Arytaina devia insularis Loginova, 1976

Percy Csiro, Diana M., 2003, Legume-feeding psyllids (Hemiptera, Psylloidea) of the Canary Islands and Madeira, Journal of Natural History 37, pp. 397-461 : 443-444

Arytaina devia insularis Loginova comb. rev.

(figure 22B)

Arytaina devia insularis Loginova, 1976: 16 .

Arytainilla devia (Loginova) Hodkinson and Hollis, 1987: 11 , 42.

Adult description. Loginova (1976).

Adult and nymph. Subspecies insularis shares the same coloration as ssp. devia . The primary difference in the adult is the more slender and elongate male paramere with a less pronounced basal posterior bulge. The 5th instar nymphs are similar to those of ssp. devia , with the notable exception of the Gran Canaria populations which have one pair of sectasetae in the third position and four dorsal caudal plate macrosetae; nymphs of ssp. insularis from La Palma are more similar to those of ssp. devia in the absence of secatsetae and the presence of six dorsal caudal plate macrosetae, they are also characterized by extremely long marginal abdominal capitate setae.

Distribution. Canary Islands: Gran Canaria and La Palma.

Comment. Loginova (1976) designated specimens from Gran Canaria and La Palma as ssp. insularis , and I have retained this rank, but since no type was published I have designated a lectotype below. Fifth instar nymphs from Gran Canaria can be separated from those of the other three islands by the presence of sectasetae, possibly suggesting a basal position for the Gran Canarian population in the colonization of the Canary Islands. The ontogeny of sectasetae in three species of Arytaina ( A. adenocarpi , A. devia and A. genistae ) shows a gradual reduction in number (four to zero or two) with progressively older instars.

Material examined. Canary Islands, Gran Canaria: 22 W, 23 X, 3 nymphs, rd San Bartolomé de Tirajana to Fataga , 27°54∞30◊N, 15°34∞30◊W, 920 m, 16 April 1998 ( DP 161 ). 17 W, 19 X, 9 nymphs, Barranco de Mogán , above Mogán , 27°54∞30◊N, 15°42∞30◊W, ca 500 m, 18 April 1998 ( DP 167 ). La Palma : Lectotype (here designated) W (dry mounted) and 2 W paralectotypes, El Paso, 26 May 1947, H. Lindberg ( ZMH). 2 W, 13 nymphs, above Fuente de Olén , 28°44∞N, 17°49∞W, 1850 m, 16 July 1997 ( DP 79 ). 22 W, 26 X, rd to La Cumbrecita, 28°39∞30◊N, 17°50∞45◊W, ca 900 m, 16 May 1998 ( DP 189 ).

Host plant. Chamaecytisus proliferus , Arytaina devia sspp. occur on all three recognized subspecies (Acebes Ginovés et al., 1991).

Notes. Arytaina devia occurs on the two central and two of the western Canary Islands (apparently absent from El Hierro). It is sympatric with A. dividens on Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Gomera and with A. modica on La Palma. No specificity or preference for infraspecific host taxa was detected.

Biology. Only a few large nymphs (5th instars) were found during April to May, when all of the smaller nymphs (1st–3rd instars) examined were those of the sympatric species A. dividens or A. modica . However, it was the only species collected from one location in late July when numerous 1st–5th instars were found on leaf buds, and eggs were found singly on the outer surface of young leaves. This suggests a different timing of development, as with other sympatric species, with A. devia developing later than either A. dividens or A. modica .

Comment. This study did not survey the eastern Canary Islands (Fuerteventura and Lanzarote), where there are no recorded host plants in the Genisteae , but one female was recorded from Fuerteventura by Loginova (1976) .