Nothotrioza Burckhardt

Carneiro, Renê G. S., Burckhardt, Daniel & Isaias, Rosy M. S., 2013, Biology and systematics of gall-inducing triozids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) associated with Psidium spp. (Myrtaceae), Zootaxa 3620 (1), pp. 129-146 : 131-132

Nothotrioza Burckhardt gen. n.

Type species. Nothotrioza myrtoidis Burckhardt sp. n., by present designation.

Description. Adult. Dark brown. Body large; thorax massive. Head ( Fig. 3 A) deflexed from longitudinal body axis, much narrower than mesothorax, about as wide as pronotum; vertex bearing long setae; frons large with median ocellus at dorsal edge; genae convex, not forming processes, covered in long setae. Clypeus prominent, pear-shaped, laterally compressed; rostrum long. Antenna 10-segmented, bearing a single subapical rhinarium each on segments 4, 6, 8 and 9 respectively, Pronotum much narrower than mesonotum, strongly inclined. Mesonotum covered in long conspicuous setae. Forewing ( Figs 2 A–C) large hyaline; vein R+M+Cu not strictly trifurcating but with a very short, inconspicuous vein M+Cu; vein Rs long, evenly curved; bifurcation of vein M proximal of line connecting apices of veins Rs and Cu1a; cell m1 much larger than cu1; vein Cu much longer than Cu1b. Radular spinules present in cells m1, m2 and cu1; surface spinules lacking. Hindwing shorter than forewing, hyaline. Metatibia with 6–8 (2–4 + 3–4) apical, sclerotised spurs ( Fig. 3 B). Male proctiger ( Figs 3 D, G) large with produced hind margin. Paramere ( Figs 3 E, H) lamellar, narrowing to apex which forms sclerotised tooth. Distal portion of aedeagus ( Figs 3 F, I) with hook-shaped apical dilatation. Female terminalia ( Figs 4 A, B) relatively short, cuneate; proctiger with truncate apex; valvula ventralis with many teeth in apical part ( Fig. 4 C). Fifth instar nymph ( Figs 2 D, E) lacking sectasetae. Antenna 3-segmented, rhinaria formula 3333. Humeral lobes absent. Tarsal arolium small, not petiolate ( Fig. 4 D). Caudal plate ( Figs 4 E, F) with two tubercles bearing each a tooth-like seta at hind margin. Circumanal ring ( Fig. 4 E) consisting of several rows of pores.

Etymology. From Greek νόθος = illegitimate, false, and Trioza , a related genus.

Composition. Nothotrioza currently comprises three species, viz. N. myrtoidis and N. cattleiani , respectively, which are both associated with Psidium , as well as N. tavaresi associated with Malpighiaceae .

Distribution. Brazil.

Systematic relationships. White & Hodkinson (1985) subdivided the Triozidae , based on adult and nymphal characters, into the Neolithinae, Triozamiinae and Triozinae with the tribes Pauropsyllini and Triozini. Hollis & Broomfield (1989) transferred the Triozamiinae to the Homotomidae . Klimaszewski (1993) separated the Rhinopsyllidae from the Triozidae based on differences in the hind wing venation which were shown to be trivial by Burckhardt & Lauterer (1997) who synonymised the two. Li (2011) raised the Triozidae to superfamily status with four families. This classification, artificial and based on Chinese Psylloidea only, is not applicable to the world fauna and was rejected by Burckhardt & Ouvrard (2012).

In the classification of White & Hodkinson (1985) Nothotrioza falls within the Neolithiinae, as Neolithus sp. sensu White & Hodkinson (1985: Fig. 157, key page 289) is a misidentification (Burckhardt 1988) referring to Nothotrioza sp. Neolithus Scott, 1882 , contains the single species N. fasciatus Scott, 1882 , associated with Sapium glandulosum (Euphorbiaceae) . N. fasciatus has been reported from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay (Hodkinson & White 1981, Burckhardt 1988). White & Hodkinson (1985) included into the Neolithiinae also tentatively Schedoneolithus , a Peruvian genus comprising a single free-living species associated with Dunalia (Solanaceae) .

Nothotrioza may be most closely related to Neolithus because of the large body size, the strongly deflexed head, which is much narrower than the thorax, the large frons, the strongly arched thorax, the long setae covering head and thorax, the genae not developed into conical processes, the not strictly trifurcating vein R+M+Cu of the forewing, the variable number of sclerotised apical metatibial spurs, the posteriorly lobed male proctiger, and the relatively short, cuneate female terminalia in the adults, as well as the lack of sectasetae and the circumanal ring consisting of several rows of pores in the nymphs. The two genera differ in the combination of these characters from all other triozid genera but without an analysis of all triozid genera it is difficult to judge if these characters express phylogenetic relationships. Schedoneolithus resembles the two genera in the lacking genal processes and the large frons but differs in the less strongly arched thorax, the strictly trifurcating vein R+M+Cu and the fixed number, 1+3, of apical metatibial spurs in the adults. The resemblence of Schedoneolithus to Neolithus is superficial and does probably not reflect close phylogenetic relationship.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Nothotrioza spp. A – C. Forewing. D, E. Last instars nymph. A, D. N. cattleiani. B, E. N. myrtoidis. C. N. tavaresi.

FIGURE 3. Nothotrioza spp. A. Head, dorsal view. B. Apex of metatibia. C. Antennal segment 10. D, G. Male terminalia, in profile. E, H. Paramere, inner surface. F, I. Distal portion of aedeagus. A, B, D – F. N. myrtoidis. C, G – I. N. cattleiani.

FIGURE 4. Nothotrioza spp. A, B. Female terminalia, in profile. C. Apex of ventral valvula. D. Tarsal apex of last instar nymphs. E, F. Venter of caudal plate of last instar nymphs. A, D, E. N. myrtoidis. B, C, F. N. cattleiani.