Aleurodicus clusiae, Martin, 2008

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 : 24-25

Aleurodicus clusiae sp. nov.

(Figs 41, 42, 135)

PUPARIUM. Habitus. Small, loose, groups of puparia occur under leaves (Fig. 135), each group in the middle of a larger patch of mealy wax; dorsal surface covered by opaque white wax that appears almost carapacelike; each puparium surrounded by thickly-flocculent wax such that it appears to nestle in a woolly “nest”. Margin. Outline almost perfectly oval, 1.09–1.29 mm long, 0.77–0.93 mm wide, generally widest at abdominal segment I/II (n=8). Margin smooth. Dorsum. Cuticle rather sclerotic, brownish-pigmented in more mature individuals. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching puparial margin; transverse moulting sutures reaching almost to margin. Anterior to each cephalic compound pore is a tubercular structure, usually with a shallow trough-like depression at its base (Fig. 41). Subcircular cephalothoracic depressions present (Fig. 41), but abdominal equivalents are merely widened subdorsal extensions of segmental divisions (Fig. 42); abdominal segmentation furrow-like submedially, less well defined subdorsally; segments II–VI each with a short transverse furrow at about mid-length of segment; meso- and metathoracic segments indicated by thickened shallow folds (Fig. 41); abdominal segment VII not evident medially, pockets touching segment VI boundary, segment (VII+)VIII similar in length to segment VI medially. Vasiform orifice rounded-cordate, wider than long; operculum rounded-trapezoidal, smooth dorsally but finely spinulose along posterior edge, posterior margin faintly concave and bearing a pair of setae, operculum occupies about three-quarters of the orifice; lingula head rather straight-sided but rounded apically, densely covered by seta-like spinules, bearing the normal 4 stout setae; lingula extending only a little beyond edge of vasiform orifice when in its natural position, but many specimens have the lingula further extended. Chaetotaxy. A pair of posterior marginal setae present, a little shorter and more robust than submarginal pairs; eighth abdominal setae present, anterior to vasiform orifice (Fig. 42); submargin with 12 pairs of very fine and long setae (including the nominal caudal pair), most extending beyond puparial margin (Fig. 41), longest pairs (posterior-abdominally) up to 120µ long; single pairs of pro-, meso- and metathoracic submedian setae present, similar to posterior marginal setae, but cephalic submedian pair absent. Pores. Cephalic and anterior 4 pairs of abdominal compound pores all similar in size, 25–35 µ in outer diameter, usually seen in lateral view on slides, distinctly cylindrical in shape and each with a short, dagger-like axial process extending from the pore mouth (Figs 41, 42); posterior 2 pairs of abdominal compound pores significantly smaller than remainder (Fig. 42), with axial processes internal only, pair of pores on segment VII cylindrical in shape as seen on slides, pair on segment VIII shorter, appearing more ovoid. 2 pairs of large robust cicatrices present thoracically (scars of large compound pores in thirdinstar – see below). Immediately within puparial margin is a narrow pore-free zone mesad of which is a broad band of wide-rimmed simple pores, the mesal boundary of this zone not interdigitating with compound pores; dorsal disc with simple pores of apparently similar structure, very variable in size, some of them actually larger than those of the submarginal band and appearing rather tubercle-like, these largest simple pores often loosely clustered (Figs 41, 42). Venter. Ventral abdominal setae placed posterior to vasiform orifice, similar to longest dorsal setae. Legs typically robust and two-segmented, smooth, each with a pronounced apical claw. Antennal apices extending to articulation of hind legs, their bases anterolateral to fore legs, pointed apically. Tracheal folds absent.

THIRD-INSTAR NYMPH. Outline broadly oval, 0.73–0.81 mm long, 0.53–0.65 mm wide, widest a midlength (n=12). Margin smooth. Vasiform orifice and operculum as in puparium, but lingula surprisingly variable, measuring 70µ (head rather truncate) to 100µ (head elongate tongue-shaped). 2 pairs of large compound pores present in cephalothorax, rounded bell-shaped, up to 40µ in width, each with an axial process that just protrudes beyond pore mouth. 3 pairs of small cicatrices present, two pairs in cephalothoracic area and third pair posterolateral to vasiform orifice, these being the scars of compound pores in second-instar. Chaetotaxy as in puparium, setae as long as in puparium. Dorsum with pores generally distributed as in puparium, but submarginal band interrupted by submarginal setae. Legs triangular, evidently 3-segmented, each with a curved apical claw; antennae small, about same size as apical segments of legs; ventral abdominal setae similar to dorsal setae.

ADULTS. Study material is available as listed below. Basic parameters typical for Aleurodicus .

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Holotype puparium, GUYANA, Mazaruní-Potaro, plateau surrounding Kaieteur Falls, on Clusia sp. (Clusiaceae) , 14.vi.2006 (J.H.Martin #8348) ( BMNH). Paratypes: 12 puparia, 12 third-instar nymphs, 7 adult males, same locality and host(s) as holotype, 08.x.1991 (Martin #5961), 11.vi.2006 (Martin #8314) and 14.vi.2006 (Martin #8348) ( BMNH, UG, USNM); 6 puparia dry on leaf sample, same data as holotype ( BMNH). Non-type specimen, single puparium, unidentified host, Tukeit forest trail near Kaieteur Falls, 13.vi.2006 (Martin #8341) ( BMNH).

ETYMOLOGY. The specific name reflects the host plant genus / family, Clusia , Clusiaceae .

COMMENTS. Within Aleurodicus , A. clusiae is unusual in apparently having only one basic type of simple pore—the wide-rimmed variety as defined by Russell (1965). With its relatively small lingula, and a broad submarginal pore band only comprising wide-rimmed pores, this species is here treated as a member of the pulvinatus group of species: however, the rather sclerotic cuticle and apparently non-septate form of the dorsal disc pores tend to indicate possible other affinities. The variation in shape and, hence, length of the third-instar lingula is not understood.

A. clusiae is represented by type material from several separate samples, all collected from species of Clusia in the vicinity of the Kaieteur Falls, Guyana. At least two species of Clusia are thought to be involved, including C. grandiflora , both of them with extremely smooth, leathery, leaves. In all samples the nymphal colonies comprised only very small numbers of individuals. A single puparium from an unidentified host, in forest in the vicinity of Kaieteur Falls, is extremely similar to those in the type series but displays detail differences that lead to it being excluded from the paratype series.