S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 34/1. (Budapest, 1981)
FOLIA ENTOMOLOGICA HUNGARICA ROVARTANI KÖZLEMÉNYEK XLII (XXXIV). 1. 1981 p. 209221 Polymorphism in the male of Polystomophora ostiaplurima Kiritchenko, 1940 (Homoptera: Coccoidea), description of all stages and biology By G. VINIS and F. KOZÁR (Received December 20, 1980) Abstract: The paper gives a detailed description of Polystomophora ostiaplurima Kiritchenko, 1940, with 9 Figures. The first and second larval stages and the 3 male morphs (neotaenic, wingless, winged) and their pronymphal and nymphal stages are described for the first time in the literature.The biology of the species is presented based on specimens developed on Acer campestre; on this host two generations develop yearly. The overwintering occures in the larval stage (Lj and L2) on the lignified parts, mostly in bark crevices. The morphology of males and larvae has been earlier neglected in the taxonomy of scale insects; after 1950, however, intensive research was commenced in the different families regarding the male morphology (BORATINSKY, 1970). In course of this study 6-7 different levels of progressive degenartion have been established in the Coccoidea subordo, extending fromt the larviform (neotaenic) male to the "normal" winged form. There are data even on the simultaneous occurence of neotaenic and winged males within the same species, Saccharicoccus sacchari Cockerell, 1895 (HAFEZ and SALAMA, 1967). Based on male morphology attempts were made to construct phylogenetic systems (BORATINSKY and DAVIS, 1971), these proved however too artificial and deviated in many cases from the earlier introduced and widely accepted systems. So the hopes placed into the usefulness of male characteristics have not been justified so far (DANZIG, 1980), an opinion shared also by the authors of the present paper . It is the author' s firm belief that for judging properly the importance of male characteristics more detailed descriptions are necessary, therefore we regard as important the data established with Polystomophora ostiaplurima Kiritchenko 1940, where the simultaneous occurrence of three male morphs (neotaenic, wingless, winged) has been observed. According to our opinion this example shows a pronounced regressive evolutionary trend, where due to the sessile way of life of the species, a wingless larvoid male appears and is able to fulfil Its biological function. At the same time, in lower numbers also the winged male (characteristic for the subordo where the species belongs to) and the ones with reduced wings occur. Besides the males, the paper describes the larval stages and the biological observations as these were unknown so far (with the exception of female morphology). Systematics The genus Polystomophora Borchsenius, 1948 belongs to the Ritsemini tribe of the Pseudococcidae family (KOZAR and VINIS, 1980). Based on the morphological characters of the neotaenic male, female and larval forms, this genus is closely related to the genus Ritsemia Lichtenstein. The dorsal sclerotization of the nature females, characteristic for Ritsemia, never occurs in Polystomophora .
