Minutaleyrodes whisper, Dubey, 2020

Dubey, Anil Kumar, 2020, Revision of the genus Minutaleyrodes Jesudasan and David (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) with descriptions of two new species from the Little Andaman Island, India, Zootaxa 4748 (2), pp. 315-333 : 326-327

Minutaleyrodes whisper sp. nov.

( Figs 4, 5 , 57–71 )

Puparium. In life, puparium dusky white ( Fig. 4 ); suboval; female 590–600 µm long, 510–530 µm wide; male 480– 520 µm long, 420–430 µm wide; broadest from metathorax to abdominal segment II region; constricted at thoracic tracheal pore and abdominal segment VI region; found singly on lower surface of leaves; 1 or 2 puparia per leaf.

Margin. Irregularly crenulate; narrow marginal/submarginal area with 2 or 3 rows of polygonal grooves ( Figs 57 , 61, 62 ). Thoracic and caudal tracheal pores indicated as C-shaped emargination ( Fig. 58 , 63 ); thoracic tracheal pore sometimes overlapped with reticulated submarginal polygonal grooves and obsolete. Anterior and posterior marginal setae 12–25 µm and 17–27 µm long, respectively.

Dorsum. Submargin not differentiated from the dorsal disc; submarginal papillae visible only on the anterior and posterior margins. Prothorax, metathorax and abdominal segment I ( Figs 60, 64 ) each with one pair of tubercles. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching margin ( Fig. 5 ) and transverse moulting suture turning anteriorly and reaching near thoracic tracheal pore opening. Cephalothorax length greater than abdomen length; in female 295–320 µm and 280–295 µm long, respectively, in male 237–270 µm and 240–243 µm long, respectively. Mesothorax 35 µm long, metathorax 25 µm long. Abdominal segments I–VIII (A1–A8, n= 6): A1: 27–37, A2: 25–30, A3: 25–30, A4: 20–25, A5: 20–25, A6: 20–23, A7: 12–17, A8: 32–40 µm long, respectively. Thoracic tracheal furrows absent. Caudal tracheal furrow narrow, deep, without any striations ( Fig. 65 ), furrow 47–48 µm long in female and 37–42 µm long in male. Geminate pores present ( Fig. 66 ).

Vasiform orifice. Subcordate; posterior opening narrowed, funnel-shaped ( Figs 59 , 66 ); 35–40 µm long, 30–33 µm wide in female; 32 µm long, 25–27 µm wide in male; operculum subcordate, filling the orifice and obscuring the lingula.

Venter. Imprints of leaf epidermis prominent ( Fig. 67 ). Submarginal area demarcated by a groove ( Figs 67, 68 ). Thoracic ( Fig. 69 ) and caudal tracheal folds indicated. Antennae reaching near base of prothoracic legs, 52–57 µm (including keel) long ( Fig. 70 ). Paired ventral eighth abdominal setae present ( Fig. 71 ), 5 µm long, 25 µm apart. Adhesive sacs and spiracles present.

Chaetotaxy. Cephalic setae 12–15 µm long, eighth abdominal setae 3–5 µm long, 40 µm apart and caudal setae 15–20 µm long, 22–27 µm apart. First abdominal setae absent.

Material examined: Holotype, India: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Little Andaman, Whisper waterfall trail, one puparium on slide, on Psychotria andamanica , 13.ix.2018, A.K. Dubey ( ZSI).

Paratypes. Nine puparia on nine slides, data same as of holotype ( NFIC-FRI 1 ) .

Host plant. Rubiaceae : Psychotria andamanica Kurz.

Distribution. India: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Little Andaman.

Etymology. The species is named after the Whisper waterfall located in the Little Andaman from where the species was collected along the hiking trail.

Remarks: Puparia of the new species resemble those of M. minuta (Singh) , but differ from them in shape, presence of reticulated dorsal submargin, narrow and straight caudal furrow, and absence of submedian tubercles on abdominal segments; and from M. suishanus Takahashi in having the reticulated submargin and the longitudinal moulting suture reaching margin.

Figures

FIGURE 2–5. Habitus and holotype: 2, M. andamanensis sp. nov., habitus; 3, same, holotype; 4, M. whisper sp. nov., habitus; 5, same, holotype.

FIGURES 57–59. Line drawings, M. whisper sp. nov., holotype, 57, puparium; 58, thoracic tracheal pore; 59, vasiform orifice, caudal furrow.

FIGURES 60–66. SEM microphotographs, M. whisper sp. nov., 60, puparium, dorsal view; 61, margin; 62, submarginal reticulations/grooves; 63, thoracic tracheal pore; 64, submedian tubercle; 65, vasiform orifice, eighth abdominal setae; 66, same, enlarged view, arrow shows geminate pore.

FIGURES 67–71. SEM microphotographs, M. whisper sp. nov., 67, puparium, ventral view; 68, ventral submarginal fold; 69, thoracic tracheal fold; 70, metathoracic leg, microseta, granules; 71, caudal tracheal fold, ventral setae.