Aleuroparvus theae, Dubey, 2018

Dubey, Anil Kumar, 2018, A new whitefly genus and species, Aleuroparvus theae Dubey (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) colonising Assam tea (Camellia sinensis) and Cinnamomum bejolghota, in North-East India, Zootaxa 4486 (2), pp. 169-179 : 172-178

Aleuroparvus theae sp. nov.

( Figs 1–33 , Table 1)

Puparium. Body elliptical, broadest at the abdominal segment I/II region, posteriorly narrow; dimorphic, male 535–575 µm long, female 683–700 µm long, male 327–350 µm wide, female 450 µm wide ( Figs 2 , 3 , 7 , 21 ); black; with white wax deposits only at thoracic tracheal pores opening areas of the submargin and laterad of abdominal segment V ( Fig. 1 ); found on the under surface of leaves; 20–35 puparia per leaf on tea and 10–30 puparia on C. bejΟlghΟta.

Margin. Smooth, margin invaginated as C-shaped pore at caudal and thoracic tracheal pore opening areas, inner margin of tracheal pores toothed ( Fig. 25 ). Caudal tracheal pore opening bilobed.

Dorsum. Submargin differentiated from the dorsal disc by a prominent submarginal ridge, submargin directed obliquely downwards from the submarginal ridge toward margin; dorsal surface larger than ventral surface ( Figs 9 , 28 ); dorsal disc measured up to 612 µm long (including submargin) and 362 µm long (excluding submargin); submargin with two pairs of submarginal wax secreting pores/glands, one pair located near the thoracic tracheal pores and forming a C-shaped structure in mounted puparia ( Fig. 8 ) and second pair laterad of abdominal segment V ( Fig. 15 ); pore diameter 25–30 µm long. Submargin with a row of geminate pores ( Figs 4 , 11 ). Submarginal bands evident ( Fig. 24 ). The median length of cephalothorax 255–305 µm long except submargin, the width of submargin 71–98 µm long. The width of abdominal segment 272–317 µm long (excluding submargin) and 337– 407 µm long (including submargin). The abdominal segment VII not reduced medially and almost equal to that of VI. The median length of meso- and metathorax 37–55 and 22–28 µm long, respectively. The median length of abdominal segment I–VIII: 30–43, 27–33, 25–33, 23–30, 23–30, 20–28, 18–20 and 25–38 µm long, respectively. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching margin and transverse moulting suture reaching submarginal ridge. A cluster of 3–4 tubercles present on submedian area of abdominal segments I–VII ( Figs 10 , 22 ). Thoracic tracheal furrows absent; caudal tracheal furrow present, faintly tuberculate, margins irregular ( Figs 12 , 23, 27 ), 32–53 µm long in folded form and 40–90 µm long in unfolded form, 7 µm and 25 µm wide near caudal tracheal pore opening and at the base of the vasiform orifice, respectively; furrow filled with tubercles ( Figs 12 , 23 ). Pockets continuous.

Vasiform orifice. Subcordate ( Figs 5 , 12 , 27 ), as long as wide, 30–40 µm long, 32–40 µm wide, inner posterior and lateral margin smooth, located anterior to caudal pore opening by 1.5 times of its own length, notched posteriorly, forming digitiform structure from both ends; operculum subcordate, filling the entire orifice in length, 20–23 µm long, 25–28 µm wide; lingula concealed.

Venter. Ventral surface oval ( Figs 16 , 29 ); 520–535 µm long, 325–347 µm wide; 70–92 µm smaller in length than the dorsal surface. Submedian area faintly granulated, imprints of abdominal segment sutures and stomata evident ( Fig. 19 ). Caudal and thoracic tracheal folds without stipples. Caudal and thoracic tracheal folds V-shaped, much narrow near margin ( Figs 18, 20 , 30, 32 ). The width of thoracic tracheal folds from tracheal opening to promesothoracic legs measured 15–33 µm wide. The length of caudal tracheal fold from caudal pore opening to base of ventral setae measured 47–63 µm long. Paired ventral abdominal setae present, 7–13 µm long, 16–20 µm apart. Antennae arising from inside prothoracic legs and reaching near base of prothoracic legs ( Figs 6 , 18 , 33 ), 53 µm long. Adhesive pads ( Figs 17 , 31 ) and spiracles visible.

