Dialeurodicus bondariae, John H. Martin, 2004

John H. Martin, 2004, Whiteflies of Belize (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Part 1 — introduction and account of the subfamily Aleurodicinae Quaintance & Baker, Zootaxa 681, pp. 1-86 : 40-41

Dialeurodicus bondariae sp. nov.

( Figs 21, 84–86)

PUPARIUM. Habitus. Appearance in life rather cryptic, but only a small sample seen. Each insect feeds with its body alongside a major leaf vein. Margin. Outline somewhat asymmetrical ( Fig. 21), 2.53–2.60 mm long, 1.50–1.75 mm wide, generally widest at abdominal segments III/IV (n=4). Margin planar, fine and not tending to down­curl on slides, smooth but with very fine submarginal folds, lending an appearance of contiguoussided “pseudo­teeth” (Fig. 86). Dorsum. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching puparial margin; transverse moulting sutures, and all other intersegmental divisions, only suturelike submedially. With 9 pairs of rays (Fig. 86) leading mesad from puparial margin and meeting intersegmental divisions, but abdominal divisions I/II and II/III do not merge with rays; pro­/meso­ and meso­/ metathoracic segmental rays each marked apically by a dorsal cluster of tiny roughenings that resemble radular teeth (Fig. 86), and the pair of rays dividing abdominal segments VII/VIII similar (Fig. 85) but with the posterior marginal setae located immediately proximal to these roughenings. Dorsal disc flattened, smooth and without coloration in the study sample. Abdominal segment VII distinct medially, only a little over half as long as segment VI ( Fig. 21). Vasiform orifice (Fig. 84) elongate­cordate, about 1.25 times longer than wide basally, laterally smooth, inset from caudal margin by 5–6 times its own length; operculum a little wider than long, laterally rounded, bearing a pair of posteromarginal setae similar to lingular setae; lingula head finely spinulose, exposed part triangular, exactly occupying posterior part of vasiform orifice, bearing the usual 4 subapical setae. Caudal furrow absent, but see pores. Chaetotaxy. With 15 pairs of inner submarginal setae present, including nominal caudal pair, these very fine but similar in length to operculum, their apices not closely approaching puparial margin (Fig. 86); single pairs of submedian cephalic, pro­, meso­ and metathoracic setae present, similar to submarginal setae; eighth abdominal setae (Fig. 84) a little more robust, situated midway between the angular abdominal VII/VIII pockets and anterior corners of vasiform orifice. Anterior and posterior marginal setae present, similar to each other, stouter than submarginal setae, their bases situated ventrally, slightly away from margin (Fig. 85). Pores. Compound pores entirely absent. Whole of dorsum, excepting the rays and the median line at anterior and posterior ends of puparium, punctuated by many small, evenly spaced, granular pores, each appearing “notched” on one side (Figs 84, 86); in outer submargin is a row of apparently similar pores, many of which have a pale “tail” leading mesad (Fig. 86). Each of the 9 pairs of rays has its length punctuated by tiny, dark 4­ to 5­locular pores (Fig. 86), which continue right across each segment; similar loculate pores line the longitudinal moulting suture, mark the position of an otherwise­absent caudal furrow, and border sides of vasiform orifice (Fig 84). Each loculate pore is clearly associated with an adjacent porette, but indistinct porettes scattered amongst the notched pores are less certainly associated. Ve n te r. Ventral abdominal setae almost as long as vasiform orifice, their bases situated just posterior to it. Anterior and posterior marginal setal bases slightly displaced from margin, ventrally (Fig. 85). Underlying the rays on pro­/meso­ and meso­/metathorax, and abdominal segment VII/VIII, are subtle tracheal folds which are finely spinulose distally (Fig. 85), but caudal tracheal fold is not marked thus. Legs each bisegmented, smooth, with the usual apical claw, and with a small number of very fine setae on distal segment, middle and hind legs each with a seta on its posterior basal corner. Antennae reaching bases of middle legs ( Fig. 21), their bases situated anteromesal to fore legs. Feeding rostrum ( Fig. 21) elongate, almost parallel­sided, about as long as an antenna.

ADULT. The adults of D. bondariae feed in groups, in lines, with their heads abutting a major leaf vein, and hold their wings at right angles to the body when undisturbed: the analogy to aircraft at a terminal is unavoidable. The fore wing is rather elongate, not emarginate on its posterior margin, is punctuated by yellowish­brown clouds and by two small black spots on anterior, and two more on posterior wing margin. Ventromarginal abdominal glands not discernible, but this may be an indication of the available specimens being rather teneral. Antennae 7­segmented, apically acute, with segment III rather thickened. Posterior abdominal segment of adult male elongate cylindrical, 0.90 mm long, densely covered by simple pores all over its surface; claspers each 0.78 mm long, with a rectangular boss on its inner edge at half­length, a brownish patch on its outer side at two­thirds length and brownish apically; aedeagus simple, shallowly curved, 0.39 mm long.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Holotype puparium, BELIZE, CFR, San Pastor track, on woody Lauraceae , 18 xi.1994 (J.H.Martin #6494) ( BMNH). Paratypes: 4 puparia, 1 adult female, same data as holotype ( BMNH); 2 adult females, 1 adult male, same host and locality, 30 xi.1994 (Martin) ( BMNH).

ETYMOLOGY. The species name reflects similarities to D. radifera (Sampson & Drews) , which was originally proposed as type species of a separate genus, Bondaria .

COMMENTS. D. bondariae differs from D. radifera (Sampson & Drews) principally as follows: vasiform orifice around 1.25 times longer than wide (it is more rounded, and only about as long as wide in D. radifera ); dorsal disc densely porate (mottled markings on syntype of D. radifera are apparently not pores).

During an attempt to re­collect D. bondariae , aggregations of adult females were found, along with a few old puparia and a few 2nd/3rd­instar larvae, on? Nectandra (Lauraceae) . However, the old puparia were D. caballeroi , more often associated with Persea (see below); the larvae belonged to two species, probably D. caballeroi and Nealeurodicus fallax (q.v.); the adults are considered likely to belong to a species of Nealeurodicus , but with no evidence to associate them with the larvae of N.? fallax . All specimens are available in BMNH.