Metaleurodicus tenuis, 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 : 49-50

Metaleurodicus tenuis sp. nov.

( Figs 27, 62, 95–96)

PUPARIUM. Habitus. Feeding singly or in small aggregations under the midribs of leaves, oblique to the midrib. Fine waxy filaments are secreted, but these are clear and usually only seen when light is reflected. When viable (i.e. feeding and not parasitised), the puparia and earlier instars are quite cryptic, but some specimens that were reddish in colour were later found to be parasitised. Margin. Outline ovoid, slightly narrowed anteriorly ( Fig. 27), widest at abdominal segments III/IV, 1.27–1.55 mm long, 0.80–1.05 mm wide (n=19). Margin smooth but with short fine folds running mesad, giving an impression of contiguous marginal teeth, margin appearing crenulate when slightly downcurled, about 9–11 folds / crenulations per 0.1mm, margin not modified at thoracic tracheal openings. Dorsum. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching puparial margin; transverse moulting sutures variably discernible as far as subdorsum or submargin. Dorsal disc generally smooth but submargin, as far as arc of compound pores, with a marbled appearance (Fig. 62), possibly glandular in nature. Abdominal segment VII medially about half length of segment VI ( Fig. 27). Submedian abdominal depressions (Fig. 95) well­developed and distinct from remainder of length of intersegmental divisions, which are well­defined into subdorsum. Vasiform orifice (Fig. 96) rounded­triangular, longer than wide; operculum almost straight anteriorly and posteriorly, rounded laterally, with a band of fine spinules lining its posterior margin, which also bears a pair of very fine setae; lingula head tongueshaped, finely spinulose, almost entirely included within vasiform orifice, its 4 setae subapically situated, almost completely overlapping boundary of vasiform orifice. Chaetotaxy. Anterior marginal setae present, minute. Extreme outer submargin with a row of 12 pairs of hair­like setae ( Fig. 27), each similar in length to compound pore diameter, except for the caudal pair and adjacent pair (Fig. 96), which are longer and stouter, each resembling a posterior marginal seta. Paired cephalothoracic submedian setae absent. Eighth abdominal setae situated anterior to, and opposite corners of, operculum, similar to submarginal setae (Fig. 96). Pores. Immediately mesal to marginal crenulations lies a row of widely­spaced modified 8­shaped pores (Fig. 96), at least 3 crenulations present between most pairs of these pores, and bases of submarginal setae interspersed with them. Cephalic and 6 evenly­spaced abdominal pairs of compound pores, on segments III–VIII, all subequal in size ( Fig. 27), each rather narrowly cylindrical, emarginate­sided, up to about 25 µ m in diameter, nearly twice as long as wide, each with axial process not protruding beyond pore mouth; outer zone of each compound pore apparently without spinneret cells. Dorsal disc with moderately numerous, randomly scattered, 4­ to 5­locular pores (Figs 95– 96), and less numerous minute bright pores present. Ve nt er. Ventral abdominal setae similar to submarginal dorsal setae, underlying posterior corners of operculum, anterior and slightly mesal to posterior abdominal spiracles. Legs bisegmented, smooth, with 1–3 tiny setae visible near bases of some or all legs. Antennae smooth­sided only in basal one­third part, curved from base to apex, reaching to bases of middle legs ( Fig. 27).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Holotype puparium, BELIZE, CFR, Las Cuevas permanent study plots, on Myrtaceae , probably Eugenia sp., 29.iii.2003 (J.H.Martin #7827) ( BMNH). Paratypes: 30 puparia, 1 third­instar larva, same data as holotype ( BMNH, USNM); 1 complete puparium, 2 post­emergence parasitised puparia, dry on leaf tissue, residue of type sample ( BMNH).

ETYMOLOGY. The specific epithet is the Latin, tenuis (meaning fine or slight), describing the sparse puparial secretion.

COMMENTS. M. tenuis resembles M. griseus (Dozier) , having 6 pairs of evenlyspaced abdominal compound pores: however, M. griseus has compound pores little longer than wide ( Fig. 26), in contrast to the emarginate­cylindrical form observed in M. tenuis ( Fig. 27). M. tenuis has a row of fine setae in the extreme outer submargin ( Fig. 27), whereas those in M. griseus are inset further mesad, and are longer and coarser ( Fig. 26).