Aleurocanthus hirsutus (Maskell)

Gillespie, Peter S., 2012, A review of the whitefly genus Aleurocanthus Quaintance & Baker (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Australia, Zootaxa 3252, pp. 1-42 : 20

Aleurocanthus hirsutus (Maskell) (Figs 39–41)

Aleurodes hirsuta Maskell, 1896: 434 . Lectotype Australia, NSW, Sydney, designated by Dumbleton, 1956: 164 (ANICincorrectly listed as ADSIR in (Evans, 2006)).

Aleurocanthus hirsutus (Maskell) , Quaintance & Baker, 1914: 102

Distribution. NSW ( Martin 1999), Qld (ASCU).

Hosts. FABACEAE : Acacia longifolia ( Martin, 1999) . MYRTACEAE , Callistemon sp. (ASCU).

Material examined. 1 x puparium slide, Australia, ex Acacia longifolia [ex Maskell pill box] (type lot) ( ANIC); unknown host, 5km E Pomona, Qld, 26.3481o S 152.88970o E, 12.vii.2005, P.S. Gillespie, 2 x puparia on one slide ( ASCT 00132027)( ASCU), 1 x parasitised puparia on dry leaf ( ASCT 00131961)( ASCU); 3 x puparia each on a slide, ex Callistemon sp., Newington Boulevade & ONeill Ave, Newington, NSW, 33.84155 0 S 151.05461 0 E, 13.iv.2010, H.L[oecker] R.K[erslake] & E.C[ottage], A68-1 ( ASCT 00025028-30)( ASCU).

Comments. A collection of 3 puparia in SE Qld extend the range of this species 1000 km north of its type locality. Readers are referred to Martin (1999) for a more thorough account of this species. This pale species has a characteristic arrangement of about 20 pairs of short marginal setae and conspicuous thoracic and caudal tracheal marginal combs. Martin (1999) recognised a single specimen of an undescribed, yet clearly related species, which has 30 pairs of marginal setae ( Aleurocanthus sp. 8 of Carver and Reid – ANIC). The presence of samples on Callistemon , whilst broadening the host range, seems to indicate that Callistemon is not a preferred host or that A. hirsutus is an uncommon whitefly, as the author has sampled whiteflies from hundreds of Callistemons in the Sydney region without encountering this species. This species belongs to the ‘ banksiae-valenciae’ group.