Tetralicia sierrae Sampson, 1945

Ellenrieder, Natalia Von & Gill, Raymond J., 2024, The genus Tetralicia Harrison (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodidae) in California, U. S. A., with the description of five new species and a redescription of Tetralicia granulata Sampson & Drews, 1941, Zootaxa 5527 (1), pp. 1-129 : 52-53

Tetralicia sierrae Sampson, 1945

Figs 201–209

Tetralicia sierrae Sampson, 1945: 60 ; Mound & Halsey 1978: 60; Valencia & Evans 2024: 224 .

Aleuropleurocelus sierrae : Drews & Sampson 1956: 281.

Material examined. 10 puparia: U.S.A., California, Mariposa County: 7, between Crow and Signal Peaks , on Ceanothus parvifolius , 23.v.1940, C.R. Quick coll. [ USNM]; Nevada County: 3 paratypes?, Truckee, on shrub, 12.vi.1940, W.W. Sampson coll. [ex W.W. Sampson Coll., CSCA] .

Hosts. Ceanothus parvifolius ( Rhamnaceae ).

Characterization.

Field Characteristics. According to Sampson (l945), puparium black with a narrow fringe of wax.

Slide-mounted characters. TMS ending at apparent margin, lined with tubercles medially; longitudinal molting suture lined with tubercles from TMS to level of mouthparts; eyespots absent; Ce setae absent; T2 and T3 setae present, T3 setae arising well behind anterior margin of metanotum ( Figs 201–203 ); medial area with anterolateral depressions on abdomen moderately developed, with a row of tubercles along margins of T2/T3 suture ( Figs 201– 203 ), with sclerotized ridge lacking discernible tubercles across anterior margin of each A1–A7 ( Fig. 205 ), with pores and microsetae on each side of submedial area of head (4), T2 (2–3), T3 (2), A1 (2), A2 (0–2), A3 (2), A4 (0–2), A5 (2), A6 (0–2), A7 (2), and A8 (2); lateral areas of dorsal disc with tubercles, with pores along sides of dorsal disc ( Fig. 201 ); dorsal submargin with transverse double rows of crescent-shaped imbrications ( Figs 201–203, 205 ); deflexed submargin smooth, lacking granulations, with a row of microsetae ( Fig. 206 ); marginal glandular teeth subquadragular with tips serrate; VO oval, inset from posterior margin by less than its own length; operculum cordate, its dorsal surface with longitudinal wavy ridges branching distally, with microspinulae across distal third to fourth; lingula concealed by operculum; VO ring subrectangular to subquadrate and narrow ( Fig. 207, 208 ), with dorsal setae of A8 arising on its anterior margin anterior to operculum anterior margin ( Figs 207, 208 ); with four membranous ventral sacs medially to bases of mesothoracic and metathoracic legs ( Fig. 204 ), although posterior pair is not always visible; bases of caudal setae close together, at level of operculum lateral margins ( Fig. 209 ); venter smooth except for groups of spinulae medially to leg bases ( Fig. 204 ).

Measurements. Puparium length: 774 ± 62; maximum width (at level of A2): 559 ± 57; length/maximum width: 1.4 ± 0.1; width at level of anterior margin of operculum: 311 ± 34; maximum width/width at anterior margin of operculum: 1.8 ± 0.1; deflexed submargin/body radius: 0.5 ± 0.05; Ce setae: absent; T2 setae: 7 ± 2; T3 setae: 6; dorsal A8 setae: 9 ± 1; caudal setae: 59 ± 10; anterior marginal setae: not visible; posterior marginal setae: 22; ventral A8 setae: 19 ± 5; VO ring length: 59 ± 2; VO ring width: 56 ± 4; VO ring length/width: 1.1 ± 0.1; caudal seta/VO ring length: 1.0 ± 0.2; caudal seta/operculum length: 1.5 ± 0.3; VO length: 44 ± 5; VO width: 41 ± 4; VO length/width: 1.1 ± 0.1; operculum length: 38 ± 3; operculum/VO length: 0.9 ± 0.05 (see Table 1 for ranges).

Similar species. Most similar to T. ceanothi and T. ornata based on its dorsal microscopic ornamentations.

Diagnosis. See under T. ceanothi and T. ornata .

Remarks. Even though Sampson (1945: 58) indicated that “ holotypes and certain paratypes will be deposited in the California Academy of Sciences” in the introduction of his publication describing this and another four species from California, no types of any species described by Sampson were deposited at CAS (Christopher C. Grinter pers. comm.). Instead, the holotype was deposited at BME at some point in the past, and the junior author examined and illustrated it in 1985. Unfortunately, it could not be located for inclusion in the current paper. Sampson (1945: 60) did not indicate number of specimens studied under the species description, stating only “Collected by the writer from an undetermined, low spreading shrub at Truckee, California, June 25, 1940 ”. A slide with three puparia belonging to the portion of W. W. Sampson's collection donated to CSCA has label data matching that locality and collector, with a similar date (June 12, 1940), and we consider that these three specimens most likely represent paratypes.

In the key in Valencia & Evans (2024: 210) this species is treated as having Ce setae, probably based on the illustration provided by Sampson (1945: 60, fig. 3) which could be interpreted as having a setal socket on the left and two on the right side of the head. Unfortunately, Sampson's illustrations were not very accurate; none of the specimens of this species that we examined, including the holotype and likely paratypes, have setae or setal sockets in that position.

Distribution. Nevada and Mariposa Counties in the Sierra Madre of California.

Figures

FIGURE 201. Tetralicia sierrae, Paratype?: Habitus.

FIGURE 202. Tetralicia sierrae, Paratype?: Habitus.

FIGURES 203–209. Tetralicia sierrae: 203, 205, 207, 208: Paratypes?; 204, 206, 209: Mariposa Co., between Crow and Signal Peaks, on Ceanothus parvifolius. 203: Cephalothoracic dorsal disc and submargin; 204: Venter T2 and T3; 205: Dorsal disc and submargin of abdomen; 206: Detail of deflexed submargin; 207, 208: Caudal end of abdomen, dorsal view; 209: Caudal end of abdomen, ventral view.