Acaudaleyrodes ebeni, Manzari, Shahab & Alemansoor, Hassan, 2005

Manzari, Shahab & Alemansoor, Hassan, 2005, A new species of Acaudaleyrodes Takahashi (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) from Iran, with a key to the species of the genus, Zootaxa 829, pp. 1-6 : 2-4

Acaudaleyrodes ebeni sp. nov.

( Figs 1–9 )

DESCRIPTION. In life, puparia often occurring in aggregations, attached to the spine­like leaves of the host plant (fig. 1); cuticle shiny dark brown to black, with obvious peripheral and submedian dorsal white wax secretions, but subdorsum remains exposed; dorsal wax secretions relatively long and somewhat curly. Puparia often considerably raised.

Margin. Puparia oval (fig. 2), possibly sexually dimorphic, i.e. male puparia smaller than female ones, but size ranges overlap, 0.70–1.00 mm long, 0.50–0.72 mm wide; broadest across abdominal segment III/IV. Margin crenate (fig. 3), about 11–13 crenations occupying 0.1 mm of margin, not modified at thoracic and caudal tracheal openings; margin normally not, or only slightly recurved, depending on the mounting processes. Anterior and posterior marginal setae present, fine and apparently arising slightly ventrally, posterior pair the longer (fig. 8).

Dorsum. Abdominal rhachis prominent, with lateral arms. First abdominal setae absent, eighth abdominal, caudal and cephalic setae present; submargin with seven pairs of setae (excluding the caudal setae), three pairs on cephalothorax and four pairs on abdomen (one pair on each abdominal segments four to seven), abdominal submarginal setae somewhat stout and slightly longer than submarginal setae on cephalothorax. A pair of faint small crescent­shaped folds postero­lateral to cephalic setae; a pair of subdorsal longitudinal furrow extending from the latter folds to 2nd abdominal segment; meso­metathoracic suture well defined. Transverse moulting suture reaching apically to anterior to thoracoabdominal suture but not reaching margin; longitudinal moulting suture almost reaching margin. Geminate pore/porettes (fig. 6) scattered in subdorsal area; outer subdorsum with a row of pronounced “bright” simple pores, somewhat thick­rimmed (fig. 6), which sometimes occur in pairs, but normally separated by a distance of more than the width of one pore. Length of 7th abdominal segment reduced medially; each abdominal segment with a median glandular area showing a very small polygonal reticulate pattern (fig. 7), but that of abdominal segment VII very small and in some specimens not visible; the same median reticular pattern also present on cephalothorax, extending anteriorly close to margin. Vasiform orifice typical for the genus, scutellate, longer than wide, elevated posteriorly, inset from posterior margin of pupal case by less than, rarely by about, its own length, floor with radiating lines of microtubercles; operculum nearly rectangular, width about twice as long as length, only occupying about a quarter of orifice; lingula extremely small, hardly visible, apparently not expanded apically, lingular terminal setae not discernible and/or difficult to see at least at 400 magnification. Caudal ridges and furrow absent.

Ven te r. Thoracic and caudal tracheal folds at most poorly indicated only by faint pairs of boundary lines in some specimens. Adhesive sacs well developed, mesal of pro/mesothoracic legs (fig. 5). Each leg with an apical pad; one microseta present at the base of each middle and hind leg. Antennae short, mesal to prothoracic legs (fig. 4). Ventral abdominal setae hair­like, long enough to be easily recognisable. Abdominal segmentation plainly visible (fig. 9).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. HOLOTYPE, puparium, Iran, Fars province, Lar, Pardi/ Pardis mountain, 2216 metres, 54° 27', 27° 28', on Ebenus stellata , 21.vi.2000, (H. Alemansoor) ( HMIM). PARATYPES, ca. 80 puparia, 1 third instar larva, 2?second instar larvae on slides, many puparia dry on leaves, Iran, same data as holotype ( HMIM, BMNH, USNM); 3 puparia, 21.xii.93, other data as for holotype ( BMNH).

ETYMOLOGY. Named after its host genus, Ebenus .

DISTRIBUTION. Iran.

HOST PLANTS. Fabaceae : Papilionoideae , Ebenus stellata .

COMMENTS. This species differs from the other described species of the genus in possessing a very distinctive glandular pattern along the median dorsal line of the puparia, which presumably associates with secreting the median dorsal waxes.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Acaudaleyrodes ebeni sp. nov. 1. Habitus photograph of puparia. 2. Puparium. 3. Margin and submargin. 4. Antenna. 5. Adhesive sac, mesal of pro / meso­thoracic legs. 6. Geminate pore / porettes and pronounced “ bright ” simple pores. 7. Submedian glandular area on an abdominal segment showing a very small polygonal reticulate pattern. 8. Posterior marginal seta. 9. Abdominal segmentation; ventral surface.