Ceraleurodicus assymmetrus ( Bondar, 1922 )

Canty, Roy J., Martini, Biancamaria & Wanke, Dominic, 2023, Three new species of Neotropical Ceraleurodicus Hempel (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) found in the Natural History Museum (London) collection, with notes and a puparial key to species, Zootaxa 5277 (2), pp. 313-338 : 316

Ceraleurodicus assymmetrus ( Bondar, 1922)

NOMENCLATURE:

Radialeurodicus assymmetrus Bondar, 1922: 74–77 .

Ceraleurodicus assymmetrus ( Bondar, 1922) , according to Costa Lima (1928: 137).

CHRESONYMY:

Radialeurodicus assymmetricus Bondar, 1922 —incorrect spelling of Radialeurodicus assymmetrus Bondar, 1922 in Mound & Halsey (1978: 238) and Dooley (2022).

Ceraleurodicus assymmetricus ( Bondar, 1922) —incorrect spelling of Ceraleurodicus assymmetrus ( Bondar, 1922) in Mound & Halsey (1978: 238) and Dooley (2022).

Distribution. Brazil, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago ( Dooley, 2022; Ouvrard & Martin, 2022).

Host. Arecaceae : Cocos nucifera ( Dooley, 2022; Ouvrard & Martin, 2022).

Material examined. 4 puparia on 4 slides, WEST INDIES: TRINIDAD, from coconut, 10.i.1919, C. B. Williams ( BM 1960-483 ) ( NHMUK010162431 ; NHMUK010162432 ; NHMUK010162433 ; NHMUK010162434 ) ( NHMUK) .

Redescription

Puparium: Body ( Fig.1a ) with a round to broadly ovoid shape (3.30–3.45 mm long). 9 lateral pairs of rays running mesad from the margin, and 1 anterior ray and 1 posterior ray running mesad from the margin along the midline.

On the dorsum, to the right of the mesial plane, is a large, dark, granular concave spot, positioned across abdominal segments II–IV. Within this spot are two compound, cerigene pores ( Bondar 1922), positioned anteriorly ( Fig. 1c ) and posteriorly and towards the right. Within each cerigene pore is a single, sturdy, rod-like central process extending out by more than the diameter of the pore. In addition, there are two pairs of compound pores ( Fig. 1b ): 1 pair located on the cephalothoracic region between the first two pairs of lateral rays; 1 smaller pair located on abdominal segment VII, posterior to the VO, and on the posteriormost pair of lateral rays. Within each pore is a short, sturdy, central rod-like process, which does not extend past the edge of the compound pore. Between the cephalothoracic pores is a darkened patch with the appearance of containing oblong granules.

The puparial margin is planar, but with submarginal folds producing a crenulated submarginal layer with well-defined teeth, and an additional layer of folds of less well-defined teeth, appearing as collars for the dentate folds ( Fig. 1d ). The puparial margin has distinct combs at the apices of the 2nd and 9th pairs of lateral rays ( Fig. 1d ).

VO ( Fig. 1e ) subcordate, approximately 1.2 times longer than wide; operculum broadly oblong-rectangular; lingula inserted and subdeltoid. On the lingula are two pairs of subapical setae.

ADULT: No adults were available for this study. The following is modified from the translated original description and images of the forewing by Bondar (1922).

On the forewing ( Fig. 13a ) are 4 rows of spots running longitudinally, arranged thusly from the wing base: (1) made up of 3 spots, located approximately 1/3 of distance along the base to the apex of the wing; (2) made up of 3 spots, located approximately half way along the wing; (3) made up of 4 spots, located approximately 4/5 of distance from the base to the apex of the wing; and (4) made up of 2 spots, located 9/10 of distance from the base to the apex of the wing. The points where the rows of spots meet the anterior and posterior margins of the wing are considerably darkened.

The forewing clearly contains a radial vein (R) (which splits into veins R 1 and Rs), a medial vein (M), and a cubitus vein (Cu). The split in R occurs just on the apical edge of the second strip of spots from the wing base. R 1 terminates at the apical edge of the third strip of spots from the wing base, while Rs continues to the furthest apical edge of the wing. M long, splitting, and curving down, away from R, near the wing base. Just before reaching the first strip of spots from the wing base, M levels out into a more lateral direction. Between the second and third rows of spots from the wing base, M starts to curve towards the posterior margin of the wing, terminating at the posterior margin apicad to the third strip of spots from the wing base. Cu originating at or near the wing base, running straight until the second strip of spots from the wing base, where it curves to the posterior margin of the wing.

Comments. While puparia were available for study and comparison to the original description and drawings, there were no adult specimens available. Therefore, while the original puparial description could be improved and expanded upon, similar attempts on the adults could not be completed in this study. The original illustrations and description of the adults are somewhat limited, but an adequate description of the forewing could be obtained from the illustrations.

It should also be noted that the width of C. assymmetrus was recorded as being 5.00 mm by Bondar (1922) in his original description. The specimens available for this study range from 2.70 to 3.00 mm in width. It is possible that some of the specimens available to Bondar reached that size; however, as his original specimens and types could not be traced, this discussion will have to remain open.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Ceraleurodicus assymmetrus (Bondar) photographs showing: (a) dorsal habitus, (b) cephalothoracic compound pore, (c) anterior compound pore from the darkened dorsal pit, (d) puparial margin showing submarginal combs at ray 10, and (e) vasiform orifice.

FIGURE 13. Line drawings showing adult wings of: (a) Ceraleurodicus assymmetrus (Bondar), (b) C. duckei Penny & Arias, and (c) C. varus (Bondar).