Kaieteurodicus cereus, Martin, Jon H., 2008

Martin, Jon H., 2008, Kaieteurodicus, description and discussion of a new genus of neotropical aleurodicine whitefly (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha, Aleurodicinae), Zootaxa 1730, pp. 43-55 : 46-53

Kaieteurodicus cereus sp. nov.

( Figs 1–6 , 8–19 )

Puparium ( Figs 1 , 3 , 10–13). Habitus. Groups of mature puparia secrete exceptionally copious white flocculent waxy material, such that only the brownish vasiform orifice is visible ( Fig. 1 ); waxy filaments secreted by the very large compound pores are thickened, opaque, white, with fine wool adhering to them and lending a frayed appearance ( Fig. 2 ); filaments secreted by the single smaller (middle) pair of abdominal compound pores are narrower, smooth and glassy, extremely long (clearly visible in left-hand, puparium, specimen in figure 2); individuals develop bordering the lower midribs of the host’s leaves, but their alignment is random (as seen clearly in figure 2). In addition to the copious filamentous secretions, each puparium is covered by a tough waxy carapace that can survive being slide-mounted in Canada balsam. Margin. Outline slightly asymmetrical (Fig. 10), unevenly “pear”-shaped, 1.28–1.57 mm long, 0.85–1.13 mm wide, generally widest at about abdominal segment IV (n=27). Margin generally smooth; many pale lines lead mesad from margin, giving an illusion of contiguous teeth, the pale lines terminating at a row of variably-defined curved glandular structures that give the appearance of a rank of submarginal teeth in some specimens ( Fig. 3 ). Dorsum. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching puparial margin; transverse moulting sutures terminating in inner subdorsum prior to adult emergence. Abdominal segments VII and VIII similar in length between segment VI/VII division and vasiform orifice, both shorter medially than other abdominal segments; abdominal segmental divisions graduating into elongate submedian depressions; pro-/meso- and meso-/metathoracic segmental divisions well marked but prothoracic/cephalic division not evident. Vasiform orifice ( Fig. 3 , expanded detail) rounded-cordate, about as wide as long, inset from puparial margin by about twice its own length; operculum trapezoidal, surface with fine black punctae, its posterior margin straight to very shallowly “m”-shaped, bearing a pair of setae; exposed part of lingula head rounded-triangular, a little shorter than operculum, its apex just reaching posterior margin of vasiform orifice, densely covered by seta-like spinules, bearing the normal 4 stout setae. Chaetotaxy. Anterior and posterior marginal setae present, similar to submarginal setae but a little finer. Pair of eighth abdominal setae present, anterior to mid-length of operculum, similar to lingular setae; submargin with 12 pairs of setae (including the nominal caudal pair), few if any of them extending beyond puparial margin; 4 pairs of submedian cephalothoracic setae present, similar to other dorsal setae. Pores. With cephalic and 5 pairs of abdominal compound pores of 2 distinct types; middle abdominal pair (segment V) much smaller than remainder, 40–60 µm in outer diameter, distinctly cylindrical in structure and viewed laterally on slides (Fig. 13), apparently with splines coalesced to form a truncate axial process that just reaches pore mouth on puparial surface; cephalic and other 4 abdominal pairs of compound pores ( Fig. 3 , expanded detail drawing and photomicrograph) extremely large, irregularly subcircular in outline, up to 125 µm in outer diameter, central lumen very wide and without axial process, rather granular in appearance and surrounded by single ring of spinneret cells from which issue short splines which do not reach to outer edge of pore, posteriormost 2 pairs a little smaller than remainder; in one specimen, compound pores on abdominal segments IV and V have coalesced to form one huge, ovoid, pore of 150 µm maximum dimension, with an 8-shaped inner lumen (Fig. 12). Dorsal disc with random array of simple pores ( Fig. 3 ), mostly a mixture of the loculate type and much smaller bright pores ( Fig. 3 , expanded detail); on each side of vasiform orifice a loose cluster of larger bright pores ( Fig. 3 , expanded detail) and sometimes smaller groupings of small bright pores, especially lining abdominal segment VII/VIII boundary. Ven te r. Ventral abdominal setae posterior to vasiform orifice, finer and slightly longer than dorsal setae. Legs and antennae as shown ( Fig. 3 ). Tracheal folds absent.

Third-instar nymph (Figs 4,5). In contrast to puparia, third-instars secrete only a fringe of whitish wax, leaving their dorsal surfaces visible but dusted with mealy wax ( Fig. 2 ). Outline slightly asymmetrically ovoid, 0.84–1.10 mm long, 0.54–0.64 mm wide (n=10). Without compound pores but with 3 pairs of small cicatrices present ( Fig. 4 ), two pairs in cephalothoracic area and third pair posterolateral to vasiform orifice, these being the scars of compound pores in second-instar – see figure 6. Chaetotaxy as in puparium and second-instar, setae proportionately as long as in puparium. Dorsal disc with scattered simple pores of the loculate type, submedian area with scattered tiny bright pores in addition, and a few sightly larger bright pores present near vasiform orifice. Legs triangular, evidently 3-segmented, each with a curved apical claw; antennae small, apically hooked ( Fig. 5 ), about same length as apical segments of legs; ventral abdominal setae similar to dorsal setae; each middle and hind leg bearing a fine seta ( Fig. 5 ).

