A review of the whitefly genus Aleurocanthus Quaintance & Baker (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Australia
Gillespie, Peter S.
Zootaxa
2012
3252
1
42
[151,485,1015,1041]
Insecta
Aleyrodidae
Aleurocanthus
Animalia
Hemiptera
25
26
Arthropoda
species
neofroggatti
sp. nov.
Etymology.Name derived from the superficial similarity of this species to Aleurocanthus froggatti, a species to which it is clearly related.
Distribution.NSW, Qld, SA. Hosts. ELAEOCARPACEAE: Sloanea woollsii; Elaeocarpus obovatus. MELIACEAE: Synoum glandulosum. MYRTACEAE: Acmena smithii; other unidentified spp. RUTACEAE: Flindersia australis; Melicope(‘Evodia’) sp.; Acronychiasp.
Material examined. Holotype: puparium slide: ex Lilli Pilli [ Acmena smithii], Alviston St, Strathfield, near Sydney, NSW, 30.i.2007, P.S. Gillespie, M.J. Kerr & N. Cother, ( ASCT00024884)( DNA=AM1534)( ASCU). Paratypes: [Qld] ex Flindersia australis, Anstead, July 2003, M. Coombs, 6 xpuparia, 2 x3rd instar, 1 x2nd instar on 7 slides – ( ASCT00025196-200, ASCT00132213-14)( ASCU), 20 xpuparia on dry leaves ( ASCT00122376)( ASCU); unknown rainforest host, Somerset Dam ( 3kmN of Dam wall), 2nd waterfall gully, 19.viii.2004, M. Coombs, B.C. McNeil and P.S. Gillespie, 1 xpuparial slide ( ASCT00132274)( ASCU), 1 xpuparium in alcohol ( ASCT00024863)( ASCU); unknown host, Mt Glorious, 24.iv.2002, M. Coombs, #117, 2 xpuparia on a slide ( ANIC); Elaeocarpus obovatus, Long Pocket, Brisbane, Qld, 8.v.2002, M. Coombs, #124, 2 xpuparia on one slide (20-013367)( ANIC); Synoum glandulosum, Mt Glorious, Qld, 24.iv.2002, M. Coombs, #117, 7 xpuparia on a slide (20-013360)( ANIC); Mt Glorious, Qld, 24 Oct, 2000, P. DeBarro, # 63, 1 xpuparium & 1 x3rd instar each on slide (20-013643-4)( ANIC); [ NSW] same data as holotype, 1 xpuparium slide ( ASCT00132274) ( DNA=ww01533)( ASCU), ~ 50 xpuparia on leaves ( ASCT00132123)( ASCU); Fairfield, near Sydney, 6 August 1982, Mrs Pelizzori, 102 x puparia on dry leaf ( ASCT00016121)( ASCU); unknown host ( Myrtaceae), Hancock St. Bexley, 9.vii.2007, P.S. Gillespie, H. and B. Löcker and M. Priest, 1 xpuparial slide ( ASCT00024871)( ASCU), 45 xpuparia on dry leaf ( ASCT00166206)( ASCU); unknown host, Taronga Park Zoo, Mosman, Sydney, 1.iii.2007, P.S. Gillespie, H. Löcker, M.J. Kerr, K. Cowan, 1 xpuparium on slide ( ASCT00047568)( ASCU), ~ 60 xpuparia and other instars on leaves ( ASCT00132284) ( ASCU); unknown host, Horton Street, Marrickville, 22.v.2007, P. Gillespie, M. Priest, H. Löcker and N. Reid, 11 xpuparia on leaf ( ASCT00166205)( ASCU); [SA] Adelaide, SA., 31.vii.1994, D. Papacek, on ‘ Acronychiasp + Evodiasp.’, 6 puparia (4 with earlier instars attached) on 6 slides ( QDPIF). Non typematerial: [Qld], Mt Nebo, Qld, McNeil & Coombs, Ref 151, ex Sloanea woollsii, 10 xpuparia on 10 slides ( ANIC).
Comments.This species is common on the eastern seaboard of Australiaon a variety of rainforest trees particularly myrtaceous and rutaceous hosts. It will likely be found in suitable rainforest habitats south to Victoria. The author has found this species damaging street trees ( Acmena smithii) in a number of Sydney suburbs. The records from Adelaide likely represent an incursion on suitable hosts that have been grown as ornamentals – it seems highly unlikely this area would be considered part of its normal distribution. This species is very similar to A. froggattibut can be distinguished from it by an additional two pairs of marginal setae, the long and non-uniform length of these setae and its preference for wetter habitats. The third-instar nymph of A. neofroggattihas one conspicuous pair of very long meso-cephalothoracic glandular spines, unlike those of A. froggattiwhich lack long glandular spines completely. The series collected from Sloaneain Qld, and excluded from the typematerial, is in poor condition and tentatively distinguished as A. neofroggattito which it is most similar, but each specimen has only four abdominal pairs of glandular spines. A. froggattibelongs to the ‘ banksiae-valenciae’group.