Aleurocanthus gullanae, Gillespie, Peter S., 2012

Gillespie, Peter S., 2012, A review of the whitefly genus Aleurocanthus Quaintance & Baker (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Australia, Zootaxa 3252, pp. 1-42 : 18-20

Aleurocanthus gullanae sp. n. ( Figs 34–38 )

Puparium. Small black puparium requiring bleaching for microscopic observation. Dorsal wax clear with some sparse short whitish strands emanating from margin and sometimes some tufts of white wax medially on cephalothorax and abdomen ( Fig. 34 ). Abdomen oval shaped but narrowed posteriorly forming distinctive teardrop shape. Puparia not apparently dimorphic, 590 μm long, 402 μm wide, widest at abdomen II. Margin narrow, smooth to slightly but broadly crenulate (4–5 teeth per 0.1mm) and deep (dorso-ventrally thickened) and clearly defined by ventral fold. Margin with marginal concentric series of broadly rounded marginal glands corresponding to crenulations when visible. Immediately proximal to marginal glandular patches are a sporadic marginalconcentric series of small simple pores.

Dorsum ( Figs 35, 37 ). Dorsal disc rugose, domed and distinguished from margin not by fold but by area of elevation of disk. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching margin. Transverse moulting sutures strongly sinuate, reaching submargin. Pale small eye spots just discernable in subdorsum. Abdomen rhachisiform with intersegmental boundaries well defined in cleared specimens. Rhachis ‘arms’ present but atypical appearing as gaps defining rugose plate-like pleurotergites. Abdomen VII width same as preceding segments. Caudal ridge present.

Chaetotaxy ( Fig. 37 ). Anterior marginal seta absent, cephalic, first, eighth and caudal setae present as short (<10% of puparium width) acuminate setae. First abdominal setae separated by more than length of setae. Eighth abdominal setae situated laterad of vasiform orifice. Caudal setae longer than others. Five pairs of short broad peglike glandular spines present in marginal concentric fashion in outer sub dorsum ( Fig. 38 ), each situated on broad tubercle, with three pairs in meso and metacephalothoracic segments and two pairs on abdomen II and III. Vasiform orifice rounded oval in shape, situated within one vasiform orifice width of margin. Vasiform orifice elevated, particularly posterior margin. Operculum elongate oval, completely filling vasiform orifice and obscuring lingula.

Venter ( Figs 36–37 ). Dark and difficult to ascertain detail. Abdominal segments apparent in cleared specimens. Antenna short (to base of fore leg) and situated mesad of fore leg, margin concentric fold present in submargin.

2nd Instar nymph (Fig. 86). 9 pairs of submarginal glandular spines, with 4 abdominal pairs (TV-TVIII) and 5 cephalothoracic pairs; 3 pairs of submedial glandular spines all in cephalothorax (1 x cephalic, 1 x prothoracic and 1 x metathoracic). TVIII recurved posterolaterally; Margin smooth to broadly crenulate.

Etymology. Named in honour of Dr Penny Gullan who first collected this species and has been preeminent in the study of the Australian Sternorrhyncha.

Distribution. WA.

Hosts. PROTEACEAE : Banksia (= Dryandra ) sp.; B. grandis .

Material examined. Holotype puparium slide: ex leaves Banksia grandis , near Jarrahdale, WA, 32o 34.7477’ S 116o 7.05’E, 25.ix.2002, P.S. Gillespie ( ASCT 00024769)( ASCU). Paratypes: Dryandra , WA, Forrestfield, 23.xi.1997, P.J. Gullan, 4 x puparia on a slide ( ANIC); same data as holotype, puparium slide ( ASCT 00024768)( ASCU);“shrub”, WA, Perth, King’s Park, 04.iii.1959, V. F. Eastop, 4 x puparia on 1 slide ( BMNH); Dryandra sp., Japan, intercepted ex-Australia, no date, 8 puparia, 1 third-instar on 1 slide ( BMNH); ex leaves Banksia grandis , entrance to Yanchep Nat. Park., WA, 27 Sep 2002, P.S. Gillespie, 4 x puparia on four slides ( ASCT 00024732-35)( ASCU), 28 x puparia and 4 x second instar nymphs on three dry leaves ( ASCT 00161367)( ASCU).

Comments. This small species is relatively abundant on the underside of leaves of Banksia grandis . The reduction in both size and number of glandular spines is characteristic but may also potentially lead to the misidentification of this species.

Figures

FIGURES 34 – 38. A. gullanae sp. nov. puparia: 34, habitus; 35, slide dorsal; 36, slide ventral; 37, illustration (cutaway venter); 38, detail glandular spine (all scale bars 100 µm).