Metaleurodicus arcanus, 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 : 48-49

Metaleurodicus arcanus sp. nov.

( Figs 25, 93)

PUPARIUM. Habitus. Detailed appearance of holotype sample not noted prior to preservation. Margin. Outline oval, 0.88–1.25 mm long, 0.58–0.87 mm wide (n=10), generally widest at abdominal segment II/III. Margin smooth but with short fine folds running mesad, giving a false impression of contiguous marginal teeth (Fig. 93); margin not modified at thoracic tracheal openings. Dorsum. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching puparial margin; transverse moulting sutures terminating in inner submargin. Dorsal disc generally flat and smooth, but abdominal segments often having a slightly developed median rhachis without lateral arms ( Fig. 25). Abdominal segment VII medially about one­third of length of segment VI. Submedian abdominal depressions very narrow, hardly differentiated from intersegmental divisions. Vasiform orifice (Fig. 93) cordate, very slightly emarginate at half length; operculum much wider than long, laterally rounded, posteriorly sinuate with a pair of stout marginal setae, its surface finely spinulose except anteriorly and medially; lingula head tongue­shaped, its apex (including the 4 subapical setae) slightly protruding beyond vasiform orifice. Chaetotaxy. Anterior marginal setae present, minute. Outer submargin with 12 pairs of hair­like setae, the caudal pair (Fig. 93) longer and more robust than remainder, thus similar to the posterior marginal pair; submedian pairs of cephalothoracic setae absent. Eighth abdominal setae (Fig. 93) similar to submarginal setae, located anterior to vasiform orifice, opposite anterior corners of operculum. Pores. Immediately inside puparial margin, each lying between a pair of the short marginal folds, is an even single row of black scallops (Fig. 93), probably pores seen in lateral aspect; a similar distance mesad again is a single row of bright pores, each not apparently associated with one of the scallops; both these rows lie between the submarginal setae and puparial margin (Fig. 93). Compound pores ( Fig. 25), one cephalic pair and 5 abdominal pairs, present on abdominal segments IV–VIII [one specimen with the compound pore missing from abdominal segment IV on one side], all subequal in size, rather bell­shaped (Fig. 93), around 20 µ m in diameter in larger puparia, only 12–16 µ m in smallest examined puparia; compound pores apparently without spinneret cells in the outer zone. Dorsal disc punctuated by moderate numbers of, apparently randomly­distributed, 4­ to 5­locular pores (Fig. 93), each pore appearing somewhat cruciate or stellate, and also by minute wide­rimmed bright pores. Ve n t e r. Ventral abdominal setae each longer and finer than any dorsal seta, underlying vasiform orifice to either side of lingula. Ventral abdominal spiracles lying to either side of lingular apex ( Fig. 25). Middle and hind legs typically smooth and bisegmented. Antennae reaching articulations of middle legs, only their basal quarter to one­third laterally smooth, their bases anteromesal to fore legs.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Holotype puparium, BELIZE, CFR, Monkey Tail track, on Chiococca ? alba (Rubiaceae) , 04.iv.2003 (J.H.Martin #7843) ( BMNH). Paratypes (all from CFR, Martin coll.): 9 puparia, 1 adult female, same data as holotype; 3 puparia, Las Cuevas area, on undetermined host, 02.vi.2002 ( BMNH); 4 puparia, 2 third­instar larvae, 1 second instar larva, Las Cuevas area, on undetermined host, 23.iii.2003 ( BMNH); 11 puparia, 7 adult females, 2 adult males, Monkey Tail track, on Chiococca ? alba (Rubiaceae) , 01.vi.2004; 7 puparia, 1 adult female, Las Cuevas – Millionario road, on Chiococca ? alba , 03.vi.2004 ( BMNH, USNM).

ETYMOLOGY. This species bears the name arcanus (Latin, meaning hidden/concealed), reflecting the natural appearance of this species.

COMMENTS. This species most closely resembles M. cardini ( Back, 1912) , but M. arcanus possesses five pairs of abdominal compound pores, and M. cardini only four: also, M. cardini has a row of 8­shaped pores between the submarginal setae and the scallops / pale pore band, which M. arcanus lacks.