Aleurodicus charlesi, 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 : 22-23

Aleurodicus charlesi sp. nov.

(Fig. 46)

PUPARIUM. Habitus. Appearance in life not noted. Margin. Outline oval, 0.98–1.10 mm long, 0.72–0.86 mm wide, generally widest opposite transverse moulting suture (n=4). Margin apparently unevenly crenulate, due to submarginal pores being in relief through down-curling, but true margin can be seen to be smooth where fully deflexed. Dorsum. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching puparial margin; transverse moulting sutures reaching outer subdorsum. Abdominal segment VII similar in length to segment VIII, medially; pro- / meso-, meso- / metathoracic and abdominal segmentation well marked. Vasiform orifice (Fig. 46) cordate, rather close to posterior margin of puparium, a little wider than long, smooth; operculum trapezoidal, occupying over three-quarters of vasiform orifice, surface very finely punctate, its posterior margin shallowly concave, bearing a pair of unusually long stout setae; lingula head tapering but rounded apically, densely covered by seta-like spinules, bearing the normal 4 stout setae, its apex close to puparial margin. Chaetotaxy. A pair of posterior marginal setae present, similar to eighth abdominal setae but shorter than the 12 pairs of long and fine submarginal setae (including the nominal caudal pair); single pairs of submedian meso- and metathoracic setae present, similar to eighth abdominals; submedian cephalic and prothoracic setae absent. Pores. With cephalic pair and only 5 abdominal pairs of compound pores (none on abdominal segment VIII, fig. 46); Largest compound pores on abdominal segments III and IV, up to 60 µ in outer diameter; cephalic pair similar to pair on abdominal segment VI, about 30 µ; pair on abdominal segment V intermediate in size; small pair of compound pores on abdominal segment VII subcircular, about 20 µ in diameter; axial processes of large compound pores variable in appearance, moderately acute to rather blunt apically. Immediately within puparial margin lies a band of small wide-rimmed simple pores which (in thoracic and abdominal areas) are relatively sparse in submargin but becoming denser mesally, “fingers” of this band of pores extending mesad to surround compound pores (Fig 46) except for the pair on abdominal segment VII; within this pore band, mesal to submarginal setae, is a loose row of small double-rimmed notched pores with the notch bulging slightly (Fig. 46 expanded detail); remainder of abdominal dorsal disc (except abdominal segment I and most of thoracic area) with many notched pores similar in size to submarginal double-rimmed variety but without the double rims. Venter. Ventral characters typical for Aleurodicus , but 2 pairs of unusually large “sacs” of delicate ventral cuticle present anterolateral to vasiform orifice; ventral abdominal setae very long and fine, around 90µ long.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Holotype puparium, GUYANA, Mazaruní-Potaro , plateau surrounding Kaieteur Falls, on unidentified host, 11.vi.2006 (E. Charles coll., Martin #8318) ( BMNH). Paratypes: 3 puparia, same data as holotype ( BMNH, UG) .

ETYMOLOGY. This species is named for its collector, Elroy Charles (UG), in recognition of his extensive field work and investigations into the morphology and molecular systematics of the Aleurodicinae .

COMMENTS. This species appears to have close affinities with A. magnificus Costa Lima and A. neglectus Quaintance & Baker , to judge from the shape and position of the vasiform orifice and lingula, along with many rather large notched simple pores on the dorsal disc, and the presence of double-rimmed pores within the submarginal wide-rimmed pore band. However, the incursion of smaller wide-rimmed pores into the compound pore zone, and the presence of only meso- and metathoracic pairs of submedian cephalothoracic setae more strongly suggest inclusion in the dispersus species-group, where the presence of small compound pores on abdominal segment VII is shared by A. flavus Hempel.