Aleurodicinae

Drohojowska, Jowita & Szwedo, Jacek, 2013, The first Aleyrodidae from the Lowermost Eocene Oise amber (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha), Zootaxa 3636 (2), pp. 319-347 : 337-340

Aleurodicinae indet. (male; specimen PA 17081)

( Figures 73–77 )

Description. Measurements given in Table 1 . Compound eyes elongately drop-shaped; ommatidia differentiated in size. Lateral ocelli distinct, placed at anterolateral angles of head, distinctly in front of compound eyes. Pronotum arcuate in median portion, with posterior margin subparallel; median portion of pronotum not longer than sublateral portions. Fore wing 2.5× as long as wide, postclaval portion of fore wing of similar width to apical margin of fore wing. Entire margin covered with minute tubercles lacking setae. Costal margin slightly curved, anteroapical angle arcuate, apex widely arcuate, posteroapical angle widely rounded. Stem Sc+R+CuA short, stems Sc+R and CuA diverging at acute angle. Stem Sc+R forked at half of fore wing length, branch R1 not reaching margin, branch Rs curved to the forewing margin in apical portion, not reaching margin; branch CuA arcuate in apical half, reaching margin. Clavus distinct, with its apex at about 0.6 of fore wing length; postclaval margin straight. Hind wing about 2.6× as long as wide, wider in apical half; entire margin covered with asetose minute tubercles; costal margin arcuate, anteroapical angle widely angulate, apical margin rounded, posteroapical angle widely rounded. Stem Sc+R forked apicad of half of hind wing length, branch R1 not reaching anterior margin, branch Rs arcuate, not reaching anterior margin, with apical portion more curved. Vein CuA reduced. Hind tibia with a few setae in apical portion. Segment IX (pygofer) slightly wider at base than long along the mid line. Aedeagus rod-like, with slightly bulbous base, with apex reaching half of length of claspers. Claspers placed laterally, elongate, slightly widened at base; claspers crossed at apex; their lateral margins arcuate, with distinct mediad triangular teeth basally of half of their length; apical portions tapering, with apices pointed.

Remarks. The fossil described above clearly represents a taxon separate from the other known recent and fossil Aleurodicinae . Nevertheless, the state of preservation and the degree of distortion of the specimen discourage us from providing a formal name. In general appearance, this specimen is similar to Clodionus , but smaller. It differs from the others also in the shape of anterior margin of vertex, which is protrudes acutely at the anterior, whereas it is straight in Clodionus , and arcuate in Lukotekia . The distinctive character is the placement of lateral ocelli, clearly visible from above, and placed at anterolateral angles. The shape of the compound eyes is similar to that of Lukotekia , but the eyes are not in line with the lateral margins of the head. Ocelli are differentiated in size, as in Isaraselis . Pronotum in dorsal view is arcuate, whereas in Lukotekia and Clodionus it is acute along the anterior margin. The most striking difference of this fossil in comparison with the others known from the Oise amber is the reduction of CuA on the hind wings.

Age and occurrence. Lowermost Eocene, c. 55−53 Ma, Ypresian (Sparnacian), level MP7 of the mammal fauna of Dormaal (Feugueur 1963; De Ploëg et al. 1998; Nel et al. 1999, Cavagnetto 2000, De Franceschi & De Ploëg 2003, Nel et al. 2004, Nel & Brasero 2010). Department Oise, France, 43°N, 2.7°E; palaeocoordinates 44.8°N, 0.1°E; palaeocoordinates based on nearby landmark (Paleobiology Database 2013).

Material. Specimen No. MNHN PA 17081, male.

Figures

FIGURES 73 – 77. Aleurodicinae male; specimen PA 17081. 73 — body, dorsal view; 74 — antenna; 75 — hind tibia and tarsus; 76 — fore wing; 77 — hind wing.