Minutaleyrodes minuta (Singh)

Dubey, Anil Kumar, 2020, Revision of the genus Minutaleyrodes Jesudasan and David (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) with descriptions of two new species from the Little Andaman Island, India, Zootaxa 4748 (2), pp. 315-333 : 323-326

Minutaleyrodes minuta (Singh)

( Figs 34–43 )

Dialeurodes minuta Singh, 1931: 42–43 .

Aleurotuberculatus minutus (Singh) : Takahashi, 1934: 50.

Aleurotuberculatus minuta (Singh) : David, 1977: 90.

Minutaleyrodes minuta (Singh) : Jesudasan and David, 1990: 1–16.

Aleurotuberculatus cherasensis Corbett, 1935: 824 . Syn. nov. (not examined).

Material examined. India, Uttarakhand, Corbett National Park, Corbett falls , 2 puparia on 2 slides, on Ardisia solanacea , 12.i.2016, A.K. Dubey .

Hosts. Ebenaceae : Diospyros melanoxylon (= Diospyros montana ) ( Dubey and Ko, 2008); Fabaceae : Desmodium laxiflorum ( Pushpa and Sundararaj 2010) ; Fagaceae : Quercus virginiana ( Evans, 2007) ; Melastomataceae : Melastoma malabathricum ( Dubey and Ko, 2008) ; Myrtaceae : Eugenia uniflora ( Evans, 2007) , Psidium guajava ( Dubey and Ko, 2008) ; Primulaceae : Ardisia solanacea (new record); Oleaceae : Jasminum sp. ( Evans, 2007); Poaceae : Bambusa sp. ( Pushpa and Sundararaj 2010); Rubiaceae : Canthium coromandelicum (= Canthium parviflorum ) ( Dubey and Ko, 2008), Gardenia jasminoides (= Gardenia augusta ) ( Evans, 2007); Ixora coccinea ( Singh, 1931) , Ixora sp. ( David, 1977), Tarenna asiatica ( Pushpa and Sundararaj 2010) , Wendlandia thyrsoidea ( Dubey and Ko, 2008) ; Rutaceae : Murraya paniculata ( Evans, 2007) .

Distribution. India ( Singh, 1931).

Remarks. Minutaleyrodes cherasensis ( Corbett, 1935) was described as Aleurotuberculatus cherasensis , based on the tessellate pattern on the dorsum, presence of three pairs of tubercles on the abdomen, and the thorax and abdominal segments with minute spines. A tessellate pattern on the dorsum is commonly seen in puparia of Aleuroplatus Quaintance and Baker and Aleurolobus Quaintance and Baker when treated with chemicals and slidemounted, but absent in SEM images, and SEM studies confirmed that the tessellations are not evident in M. minuta ( Figs 34, 36 ). Examination of slide-mounted puparia and SEM studies of M. minuta confirmed that Corbett (1935) had mistaken the longitudinal series of geminate pores near the cephalothoracic and abdominal depressions as minute spines, and confirmed the presence of a prominent ventral groove ( Fig. 41 ), thoracic and caudal tracheal folds ( Figs 42, 43 ) and caudal setae ( Fig. 43 ), which were not reported in previous references, and no other differences are observed between the descriptions of M. cherasensis and M. minuta ; therefore, M. cherasensis (Corbett) syn. nov. is regarded here as a junior synonym of M. minuta (Singh) . Ventral surface shows imprints of leaf epidermis and stomata. It is also believed that the tessellations should not be considered as a major character of taxonomic importance.

Figures

FIGURES 34–40. SEM microphotographs, M. minuta (Singh), 34, puparium, dorsal view; 35, transverse moulting suture, legs; 36, abdominal segments, tubercles; 37, transverse moulting suture, margin; 38, margin, submargin; 39, vasiform orifice; 40, ventral surface, stomata imprints.

FIGURES 41–43. SEM microphotographs, M. minuta (Singh), 41, puparium, ventral view; 42, thoracic tracheal fold; 43, caudal tracheal fold, ventral setae.