Trialeurodes paucipapilla, Martin, 2005

Martin, Jon H., 2005, Whiteflies of Belize (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Part 2 - a review of the subfamily Aleyrodinae Westwood, Zootaxa 1098 (1), pp. 1-116 : 57-59

Trialeurodes paucipapilla sp. nov.

(Figs 62–64, 129)

PUPARIUM. Habitus. Appearance in life not noted. Margin. Outline ovoid, 0.90–1.02 mm long, 0.60–0.72 mm wide, generally widest opposite transverse moulting sutures (n=15). Margin with shallow crenulations, 16–19 per 0.1mm of lateral margin, modified at each thoracic tracheal opening as a smooth section of thickened cuticle (Fig. 64), and caudally as a pair of such thickenings (Fig. 63). Dorsum. Longitudinal moulting suture often rather indistinct, but reaches puparial margin; transverse moulting sutures terminate just distal to hind legs. Dorsal disc with all segmentation distinct into subdorsum, with the exception of the ill­defined cephalic/prothoracic division. Abdominal segment VII about half length of segment VI medially. Submedian abdominal depressions evident. Submargin with small papillae, all acute and much longer than wide, about 12 m long, most specimens with 6 on one side and only 5 on the other (that closest to longitudinal moulting suture often wanting on one side of the puparium, Fig. 64). Submedian cuticle generally smooth, subdorsal/submarginal cuticle densely punctuated by shallow tubercular “cobbles” (Fig. 129). Vasiform orifice (Fig. 63) triangular, longer than wide, rather poorly defined at its posterior apex, fluted internally, inset from posterior puparial margin by a little over its own length; operculum laterally­rounded trapezoidal, occupying slightly more than basal half of vasiform orifice, without evident posterior marginal setae; lingula head completely exposed beyond operculum, with 5 pronounced lobes, rather acute, only its apical setae extending beyond vasiform orifice. Caudal furrow faintly indicated, narrow. Chaetotaxy. Anterior and posterior marginal setae present, fine, hair­like. Single pairs of cephalic, first and eighth abdominal and caudal setae present, all shorter than marginal setae, very fine; eighth abdominal setae laterally placed very close to base of vasiform orifice, caudal setae almost contiguous with posteriormost pair of papillae (Fig. 63). Pores. Exceptionally sparsely provided with dorsal disc pores, not geminate, apparently no more than two on each side of dorsal disc on each abdominal segment, and similarly scarce on cephalothorax. Submargin with a row of pores smaller than those on dorsal disc, this row interspersed with the papillae, around 18 on each side of body in holotype. Venter. Ventral abdominal setae long and very fine, but rather close to median line and underlying vasiform orifice and operculum. All legs rather reminiscent of those of third­instar larvae, each with an apical pad, and only hind legs directed mesad apically (Fig. 62). A minute basal seta just discernible on each leg. Antennae placed anterolateral to fore legs, very short, with an apical pointed process, reaching only to pro–mesothoracic intersegmental division. Tracheal folds not marked.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Holotype puparium, BELIZE, CFR, Las Cuevas, on Coccoloba ? belizensis ( Polygonaceae ), 04.vi.2002 (J.H.Martin #7631) ( BMNH). Paratypes: 22 puparia, same data as holotype ( BMNH; USNM); 8 puparia, CFR, same host, 13.ii.1996, 04.iii.1996, 06.vi.2002 (Martin) ( BMNH).

ETYMOLOGY. The specific epithet is based on the latin noun paucitas (meaning paucity), in connection with the small number of physically tiny submarginal papillae in this species.

COMMENTS. The puparia of this species secrete no evident waxy material and, probably consequently, the puparial dorsum has few pores. Whilst the presence of papillae, lobulate lingula, and medially­reduced abdominal segment VII all strongly indicate inclusion in Trialeurodes , the shape of the vasiform orifice and lingula are nevertheless atypical. Certainly, T. paucipapilla is not a member of any of Russell’s (1948) Nearctic groupings of Trialeurodes species , nor does it closely resemble any other known species, described or otherwise.