. Specimens of a new species of armored scale (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) of the genus Mycetaspis were found on mamey fruits seized by USDA/ APHIS officials at the International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico during a preflight inspection.
The genus Mycetaspis Cockerell, 1897, currently comprises eight species (Ben-Dov 2010). The species in the genus are only known to occur in the Neotropical region and/or the Nearctic with the exception of M. personata, which now occurs throughout much of the world. The genus, like most members of the subfamily Aspidiotinae, has the pygidium with macroducts of the 1-barred type, the second pygidial lobe not bilobulate, fringed plates present between the lobes, and the anterior and posterior spiracles without associated disk pores (Ferris 1941), except for M. bezerrai (Arruda 1972). It is similar to the genus Melanaspis in that it has elongated paraphyses arising from the basal angles of the lobes, and between the 2 nd and 3 rd lobes, but differs from that genus in that the adult female has the frontal area sclerotized, raised and narrowing abruptly or rounded.

Materials and methods
We follow the terminology used by Miller and Davidson (2005) and Watson (2002). The length of the pygidium was measured on the dorsal surface along the midline between the basal border and the bases of the median lobes. The abbreviations L1, L2, L3 and L4 stand for median, second, third and fourth pygidial lobes. Adult female. Appearance in life was not recorded, but the scale is not pupillarial. Body 1241µm long and 1136µm wide in the holotype; 1347µm long and 998µm wide in the paratype; almost circular. Pygidium slightly produced, almost (1.1 times) as broad as long, 279µm long by 423µm wide and 263µm long by 440µm wide in holotype and paratype, respectively.
Description. Cephalothorax. Anterior margin of head heavily sclerotized with 10-14 tooth-like, sclerotized lobular processes. Eyes are represented by a sclerotized dot. Antennae each composed of a conspicuous seta and a tubercle. A group of 18-20 microducts in front of each anterior spiracle. A band of microducts between the anterior and posterior spiracles extending outward from the median area to the margin in a slight upward angle without reaching the margin. Pygidium. Lobes. With 4 well-developed lobes (L1-L4); L1 more or less symmetrical, longer than L2-L4, flask-shaped, divergent on the mesal margin, which are shorter than the lateral margin. L2 with mesal margin one third as long as the lateral margin, with 2 or 3 small round teeth. L3 and L4 similar to L2, but more diagonally set with the lateral margin about 4 times as long as the mesal margin. Basal sclerosis. Similar in shape to a paraphysis, arising from the mesal margin of the L1 lobes, about twice as long as the lobe and about one third as wide as the base of the lobe, almost parallel-sided and rounded on the top. Paraphyses. Arranged 2-3-3 on each side of the pygidium. First interlobular space (space between L1 and L2) with a long paraphysis terminating in a club and almost twice as long the basal sclerosis associated with L1; a smaller paraphysis arising from mesal base of L2 and slightly shorter than half the length of the long paraphyses in the space. Second interlobular space with 3 paraphyses: the mesal one arising from the lateral basal corner of L2, similar to the paraphysis arising from the mesal corner of L2 in size and shape; the median paraphysis in the space about twice as long as the mesal paraphysis, approximately the same as the long paraphysis in the first interlobular space in size and shape; the lateral paraphysis from the mesal corner of L3, similar to the mesal paraphysis. The third interlobular space has 2 or 3 paraphyses: a short paraphysis arising at the lateral basal corner of L3, followed by a longer one more than twice as long as the former one. Paraphyses arising from the mesal basal corner of L4 faint or almost obsolete; pygidial margin anterior to L4 also with some short paraphyses. Plates. Plates occurring between lobes, but their numbers are difficult to determine in the available specimens. Plates occurring between L1 and L2 slender and simple, short, not extending beyond the apices of the lobes; plates between L2 and L3 slightly longer and wider with truncate apices; space between L3 and L4 appearing to have 3 short plates, one slender and 2 wider with truncate apices. Anal opening. Small, 14.5 µm in diameter, Diagnosis. Mycetaspis ailynaomi is most similar to Mycetaspis defectopalus Ferris in the shape of the pygidial lobes and the relative lengths and shapes of the paraphyses, but differs from the latter and other species in the genus in having 10-14 sclerotized lobular processes along the anterior margin of the cephalothorax; whereas the anterior margin of the cephalothorax is sclerotized, but smooth and rounded in the other species.
Biology. This species in only known to occur on Mammea americana fruit in Puerto Rico. Several embryos were present in both the holotype and paratype specimens.
Etymology. The species name is the combination of the names of the first author's daughters, Ailyn and Naomi, as a testimony of his love to them. Eyes not replaced with a thorn-like process; area anterior to L4 without a series of relatively long paraphyses ( Hempel (1932) it is similar to M. personata but has a larger sclerotized area on the head, 4 pygidial lobes, and 18-20 pairs of paraphyses. Mycetaspis eneideae Arruda was described from Brazil. No specimens of this species are available to us and the original illustration lacks sufficient details helpful for placing it in the key. Based on the original illustration of the species in Arruda (1976), it appears that all of the pygidial lobes are fused together; there are no paraphyses that can be discerned.