Species Apiomorpha attenuata (Froggatt, 1898)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Brachyscelis attenuata Froggatt, W.W. 1898. Notes on the subfamily Brachyscelinae, with descriptions of new species. Part V. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 23: 370-379 [375].

Ecological Descriptors

Sap-feeder.

ID Keys

(Gullan, P.J., 1984) [10] (adult female; Adult females and female galls of Apiomorpha)

GENERAL

The most comprehensive treatment of this species is by Gullan, P.J. 1984. A revision of the gall-forming coccoid genus Apiomorpha Rübsaamen (Homoptera: Eriococcidae: Apiomorphinae). Australian Journal of Zoology, Supplementary Series 97: 1–203 who described the adult female, female gall, male gall and provided photographs of the galls.

BIOLOGY

There are two forms of this species. The female gall occurs on the stem of host while the males can occur on the stem, abaxial or adaxial leaf surfaces or on the pedicel or calyx tube of flower bud (see Gullan, P.J. 1984. A revision of the gall-forming coccoid genus Apiomorpha Rübsaamen (Homoptera: Eriococcidae: Apiomorphinae). Australian Journal of Zoology, Supplementary Series 97: 1–203).

STRUCTURE

Female gall is narrow and fusiform, apex truncate. Male gall is tubular, apex dilated (see Gullan, P.J. 1984. A revision of the gall-forming coccoid genus Apiomorpha Rübsaamen (Homoptera: Eriococcidae: Apiomorphinae). Australian Journal of Zoology, Supplementary Series 97: 1–203).

SYSTEMATICS

The adult female is characterized by having: abdominal segment IX with ventral and dorsal lengths subequal, not fused with abdominal segment VIII; abdominal segment IX with posterior margin fused with anal lobes; body not slender; dorsum of head and thorax without spine-like setae; segment IX and anal lobes robust, sclerotized on mature individuals; segment IX and anal lobes with 0–7 spine-like setae, segment VIII with 0–9 such setae (see Gullan, P.J. 1984. A revision of the gall-forming coccoid genus Apiomorpha Rübsaamen (Homoptera: Eriococcidae: Apiomorphinae). Australian Journal of Zoology, Supplementary Series 97: 1–203).

History of changes