Leonardius kellyae, 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 : 45-47

Leonardius kellyae sp. nov.

( Figs 24, 91–92)

PUPARIUM. Habitus. The original colony had suffered abrasion of the waxy secretions, but the numerous puparia were located in whitish­mealy patches on the leathery leaves of their host, and many fragments of thickened waxy rods had clearly been secreted by the compound pores. The individual puparia appeared brownish, and quite cryptic despite their numbers. Margin. Outline elongate­ovoid, usually subtly more acute posteriorly ( Fig. 24), 1.30–1.44 mm long, 0.80–0.90 mm wide, generally widest at abdominal segment I/II (n=10). Margin almost smooth but with short fine folds running mesad, giving a false impression of laterally contiguous marginal teeth (Fig. 91), about 7 occupying 0.1 mm; alternate “teeth” each with a tiny basal circular gland (similar to a simple pore); true margin sometimes very slightly modified at the tracheal openings. Dorsum. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching puparial margin; transverse moulting sutures terminating above inner margins of apical segments of middle legs. Dorsal disc generally smooth. Abdominal segment VII subequal in length to segment VI medially. Vasiform orifice (Fig. 92) rounded­triangular, inset from posterior puparial margin by slightly less than its own length, its sides often slightly emarginate, orifice floor rugose, its posterior end bearing a distinct apical process; operculum transversely oval, dorsally faintly corrugate, with a pair of posterior marginal setae that almost exactly overlie edges of lingula; lingula occupying remainder of vasiform orifice, included within it except for the apices of its 4 setae. Caudal furrow absent. Chaetotaxy. Possessing single pairs of anterior and posterior marginal, 4 pairs of submedian cephalothoracic, single pair of eighth abdominal and 15 pairs of submarginal setae, all similar and hair­like, the submarginal setae not reaching puparial margin (Fig. 91). Cephalic setae situated anterior to mouthparts, eighth abdominal setae lateral to anteriormost part of vasiform orifice. Pores. Cephalic compound pores 50–55 µ m in diameter, compound pores on abdominal segments III & IV 65 –75 µ m in diameter, each with half its diameter comprising the central lumen, from which arises an acute axial process (Fig. 91) that extends beyond the pore by the equivalant of a pore diameter (but these processes are often missing or incomplete in slide­mounted specimens). Largest agglomerate pores are those surrounding the compound pores, 140–150 µ m in diameter, each with a crescent of small bright pores in its outer zone (Fig. 91); cephalic pair ( Fig. 24) less sharply defined than the abdominal agglomerate pores which are almost confluent at segment III/IV boundary; agglomerate pores on abdominal segments V–VIII much smaller (Figs 91–92), each punctuated by a few bright pores. Dorsal disc with many randomly distributed simple pores, not evidently associated with adjacent porettes. Ven te r. Ventral abdominal setae similar to dorsal setae, but difficult to detect in many individuals, when lying directly underneath operculum and lingula. Legs each typically smooth and bisegmented, with a single apical claw. Antennae reaching articulations of middle legs ( Fig. 24), only their basal quarter to one­third laterally smooth, their bases anteromesal to fore legs.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Holotype puparium, BELIZE, CFR, Las Cuevas, on Loranthaceae , 02.viii.2003 (S. Kelly & A. Polaszek) ( BMNH). Paratypes: 40 puparia, 6 third­instar larvae, 3 third­instar / puparium inter­moults, 12 adult males, 11 adult females, same data as holotype ( BMNH, USNM); numerous puparia dry on leaves, same data as holotype ( BMNH).

ETYMOLOGY. This species is named for Suzanne Kelly, who noticed the type colony on leaves of an arboreal mistletoe.

COMMENTS. As discussed under the generic comments this species, in common with two individuals of another species from Colombia, displays a combination of compound / agglomerate pore characters that has indicated a close relationship between Bakerius and Leonardius . In possessing cephalic compound pores at the centre of larger agglomerate pores, L. kellyae is immediately distinguished from both described species of Leonardius (but see below). The Colombian specimens are presumed to represent a separate species; they have compound pores of much greater diameter, and their agglomerate pores are punctuated by many more bright pores than in L. kellyae .

Examination of material of five different samples in BMNH, from four countries, has led to the conclusion that Costa Lima (1928) was correct in his tentative suggestion that L. loranthi Bondar (1923a) is a junior synonym of L. lahillei ( Leonardi, 1910) syn. nov.

Aleurodicus (Metaleurodicus) Quaintance & Baker, 1913: 73 . Type species Aleurodicus minima Quaintance, 1900: 47 –48, by original designation.

Metaleurodicus Quaintance & Baker ; as full genus, Bondar, 1923a: 81.

Pseudaleurodicus Hempel, 1922a: 9. Type species Pseudaleurodicus bahiensis Hempel, 1922a: 9 – 10 by monotypy. [Synonymised with Aleuronudus by Costa Lima, 1936: 146, but here regarded as a synonym of Metaleurodicus syn. nov.]

DIAGNOSIS AND COMMENTS. As interpreted here, Metaleurodicus comprises species with the following combination of characters: submedian cephalothoracic setal pairs absent; 4–6 pairs of abdominal compound pores present, forming a smooth arc on either side of body, without any pairs conspicuously inset mesally ( Figs 25–32); if only 4 pairs present, it is anterior pairs that are lost, with a pair always present on each of segments V– VIII; two pairs of cicatrices present on thoracic area (scars of third­instar compound pores); dorsal disc without distinct groupings of simple pores, although often with large numbers evenly distributed; dorsal disc simple pores often loculate, in which case the septa may lend the pores the appearance of being cruciate or stellate (Figs 93–96); with submarginal setal row comprising 12 pairs, including the nominal caudal pair. Also, see generic discussion for Aleuronudus .

The puparia of M. pigeanus ( Baker & Moles, 1921) ( Fig. 15), known only from Chile, possess paired submedian cephalothoracic setae, and this species is therefore here referred to Austroaleurodicus Tapia (1970) comb. nov. — see generic key, p. 14.

Four species of Metaleurodicus have been discovered in Belize, and they may be distinguished by use of the key, below.

Key to Metaleurodicus species in Belize — puparia

1

­ 2 ­ 3 ­ Abdominal compound pores of 2 or 3 different sizes ( Figs 28–32), numbering 6 pairs. .......................................................................................................... v ariporus sp. nov. Abdominal compound pores all similar to each other ( Figs 25–27), numbering5 or 6 pairs ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Abdominal compound pores numbering 5 pairs ( Fig. 25) .................. arcanus sp. nov. Abdominal compound pores numbering 6 pairs ( Figs 26, 27)..................................... 3 Abdominal compound pores presenting laterally when viewed on slides appearing cylindrical ( Figs 27, 96); tiny submarginal setae located in extreme outer submargin... ................................................................................................................ tenuis sp. nov. Abdominal compound pores appearing circular when viewed on slides ( Figs 26, 94); submarginal setae inset further from puparial margin but longer and coarser................ .............................................................................................................. griseus (Dozier)