Second-instar nymph ( Fig. 6 ). 0.63–0.66 mm long, 0.35 mm wide (n=2), outline slightly asymmetrically ovoid. With three pairs of small compound pores, two pairs in cephalothoracic area and the third pair posterolateral to vasiform orifice, each pore with a short, truncate, axial rod extending beyond pore mouth. Lingula with one pair of long setae evident, but second pair not present, possibly due to damage. Chaetotaxy as in puparium and third-instar. Dorsal disc with scattered simple pores of the loculate type, and a few bright pores. Legs triangular, evidently 3-segmented, each with a curved apical claw. Mouthparts, antennae and ventral abdominal setae not evident, almost certainly due to damage to ventral surfaces of both specimens.

Adults ( Figs 8, 9 , 14–19 ). Body pigmented brownish, fore and hind wings with pigmented patches ( Figs 8, 9 ), posterior margin of fore wing emarginate at confluence with vein Cu; branch R1 of fore wing well developed ( Fig. 8 ). Antennae 7-segmented ( Figs 16, 17 ), with segment III slightly broader than other flagellar segments; with a few small sensoria in apical half of segment III and short setae in basal half (female), or all flagellar segments with pale, uncinula-type (see Bink-Moenen, 1983) sensoria (male). Each leg with paired claws and an acute empodial spine. Abdomen of female with 4 pairs of wax plates; posterior 2 pairs of wax plates very large and brown-pigmented ( Figs 14, 18 ), with granular reticulate pattern visible under high magnification ( Fig. 15 ), anterior margin of anteriormost of these two pairs of plates lined by 2 ranks of large bright setal bases ( Figs 14, 18 ), the setae themselves only about as long as diameter of base ( Fig. 15 ); anterior 2 pairs of wax plates much more finely sculptured, anterior edge of anteriormost pair invaginated, and of the other pair merely indented. Abdomen of male ( Fig. 19 ) with claspers similar in length to apical segment; aedeagus simple, curved upwards but apically unmodified; with 3 pairs of wax plates, posteriormost pair much the smallest, their surfaces finely granular and with very faint reticulation sometimes just discernible, anterior edge of anteriormost pair of plates invaginated. Lingula (both sexes) tongue-shaped, spinulose but without obvious larger setae.

K. cereus puparium, photomicrographs. 10, holotype; 11, third-instar / puparium intermoult showing presence of puparial compound pores but absence of third-instar compound pores; 12, two large compound pores fused into single “geminate” compound pore; 13, smaller-type of compound pore, abdominal segment V.

Material examined. Holotype puparium, GUYANA, Mazaruni-Potaro, plateau adjacent to Kaieteur Falls, on unidentified broad-leaved shrub, 12.vi.2006 (J.H.Martin #8331) ( BMNH). Paratypes: 52 puparia, 12 third-instar nymphs, 2 second-instar nymphs, 2 adult males, 2 adult females, same data as holotype (Martin #8331 & 8336) ( BMNH, UG, USNM); also present in BMNH are duplicate dry puparia and third-instar nymphs, also designated as paratypes.

Etymology. The species name is the Latin cereus (meaning waxen), alluding to the large amount of secreted wax in the puparial stage ( Fig. 1 ).

Comments. The great difference in appearance in life, between the puparia ( Fig. 1 ) and third-instar nymphs ( Fig. 2 ), led to initial doubt as to whether only one taxon was involved: however, two specimens are in the midst of the third-instar / puparium moult (Fig. 11) and this has resolved this doubt. The lack of compound pores in the third-instar is the reason why only the puparium is obscured by tangles of woolly wax, the previous stage having the dorsal surface only scantly covered by mealy wax as shown in figure 2. This species is also notable for its enormous puparial compound pores – at up to 125 µm in diameter they are amongst the largest seen in the Aleyrodidae .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Kaieteurodicus cereus, photographs of living immature stages. 1, fully-developed puparia near to adult emergence; 2, third-instar nymphs and (left) recently moulted puparium with secretions only partially developed.

FIGURE 3. K. cereus, puparium with expanded detail of simple pores (not all drawn to same scale), vasiform orifice and large compound pores: compound pore detail represented by line drawing and by photomicrograph.

FIGURES 4 – 6. K. cereus. 4, third-instar nymph, dorsum; 5, third-instar nymph venter, detail of antennae and legs; 6, second-instar nymph: relationship between second-instar compound pores and third-instar cicatrices indicated by dashed lines.

FIGURES 8 – 9. K. cereus, wings. 8, fore wing; 9, hind wing.

FIGURES 14 – 19. K. cereus adults, photomicrographs. 14, female, lateral view of posterior two pairs of abdominal wax plates, anterior edges to left; 15, as 14 showing detail of surface reticulation and anterior marginal setae in pre-emergence specimen; 16, female, antenna; 17, male, antennal flagellum; 18, female, dorsal view of posterior two pairs of abdominal wax plates; 19, male, lateral view of abdominal apex.