Dialeurolonga guettardae, 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 : 41-42

Dialeurolonga guettardae sp. nov.

(Figs 45–48, 112)

PUPARIUM. Habitus. When feeding, the immature stages are cryptic, with no noticeable waxy secretions; puparia have always been found as widely scattered individuals, never occurring in colonies. Margin. Outline elongate­oval, 0.87–1.22 mm long, 0.51–0.73 mm wide, generally widest at abdominal segment I (n=11). Margin rather irregular, appearing somewhat crenulate when there is slight downcurling of the margin. Margin is modified at thoracic tracheal openings as indented, toothed pores; the thoracic pores with a thickened “C”­shaped boundary and one or two rounded internal teeth (Fig. 46); caudal pore similar, but its rim less thickened and with 1–3 rounded internal teeth (Fig. 45). Dorsum. Longitudinal moulting suture faint but reaching puparial margin; transverse moulting sutures terminating subdorsally, over hind legs. Dorsal disc with pro–meso­, mesometathoracic and abdominal segmentation distinct into subdorsum; abdominal segment VII a little shorter than segment VI medially. Submedian abdominal depressions only subtly indicated. Dorsum punctuated by fine black punctae, fainter in submargin and outer subdorsum but coarser and more crowded in median areas of thorax and anterior abdominal segments. Variably developed, pore­associated papillae (Fig. 112) present (see pores)—1–2 subdorsal ranks, sometimes one rank defining the submedian area (but otherwise only the pores visible), and a row of small and faint papillae (or only the pores themselves) effectively defining the submargin; abdominal segments I–VI each with a pronounced rounded median tubercle. Vasiform orifice (Fig. 45) cordate, about as long as wide, inset from posterior puparial margin by about twice its own length, slightly corrugate internally, with a narrow posterior notch; operculum similar in shape, occupying about three­quarters of vasiform orifice; lingula head (Fig. 47) with 3–4 small lobules on apex, otherwise smooth­sided, surface finely spinulose, with a pair of apical setae, included within vasiform orifice but mostly covered by operculum (Fig. 45). Caudal furrow present, narrow and bordered by a pair of longitudinal ridges. Chaetotaxy. Dorsal setae restricted to single submedian pairs of cephalic, first abdominal, eighth abdominal and caudal setae, stout and usually shorter than vasiform orifice; caudal setae placed slightly anterior to tracheal pore, at the ends of the caudal furrow ridges; anterior and posterior marginal setae present, similar to dorsal setae but longer, up to length of vasiform orifice. Pores. Each submedian/subdorsal papilla with an associated tiny geminate pore/ porette pair, or sometimes the pores are without significant papillae; other fine pores difficult to distinguish from dorsal sculpture. Venter. Ventral abdominal setae very fine, underlying and similar in length to vasiform orifice. Middle and hind legs (Fig. 48) each basally with a stout spine and two fine setae, all of similar length; fore legs each with a smaller basal spine only; each leg with an apical adhesion pad. Antennal bases anteromesal to fore legs, antennae only as long as fore legs and usually overlapping them. Thoracic tracheal folds marked as unsculptured furrows only; caudal tracheal folds finely spinulose.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Holotype puparium, BELIZE, CFR, Las Cuevas—Millionario road, on Guettarda combesi (Rubiaceae) , 05.vi.2002 (J.H.Martin #7640) ( BMNH). Paratypes: 11 puparia, same data as holotype ( BMNH); 7 puparia, same host and locality, 11.ii.1996; 15 puparia, Guacamallo Bridge—Millionario road, same host, 25.ii.1996 (Martin) ( BMNH, USNM).

ETYMOLOGY. This species is named after its only known host plant, the small rubiaceous tree Guettarda combesi , commonly called “glassy wood” in Belize.

COMMENTS. See generic comments, above. No adults of D. guettardae have been seen.