Aleurodicus talamancensis Martin, 2005

Martin, Jon H., 2008, A revision of Aleurodicus Douglas (Sternorrhyncha, Aleyrodidae), with two new genera proposed for palaeotropical natives and an identification guide to world genera of Aleurodicinae, Zootaxa 1835 (1), pp. 1-100 : 43-44

Aleurodicus talamancensis Martin

(Figs 19, 20, 34–36, 132)

Aleurodicus talamancensis Martin, 2005: 3 . Holotype puparium, Costa Rica [BMNH, examined].

Redescription, based on reappraisal of species limits

As originally defined, this species included material that is here described as a distinct species, A. chirripoensis (p. 23). The descriptions of A. chirripoensis and another new species, A. darienpalmae (p. 26), are based on comparison with A. talamancensis and, accordingly, the description of A. talamancensis is reproduced here, slightly modified to include data not available at the time of original description.

PUPARIUM. Margin. Outline broadly ovoid, 1.05–1.25 mm long, 0.75–0.91 mm wide, generally widest at abdominal segment II/III (n=25), but specimens of only 0.90 mm long have been examined subsequent to original description. Margin usually apparently irregular as a result of protuberant submarginal pores viewed in profile, sometimes broadly lobulate when completely flattened, with 4–7 shallow lobules per 0.1 mm of abdominal margin. Dorsum. Cuticle often brownish and distinctly paler in submedian area and inner subdorsum (Figs 19, 132). Longitudinal moulting suture reaching puparial margin; transverse moulting sutures distally curving abruptly anteriad, becoming almost tangential to puparial margin and terminating opposite middle legs (Fig. 35). Cuticle of submedian area somewhat corrugate, becoming subtly reticulate subdorsally and then more rugose towards submargin. Abdominal segmentation marked by folds most of which are suture-like submedially but still evident in subdorsum; segment VI/VII boundary sometimes medially only marked by presence of pockets, and not by any fold; median length of segment VII extremely reduced, only 7 segments discernible medially. Submedian abdominal depressions narrow and elongate, usually little more than widenings of intersegmental divisions. Cephalothoracic segmentation only subtly marked. Abdominal segments VII and VIII each bearing an ovoid raised area (Fig. 34) that is lateral to vasiform orifice on segment VII and posterolateral to vasiform orifice on segment VIII; raised areas on segment VIII forming caudal furrow, within which lies excluded part of lingula. Vasiform orifice (Figs 34) broadly cordate, a little wider than long, its rim smooth laterally, situated about its own length from posterior margin of puparium; operculum wider than long, laterally rounded, its anterior edge straight but posterior edge distinctly emarginate where it overlies lingula, opercular surface somewhat rugose-punctate, apparently without a posterior pair of setae; lingula head spinules loosely clustered, rather than covering surface evenly; lingula protruding beyond vasiform orifice, almost as wide as operculum at point of its emergence from under operculum, apically rounded, laterally emarginate in type series (but less so in coconut-feeding material from Ecuador – see Material Examined), its two pairs of setae situated close to apex, distal setal pair stouter and longer than proximal pair, lingular apex closely approaching puparial margin. Chaetotaxy. Posterior marginal setae, 12 pairs of outer submarginal setae (including nominal caudal pair), and single pairs of submedian pro-, meso- and metathoracic setae present, each long and hair-like; eighth abdominal setae present but much shorter and finer, situated anterior to vasiform orifice (Fig. 34). Pores. Cephalic pair and anterior 4 pairs of abdominal compound pores (situated on segments III–VI) presenting laterally to viewer, 35 µ maximum diameter in holotype, each with an axial process protruding beyond pore rim, apically acute when not damaged; a pair of much smaller compound pores, about 16–20 µ in maximum diameter, present on each of abdominal segments VII & VIII, each located on outer edge of its segment’s raised area (Fig. 34). Narrow submargin defined by band of crowded, wide-rimmed pores that stand proud from puparial surface, inner boundary of zone confluent with row of submarginal setal bases, pore band not interrupted at posterior extremity of puparium but often difficult to see there because of marginal down-curling; when margin completely flattened on slide, extreme outer submargin can be seen to be devoid of pores (Fig. 36). Dorsal disc with scattered bright pores, most slightly larger than those of submarginal band, usually 2–3 present in vicinity of each large compound pore, and 3–6 on each raised area of abdominal segments VII & VIII (Fig. 34). Venter. Ventral characters typical for Aleurodicus .

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Type material from Musa as detailed in description, Costa Rica ( BMNH, InBIO, USNM); non-type material – several samples, various dates and collectors: Colombia, on Anthurium sp. ( USNM); Costa Rica, on Cocos nucifera , Ficus sp. and? Maxillaria sp. ( BMNH, USNM); Ecuador, on Cocos nucifera and unidentified orchids ( BMNH, USNM); Nicaragua, on palm ( USNM); Panamá, on Cocos nucifera , cultivated variety of Musa and an unidentified palm ( BMNH, USNM).

DISTRIBUTION. Neotropical Region – Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panamá (including Canal Zone).

COMMENTS. In 2005, severe damage to banana plantations in Costa Rica was reported, caused by enormous populations of this species of Aleurodicus . A. talamancensis was described by Martin (2005), based upon extensive material from bananas, and one sample from? Maxillaria sp. , all the material from Costa Rica. Collecting by the author in Ecuador, and material kindly loaned to the author for the present study (courtesy of USNM), has revealed more material of A. talamancensis from several, mostly monocotyledonous, hosts and from other countries (see above). The additional material has indicated that the sample from? Maxillaria is a distinct species, here described (p. 23) as A. chirripoensis . Two BMNH specimens from a palm in Darién Province, Panamá, are clearly closely related to A. talamancensis , although the mesal boundary of the submarginal wide-rimmed pore band is interdigitated with the submarginal setal bases, and these two puparia (and one third-instar nymph) are here described as A. darienpalmae (p. 26).