Aleurovitreus, Martin, 2005

Martin, Jon H., 2005, Whiteflies of Belize (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Part 2 - a review of the subfamily Aleyrodinae Westwood, Zootaxa 1098 (1), pp. 1-116 : 28-29

ALEUROVITREUS gen. nov.

Type species Aleyrodes insignis Bondar, 1923: 127–128 .

DIAGNOSIS—PUPARIUM ( Figs 22 , 23 , 105–108, 142). Without evident waxy secretions, individuals scattered singly under leaves, generally cryptic whilst feeding and silvery, glassy, in appearance when adults or parasitoids have emerged (Fig. 142). Cuticle often entirely pale, but some species with brownish patches variably developed on some or all individuals (Figs 105–107). Morphological margin always deflexed ventrally, such that the contact footprint of the puparium on the leaf surface is smaller than the overall body size, with regular rounded crenulations that are not usually clearly modified at the tracheal openings. Dorsal chaetotaxy typically comprising paired submedian cephalic, meso­ and metathoracic, eighth abdominal and caudal setae: sometimes with both thoracic pairs reduced to little more than their tubercular bases and set close to the meso–metathoracic intersegmental fold, but cephalic pairs only rarely wanting. Vasiform orifice cordate, internally smooth, variably elevated posteriorly, fully occupied by the operculum. Abdominal segment VII not significantly reduced in length medially. With geminate pore/ porettes regularly distributed over dorsum. Transverse moulting sutures closely approach apparent puparial margin (the actual edge of the puparium).

ETYMOLOGY. The generic name derives from the latin adjective vitreus (meaning glassy), reflecting the distinctly glassy appearance of empty pupal cases of members of this genus.

COMMENTS. The puparia of Aleurovitreus are similar to those of Aleuropleurocelus Drews & Sampson , the major difference being the opaquely black cuticle in Aleuropleurocelus . However, the puparial cuticle of Aleurovitreus species is also much smoother and finer than in species of Aleuropleurocelus , the venter being especially much less robust.

Most material in the BMNH collection was collected in Central America, but a few specimens from Brazil and Venezuela indicate a wide distribution in South America too. Species from Belize, that are considered to belong to Aleurovitreus , display marked variation in the degree of marginal deflexion, from a narrow and regular band (Fig. 108) to a very broad and irregular zone ( Fig. 22 ). Nine species of Aleurovitreus have been collected in Belize, including the type species, A. insignis (Bondar) ; one new species is here described and seven remain undescribed.

Figures

FIGURE 22. Aleurovitreus gen. nov. insignis (Bondar), puparium from Persea americana ex­ Belize, used in preparation of redescription (see Fig. 107 for photograph).

FIGURE 23. Aleurovitreus risor gen. & sp. nov., holotype puparium (see Figs 105­106 for photographs).