Tuberaleyrodes variabilis, Dubey & Martin, 2018

Dubey, Anil Kumar & Martin, Jon H., 2018, A review of the genus Tuberaleyrodes Takahashi (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) with description of five new species from Brunei, Hong Kong and Malaysia, Zootaxa 4402 (2), pp. 251-282 : 276-278

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4402.2.2
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2E03B764-519D-4689-9875-0AEF5C34836A
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6490720
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03CD879F-B617-593C-FF28-FBF1D979DB09
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Tuberaleyrodes variabilis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Tuberaleyrodes variabilis sp. nov.

( Figs 114–127 View FIGURES 114–118 View FIGURES 119–127 )

Puparium. Oval ( Figs 114 View FIGURES 114–118 , 119 View FIGURES 119–127 ), white, size variable, broadest in the cephalothoracic region and posteriorly narrow; 1127–1375 µm long, 805–1050 µm.

Margin. Smoothly and regularly crenulate, 11–17 crenulations in 0.1 mm. Margin modified in the thoracic tracheal pore opening area into shallow C-shaped pores, without a chitinised rim internally ( Fig. 115 View FIGURES 114–118 ), but not so in the caudal tracheal pore openings ( Fig. 117 View FIGURES 114–118 ).

Dorsum. Submargin not differentiated from the dorsal disc. Submarginal lines evident. Subdorsum entirely tuberculate except submargin. Submargin with 9–11 tuberculate setae, number varies from left to right in a puparium, these setae may be pointed or capitate apically. Median tubercles present in abdominal segment I-VII ( Figs 119, 122 View FIGURES 119–127 ). The median length of cephalothorax measured 530–663 µm long, abdomen 607–743 µm long. The abdominal segment VII not reduced medially and almost equal to that of VI. The median length of abdominal segment I–VIII measured as: 6 5–77, 50–65, 50–70, 52–65, 47–62, 47–62, 40–50 and 35–42 µm long, respectively. Vasiform orifice located anterior to puparial caudal opening by 2.5 times of its own length. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching margin and transverse moulting suture reaching outer submedian area. A tubercle cluster present on submedian area of each pro-, meso- and metathorax. Thoracic tracheal furrows absent, caudal tracheal furrow present, smooth, 135–180 µm long, 37–40 µm wide near posterior end of the orifice. Pockets continuous.

Vasiform orifice. Elongate cordate ( Figs 117 View FIGURES 114–118 , 123 View FIGURES 119–127 ), longer than wide, inner posterior and lateral margin with striae, 53–60 µm long, 48–58 µm wide; operculum elongate cordate, filling the entire orifice in length, leaving space on lateral sides, 35–40 µm long, 30–32 µm wide.

Venter. A pair of ventral abdominal setae present ( Fig. 126 View FIGURES 119–127 ), 23–25 µm long, 37–45 µm wide. Antennae arising from inside and reaching near base of prothoracic legs ( Fig. 118 View FIGURES 114–118 ), 38 µm (including keel 8 µm) long. Caudal and thoracic tracheal folds indicated with stipples. Adhesive sacs and spiracles visible.

Chaetotaxy. Anterior marginal setae 25–33 µm long and posterior marginal setae 32–35 µm long. Cephalic, first abdominal and caudal setae placed on elevated tubercles, cephalic setae 120–138 µm (basal elevation 52–83 µm + apical setae 55–68 µm) long, first abdominal setae 115–132 µm (basal elevation 52–55 µm + setae 60–80 µm) long, eighth abdominal setae 7–10 µm long and caudal setae 72–83 µm (basal elevation 10–13 µm + apical setae 60–70 µm) long. Both meso- and metathoracic or at least mesothoracic setae present, often broken. Submarginal setae capitate, 47–72 µm (basal elevation 9–18 µm + apical setae 23–62 µm) long, submarginal setae without tuberculate bases, up to 30 µm long.

Material examined. Holotype and paratypes. Malaysia : Sarawak, Gunung Mulu National Park, Long Pala, 3 puparia on a slide under one cover slip, 30.vi.1978, V F Eastop 16, 333, J. H. Martin (222-81) ( NHM); one puparium on slide with same collection data. Among the 3 puparia on a slide, 2 placed in first row and 1 below in second row, one of the puparium from first row is parasitized and the second located right side to it is designated as the holotype (first from right of first row).

Host plant. Unidentified plant.

Distribution. Malaysia: Sarawak.

Etymology. The species is named ‘ variabilis ’ to indicate variation in number and length of submarginal setae.

Remarks. The number of subdorsal setae was observed variable within a single puparium from left vs right. Puparia of this species resemble that of T. bobuae , but differs from it in having narrow posterior end, caudal tracheal pore not deeply invaginated with bi-lobed figure instead opening as shallow emargination, caudal setae placed near margin (in T. bobuae , caudal setae placed anterior to bi-lobed figure in caudal pore), longer than wide vasiform orifice, capitate eighth abdominal setae and vasiform orifice located anterior to puparial caudal margin by less than three times of its own length.