Cerafilum, Dubey, 2024

Dubey, Anil Kumar, 2024, Description of a new whitefly genus and two new species (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) from the Western Ghats and Andaman Islands, India, Zootaxa 5453 (2), pp. 271-281 : 272

Cerafilum gen. nov.

Type species: Cerafilum ochlandrae sp. nov., by monotypy, original and present designation. Gender: Neutral.

Diagnosis. Elongate, fragile, with secretion of woolly wax; wax palisade around body; margin crenulate, not modified at thoracic and caudal tracheal pore opening areas; anterior marginal setae absent, posterior marginal setae present; cephalic, first, eighth abdominal and caudal setae present, caudal setae among the posterior pairs of submarginal setae; longitudinal moulting suture reaching margin, transverse moulting sutures reaching submedian-subdorsal area; thoracic tracheal combs and furrows absent; caudal furrow present; thoracic tracheal folds absent; caudal tracheal fold faintly indicated; pro-mesothoracic suture obsolete, meso-metathoracic and abdominal segment sutures reaching submedian area; abdominal segment VII reduced medially; vasiform orifice not elevated, subcordate; operculum transversely rectangular, covering half the length of orifice; lingula exposed, triangular, lobulate, setose, not reaching beyond the orifice; geminate pores present in three rows; pockets discontinuous; ventrally, paired ventral eighth abdominal setae present; a narrow, faint submarginal fold present; legs not curved; bases of antennae originating medial to the prothoracic legs; apical pads absent; adhesive sacs faint; spiracles present.

Etymology. The genus name ‘ Cerafilum’ is formed from the Latin words “ cera ” (wax) and “ filum ” (thread), in reference to the wax threads produced by puparia.

Remarks. Cerafilum gen. nov. is related to Aleuromarginatus , but Cerafilum : with less sclerotized and more fragile pupal case, fewer dorsal setae, antennae bases originate medial to prothoracic legs, inner posterior and lateral margin of vasiform orifice without a comb of teeth; legs do not curve toward midline, a narrow submarginal ventral fold, lacks submarginal papillae and glands at base of the marginal teeth, and with prominent thoracic and caudal tracheal combs and pro-mesothoracic suture. Additionally, the submedian depressions are weak, and indicated by fine lines only; the anterior and posterior margins are not depressed and tracheal combs opening not indented; in Aleuromarginatus , the submedian depressions are pronounced, often the anterior and posterior margins are depressed and tracheal pore openings are slightly indented.

Cerafilum gen. nov. is also similar to Setaleyrodes Takahashi , but Cerafilum puparia produce woolly wax threads, length of abdominal segment VII medially less than that of segment VI, transverse moulting suture does not reach the margin, vasiform orifice is subcordate ( Setaleyrodes with trapezoidal vasiform orifice similar to that of Pealius Quaintance & Baker, 1914 ), vasiform orifice not occupied anteriorly by an elongate pit (although area posterior to the orifice slightly depressed in SEM image; Fig. 21 ), legs small, with space at bases, and legs lack apical pads.

Figures

FIGURES14–23.Cerafilumochlandrae gen.etsp.nov.:SEMmicrophotographs;14, puparium,dorsalview;15,cephalothoracic setae; 16, abdominal segments, setae; 17, margin; 18, microtubercles; 19, submedian/subdorsal setae; 20, abdominal depressions; 21, posterior abdominal area; 22, vasiform orifice; 23, lingula setae.