Aleuroclava schimae Wang, 2020

Wang, Ji-Rui, Xu, Zhi-Hong & Zhou, Guo-Xin, 2020, Description of a new species of Aleuroclava Singh, 1931 (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) infesting Schima superba from China, ZooKeys 991, pp. 121-128 : 121

Aleuroclava schimae Wang sp. nov. Figs 3-8 , 9-12 , 13-15 , 16-18

Type material.

Holotype: China, Zhejiang, Zhejiang, Chun’an, Thousand Island Lake, 1 puparium on slide, on Schima superba , 6. vi. 2016, 29°31.21'N, 118°52.41'E, leg. JR Wang. Deposited in the Insect Collections of ZAFU, Lin’an, China. Paratypes: Fifty-six, of which 30 puparia on 21 slides, data same as for holotype; Gutianshan Nature Reserve, Zhejiang, Kaihua, 15 puparia on 12 slides, on Schima superba , 28.xiii.2018, 29°15.12'N, 118°06.42'E, leg. AQ Dai; Zhejiang, Jiangshan, Shuangxikou village, 11 puparia on 10 slides, 30. xiii. 2018, 28°23.12'N, 118°41.15'E, leg. AQ Dai. (SEM-CAS 1 paratype, ZAFU 55 paratypes and dry collection).

Description.

Egg (Fig. 8 ). Fusiform; yellowish, gradually becoming dark brown over time; about 152 µm long, 69 µm wide, found deposited randomly on lower surface of leaves.

Puparium . Covered by a thin layer of white wax (Fig. 3 ); puparium in early stage white (Fig. 5 ), gradually turns black (Figs 3 , 4 ), about 926-1120 µm long, 763-832 µm wide; elliptical, broadest at the transverse molting suture region; posteriorly horizontal.

Margin (Figs 10 , 14 , 17 ). Crenulate, 0.1 mm wide, 23-28 crenulations. Paired anterior and posterior marginal setae 27 and 16 µm long, respectively. Thoracic tracheal pore area slightly recessed and emarginated at margin. Dorsum. Almost flat, slightly raised on abdomen; without tubercles. Submargin demarcated from the dorsal disc by a faint line. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching anterior margin and the transverse moulting suture reaching submargin (Figs 13 , 16 ). Thoracic and abdominal segment sutures well defined. Middle length of abdominal segment I 53 µm; segment II 47 µm; segments III-VI subequal, 37 µm; segment VII 28 µm long. Geminate pores present (Figs 9 , 13 , 16 ). Chaetotaxy. Cephalic, first, eighth abdominal and caudal setae 9, 13, 4 and 47 µm long, respectively. Eighth abdominal setae located below the base of orifice . Caudal furrow 68 µm long. Vasiform orifice (Figs 11 , 15 , 18 ). Cordate to subcircular, slightly longer than wide, 48 µm long, 44 µm wide, lateral margins rounded, basal ends being curved to meet basal margin; operculum cordate, 33 µm long, 29 µm wide, almost covering the orifice and obscuring the lingula. Venter. Thoracic and caudal tracheal folds discernible (Fig. 16 ). Ventral abdominal setae placed on anterior to vasiform orifice , 6 µm long, 49 µm apart. Antennae extending near the base of prolegs. Third instar nymph (Figs 6 , 12 ). Light yellow, body transparent, elliptical, about 720 µm long, 540 µm wide; eye spots obvious. Second instar nymph (Fig. 7 ): yellowish, elongate-elliptical, about 290 µm long, 170 µm wide; transparent wax secretion along the body margin, about 11 µm wide; eye spots red.

Host plant.

Schima superba Gardner & Champ ( Parietales , Theaceae ) (Figs 1 , 2 ).

Distribution.

China: Zhejiang.

Biology.

Puparia were found on the lower surface of leaves; 10-40 per leaf (Figs 2 - 4 ); covered by a thin layer of white wax (Fig. 5 ). Exuviae of previous instars were present. No parasitoids and ants were observed.

Etymology.

The species is named after the host plant, Schima superba .

Remarks.

Puparia of the new species are elliptical in outline, broad at the transverse moulting suture region, truncate posteriorly (Figs 3 , 4 , 9 , 13 , 16 ), thoracic tracheal pores recessed, emarginated (Figs 10 , 14 , 17 ), transverse moulting suture reaching submargin (Figs 13 , 16 ), and vasiform orifice cordate to subcircular, slightly longer than wide.

Puparium of A. schimae sp. nov. resembles that of A. tianmuensis in body shape, size and colour, but differs in having horizontal posterior end (curved in A. tianmuensis ), and in lacking median tubercles on abdominal segments II-VI. It differs from Aleuroclava similis (Takahashi) in colour of puparium, and from A. trivandricus Dubey & Sundararaj in colour and thoracic tracheal pores not deeply inset at the margin. It also differs from A. hikosanensis (Takahashi) from the characteristic of the median area of each abdominal segment.

Figures

Figures 3 - 8. Habitus, developmental stages of A. schimae sp. nov., on S. superba. 3, 4 puparium, late stage 5 puparium, early stage 6 third instar 7 second instar 8 eggs.

Figures 9 - 12. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) photographs of A. schimae sp. nov. 9 puparium, dorsal view 10 margin 11 vasiform orifice and operculum 12 third instar nymph.

Figures 13 - 15. Aleuroclava schimae, sp. nov., slide mounted specimen. 13 puparium, dorsal view 14 margin 15 vasiform orifice and operculum.

Figures 16 - 18. Aleuroclava schimae sp. nov., holotype puparium, China, Zhejiang. 16 puparium, dorsal (right) and ventral (left) views 17 margin 18 vasiform orifice.

Figures 1 - 2. Leaves of host plant Schima superba infested by A. schimae sp. nov.