Dialeurodes (Gigaleurodes) parakmeriae Wang, 2021

Wang, Ji-Rui, Du, Yu-Zhou, Xu, Zhi-Hong & Zhou, Guo-Xin, 2021, Contribution to the knowledge of Dialeurodes (Gigaleurodes) Quaintance & Baker (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), with description of a new species from China, Zootaxa 4915 (4), pp. 585-593 : 586-588

Dialeurodes (Gigaleurodes) parakmeriae Wang , sp.nov.

( Figs. 1–5 )

Description. Puparium. Circular, large, about 2.12–2.63 mm long, 2.05–2.51 mm wide. As seen on leaf, the general color of the puparium is yellowish, the margin and submarginal area are light green, and the median area and transverse moulting suture are brown; some brown irregular patches are distributed on the anterior and posterior dorsum.

Margin. Crenulate, about 9–11 crenulations in 0.1 mm. Anterior and posterior marginal setae absent. Thoracic tracheal pore area recessed distinct and differentiated from margin.

Dorsum. Almost flat, slightly uplifted in the median area. Submargin not separated from dorsal disc. Longitudinal molting suture reaching anterior margin and the transverse molting suture reaching the submargin. Thorax and abdominal segment sutures well defined, midline of abdominal segment I about 96.2–99.3 µm in length, abdominal segment II about 100.5–104.8 µm, abdominal segments III about 76.2–80.6 µm, abdominal segments IV about 86.5–89.4 µm, abdominal segments V about 78.6–81.4 µm, abdominal segments VI about 88.7–90.8 µm, abdominal segments VII about 106.3–109.5 µm, abdominal segments VIII about 58.3–62.1 µm. Eighth abdominal setae 9.6–11.2 µm long. Many small pores present on dorsum. One pair of shallow depressions is present in the middle of each thoracic and abdominal segment suture, approximately 105.2–109.6µm apart.

Vasiform Orifice. Very small, subcordate in outline, about 48.3–54.7 µm long, 53.6–59.3 µm wide, the anterior margin almost straight. The inner caudal margin is a thickened rim and without teeth. The operculum is similar to orifice in shape, about 39.5–43.7 µm long, 32.6–38.4 µm wide, almost completely filling the orifice and obscuring the rectangle lingula which bears many short soft setae. There is a deep furrow along the operculum margin.

Venter. Thoracic and caudal tracheal folds and pores distinct. The antennae are quite evident, subcylindrical, extending near the base of prolegs, distally with a prominent stout spine; legs plainly visible, terminating in a disklike structure. Ventral abdominal setae placed on either side of anterior angles of vasiform orifice, about 5.8–8.4 µm long, 62.1–68.6 µm apart.

Host Plants. Parakmeria sp. ( Magnoliales : Magnoliaceae ).

Distribution. China (Zhejiang).

Material Examined. HOLOTYPE: China, Zhejiang, Shuangxikou village , 28°23.12'N, 118°41.15'E, 1 puparium on slide, 9.viii.2016, leg. J. R. Wang, on Parakmeria sp., deposited in the Insect Collection of Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University ( ZAFU), Lin’an, China.

Paratypes: 25 puparia on 24 slides, same data as holotype ( NHM, NTU, SHEM, ZAFU). Additional material in the form of dry puparia on Parakmeria leaves with collection data same as holotype, available at ZAFU .

Biology. Specimens were found 8–22 per leaf, distributed throughout the under surface of leaves, some puparia grouped together. The puparia are flattish and closely applied to leaf. Most puparia were covered by a little of fungal hyphae. No parasitoids were obtained from the puparia and no ants were observed attending the whiteflies.

Etymology. The species name takes the host plant Parakmeria .

Remarks. The puparium of D. (G.) parakmeriae sp. nov. resembles that of D. (G.) maxima Quaintance & Baker in shape and size, but differs from it by the color on the dorsal disk, as the new species is general yellowish, the margin and submarginal area are light green, and the median area and transverse moulting suture are brown while D. (G.) maxima is just generally yellowish; by the presence of colored patches, the presence of one pair of shallow depressions in the middle of each thoracic and abdominal segment suture, a deep furrow along the margin of operculum, and the absence of anterior and posterior marginal setae. The new species is also similar to D. (G.) struthanthi (Hempel) based on the circular puparium, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by the position of colored patches, as in D. (G.) struthanthi , the colored patches are distributed in the cephalic area and along the submaginal area of the posterior part of the body, while they are distributed in the median area and along the transverse molting suture in the new species; this species can also be distinguished by the shape of the lingula, which is elongate in D. (G.) struthanthi , whereas it is rectangular in D. (G.) parakmeriae .

Figures

FIGURE 1. The host plant Parakmeria sp. infested by Dialeurodes (Gigaleurodes) parakmeriae Wang, sp. nov. (A) the host plant Parakmeria sp.; and (B) puparia of D. (G.) parakmeriae, sp. nov., on Parakmeria sp. leaf.

FIGURE 2. Live puparia of D. (G.) parakmeriae, sp. nov.

FIGURE 3. Dialeurodes (Gigaleurodes) parakmeriae, sp. nov., slide mounted specimen: (A) puparium; (B) margin; (C) median area of dorsum, longitudinal and transverse molting suture; and (D) vasiform orifice.

FIGURE 4. Dialeurodes (Gigaleurodes) parakmeriae, sp. nov., holotype puparium, China (Zhejiang). (A) puparium, dorsal and ventral views; (B) margin; and (C) vasiform orifice.

FIGURE 5. SEM images of Dialeurodes (Gigaleurodes) parakmeriae, sp. nov.: (A) puparium, dorsal view; (B) puparium, ventral view; and (C, D) vasiform orifice.