Chaetotaxy. Anterior marginal setae present, posterior marginal setae not discernable. Cephalic ( Fig. 13 ), first abdominal setae ( Fig. 14 ), eighth abdominal setae and caudal setae 112–168 µm, 80–153 µm, 32–68 µm and 50– 128 µm long, respectively. Eighth abdominal setae longer than vasiform orifice and located cephalolaterad of vasiform orifice near halfway between pockets and base of vasiform orifice ( Figs 12 , 22 ).

Holotype. India: Assam, Jorhot, Toklai, Tea Research Station, 4 puparia on a slide under one coverslip, 3.ix.2015, N. Muraleedharan (deposited in ZSI, Kolkata). A puparium located on bottom left of two puparia on slide with partly dislocated cephalothorax is selected as the holotype ( Figs 3 , 7, 9 ), the puparia on top, middle and right side on same slide are paratypes.

Paratypes. India: Assam, 38 Puparia on 5 slides, data same as the holotype; Arunachal Pradesh, Sago forests, 4 km towards Bam, in valley, 40 puparia on 16 slides, 2.v.2011, A. K. Dubey, many puparia in 95% alcohol from both collections available with A. K. Dubey.

Host plant. Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze ( Theaceae ), CinnamΟmum bejΟlghΟta (Hamilton) ( Lauraceae ).

Distribution. INDIA: Arunachal Pradesh (Sago forests), Assam (Jorhat, Toklai).

Etymology. The species name ‘ theae’ is based on the genus name of its host plant, ‘ Thea ’.

Figures

FIGURES 1–2. Aleuroparvus theae gen. et sp. nov., habitus, 1, puparium on Cinnamomum bejolghota showing white wax secretion at thoracic tracheal pore area, and submarginal ridge; 2, puparium on tea leaf.

FIGURES 3–6. Aleuroparvus theae gen. et sp. nov., camera lucida drawings, 3, puparium, dorsal and ventral views; 4, thoracic tracheal pore and submarginal wax gland; 5, vasiform orifice and caudal furrow; 6, legs and antenna.

FIGURES 7–14. Aleuroparvus theae gen. et sp. nov., photomicrographs, holotype puparium, 7, dorsal and ventral views; 8, margin, tracheal pore, submarginal wax secreting gland; 9, cephalothorax, partly separated submargin; 10, abdominal segment sutures, pockets and depressions; 11, submarginal wax glands and geminate pores; 12, vasiform orifice, caudal furrow and 8 th abdominal setae; 13, cephalic seta; 14, first abdominal seta (FAS– first abdominal seta).

FIGURES 15–20. Aleuroparvus theae gen. et sp. nov., photomicrographs, paratype puparium, dorsal and ventral views, 15, submarginal wax secreting gland laterad of abdominal segment V; 16, ventral surface, separated; 17, cephalothorax, adhesive pads; 18, thoracic tracheal fold; 19, imprints of abdominal segment sutures and stomata; 20, ventral 8 th abdominal setae, caudal fold.

FIGURES 21–27 Aleuroparvus theae gen. et sp. nov., scanning electron microscope images, puparium, 21, dorsal view; 22, abdominal area; 23, caudal furrow; 24, margin and submarginal bands; 25, thoracic tracheal pore opening; 26, submarginal wax gland; 27, eighth abdominal setae (broken), vasiform orifice and caudal furrow.

FIGURES 28–33. Aleuroparvus theae gen. et sp. nov., scanning electron microscope images, puparium, 28, puparium, ventrolateral view showing obliquely downward extension of submargin; 29, ventral view; 30, thoracic tracheal fold; 31, legs, rostrum and adhesive sacs; 32, ventral setae and caudal tracheal fold; 33, antenna (RS– rostrum, AP– adhesive pads, ANT– antenna).