Pseudosynaleurodicus, Gillespie, Peter S., 2006

Gillespie, Peter S., 2006, A new genus and two new species of whiteflies from Australia (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), Zootaxa 1306, pp. 1-23 : 2-3

Pseudosynaleurodicus gen. nov.

Type species: Pseudosynaleurodicus nigrimarginatus sp. nov.

Puparium diagnosis

Puparia large, pale sometimes with darker markings, ovoid, covered in thick opaque white wax and lacking a peripuparial fringe in life. Puparia very tall when mature (height equals puparial width) with dorsum and venter widely separated and thin lateral (ventral) cuticle supported by rigid wax palisade ( Fig 18). Moulting sutures present.

Dorsum

Margin with row(s) of pores only. Dorsal disc lacking compound and simple pores. Segmentation clearly defined medially and sometimes reaching margin. Vasiform orifice usually circular to “D” shaped. Lingula long, extending just beyond vasiform orifice with one pair of long terminal setae. Second pair of lingula setae present or absent. Cephalothoracic and first abdominal setal pairs present or absent. Eighth abdominal setae present. Longitudinal and transverse moulting sutures present and approaching the margin. Anterior and posterior marginal setae absent.

Ve n t e r

Legs two­segmented with pedunculate "adhesion pad" or collar with subapical seta or claw. Antenna six­segmented or partially segmented.

Adult

Of the known adults (only P. nigrimarginatus adults known) both sexes large (wingspan <3mm), with dusky markings. Wing venation with Sc, forked R, M and Cu present (terminology here and hereafter follows Solomon 1935). Discoidal pores present on abdomen of male. Male with VII extended laterally as flaps.

Etymology

The name reflects the similarity to species of the genus Synaleurodicus .

Discussion

The extreme elevation of the maturing fourth instar puparium, to accommodate the development of the large adult, is a characteristic that immediately separates Synaleurodicus and Pseudosynaleurodicus from many other whitefly taxa. Despite other taxa within the Aleurodicinae having large adults, their large puparia are rarely elevated such that the height is equal to the width. As in taxa of the Aleyrodinae, puparia of Pseudosynaleurodicus lack compound pores of any sort and have longitudinal and transverse moulting sutures, although this is not so in Synaleurodicus . Puparia of Pseudosynaleurodicus possess two segmented legs and tarsal segments that resemble claws, and these states are shared with Aleurodicinae. Known adults of Synaleurodicus and Pseudosynaleurodicus share an unusual characteristic of the adult males whereby the seventh abdominal segment is extended laterally and posteriorly as flaps that cover the terminalia. Adult males also have the abdomen and thorax covered in discoid pores in both taxa. The (known) adults of both taxa have jointed antennae. The known adults of Pseudosynaleurodicus differ from Synaleurodicus by the presence of dark coloured patches on the wing near the cubital vein.