Chionaspis caudata Vea

Field characters: All pine-feeding Chionaspis reported here, including Chionaspis heterophyllae and Chionaspis pinifoliae are indistinguishable by eye in the field. See the description above for Chionaspis brachycephalon Vea. Slide-mounted adult female (Figure 2), spindle-shaped and elongate, slightly lobed to parallel-sided laterally; length of holotype 1.75 mm, range (n= 11) 1.38 – 2.03mm; maximum width of holotype: 0.61 mm; range (n=11) 0.48 – 0.7mm. Pygidium: Lobes. Posterior margin with 3 pairs of lobes (L1, L2 and L3), fourth pair (L4) appears as series of low, sclerotized points; paraphyses absent. L1 separated by a space 0.6 – 1 (0.73) times width of lobes, without a yoke, lobes completely separated, lateral margins parallel-sided, entire, rarely notched; L2 bilobed, smaller than L1, lobules subequal, inner lobule slightly notched, outer lobule entire; L3 bilobed, medial lobule similar to L2, lateral lobule recessed and serrated. Gland spines. Gland spine formula varying from 1-1-1 to 3-3-2 (2-2-1) (microduct formula varying from 1-1-1 to 3-3-1 (2-2-1)), with always 1 gland spine between L1, subtended by 1 microduct; gland spine on segment 5 always absent. Gland spine microduct slender with a relatively developed collar at apex. Ducts. Large macroducts in submedian area of segments 5 and 6 (with 4 – 6 (6) on segment 5 and 3 – 4 (3) on segment 6); in submarginal areas of segment 5 (with 4 – 8 (7) macroducts); marginal area of segments 5 to 7 (with 1 on segment 7, 2 – 3 (2) on segment 6, 2 – 3 (2) on segment 5); absent on segment 8. Largest macroduct on segment 7 (between L1 and L2) 15 – 22.5 (20) μm long. Pygidial microducts always on venter in submarginal areas of segment 5 and 6, with 1 – 2 (2) duct on segment 5 and 2-3 (2) ducts on segment 6, always absent from segment 7; pygidial microducts absent from dorsum. Pores. Perivulvar pores with 5 loculi, in 5 groups, 1 median group with 10 – 15 (13) pores, 2 anterolateral groups with 23 – 27 (25) pores, 2 posterolateral groups with 18 – 27 (24) pores. Anal opening. Diameter 15 – 22.5 (17.5) μm, located 6.7 – 11.7 (9.9) times length of anal opening from base of median lobes. Setae. Dorsal setae: 2 setose on L1, 1 spinose between lobules of L2 and L3. Ventral setae: 1 small on L1, 1 marginal at base of each gland spine cluster and 1 submarginal area of each segment, 2 on submedian aerea of segment 6, half as long as dorsal setae; 2 pairs of setae in a row anterior to the vulva. Prepygidium: Gland spines. Near each body margin from segment 1 or 2 to 4, with 0 – 4 on segment 1, 0 – 5 (4) on segment 2, 1 – 7 (4) on segment 3 and 1 – 2 (1) gland spines on segment 4, which are short and protrude from the margin. Gland spines from segment 1 to 3 are the smallest, and never protrude from the margin. Ducts. Macroducts of 2 sizes; largest macroducts in submedian areas of abdominal segments 4 and 3. Small macroducts in submedian area of segments 3 and 4, and in submarginal areas of segments 1 to 4. Prepygidial microducts present on venter from segment 1 to segment 3, in marginal or submarginal areas from head to segments 2 to 3. Prepygidial microducts on dorsum on segments 1 to 4, often in conspicuous clusters submedially. Cephalothorax: Small macroducts present on last thoracic segment, marginally and submarginally. Microducts present on both surfaces, evenly distributed. Perispiracular pores primarily with 3 loculi, anterior spiracles with 6 – 8 (7) pores, posterior spiracles with 2 – 3 (2) pores. Eyes represented by small sclerotized area, located on body margin at level near anterior clypeolabral shield. Antennae each with 1 long seta. Distance between antennae 122.5 – 375 (135) μm.