Kaieteurodicus, 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 : 44-46

KAIETEURODICUS gen. nov.

Type species: Kaieteurodicus cereus sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Puparia ( Figs 3 , 7 , 10, 20). Characters of greatest diagnostic importance are given in bold. Kaieteurodicus is defined by the following combination of characters: outline usually asymmetric, generally widest at mid-length of abdomen, margin slightly flattened on one side; margin almost smooth, but with fine submarginal folds variably lending an appearance of very shallow, laterally contiguous, teeth (Figs 3,7); rays (leading mesad from margin into subdorsum) are absent; a pair of anterior and a pair of posterior marginal setae present; 12 pairs of submarginal setae present (including the nominal caudal pair); 4 pairs of submedian cephalothoracic setae present; pair of 8th abdominal setae present; submargin and/or dorsal disc provided with tiny simple pores of at least two types, one type being loculate; cephalic pair and 5 abdominal pairs of subdorsal compound pores present (apparently on segments II and IV–VII, figs 3,7), posteriormost pair not the smallest, each with an axial process and/or with splines arising from pore-base spinneret cells; cicatrices absent from thoracic area (therefore no compound pores present in third-instar nymphs); with 4 stout lingular setae, sometimes a little difficult to see because lingula apex included or almost included within rather shortened vasiform orifice. Ventrally, legs very large and each with an apical claw, and each middle and hind leg basally with a single long, fine, seta; antennae long and reaching to at least middle legs.

Third-instar nymphs ( Figs 4, 5 ). Without compound pores but with 3 pairs of cicatrices and (at least in type species, fig. 2) with significantly less waxy secretion than produced by puparium; chaetotaxy as in puparium.

Second-instar nymphs ( Fig. 6 ). With 3 pairs of compound pores, two pairs in cephalothorax and third pair on abdominal segment VIII; chaetotaxy as in third-instar and in puparium.

Adults ( Figs 8, 9 , 14–19 , only known in type species). With 7 - segmented antennae ( Figs 16, 17 ); abdominal wax plates numbering four pairs in females, the posterior two pairs ( Figs 14, 18 ) much more robust than anterior two pairs, and three pairs in males; wings with distinct pigmentation ( Figs 8, 9 ) and fore wing with indented hind margin ( Fig. 8 ).

Etymology. The chosen name reflects the locality at which the type species was originally discovered – Kaieteur Falls, Potaro River, Guyana.

Comments. When puparia are provided with so many compound pores it is unusual for third-instar nymphs not to have compound pores themselves, and this is one of the more important diagnostic generic features. Accordingly, the puparia have cephalic and five pairs of abdominal compound pores, but do not possess thoracic cicatrices. However, the second-instar does possess three pairs of compound pores, their earlier presence reflected by the presence of three pairs of cicatrices in the third-instar.

The puparia of Kaieteurodicus possess 12 pairs of submarginal setae and paired submedian cephalothoracic setae, which are characters shared with Aleurodicus . However, the presence of a pair of anterior marginal setae, the lack of puparial cicatrices, the presence of tiny loculate simple pores on the dorsal disc, the somewhat asymmetric puparial outline, and presence of five pairs of larger abdominal compound pores (only four pairs of the large-type are present in Aleurodicus ), are all characters which preclude inclusion in Aleurodicus . The presence of submedian cephalothoracic setae and absence of cicatrices preclude inclusion in Metaleurodicus Quaintance & Baker , and the presence of only 12 pairs of submarginal setae and absence of rays leading mesad from puparial margin are characters that differ from Ceraleurodicus Hempel. Use of the puparial key to neotropical genera of Aleurodicinae ( Martin, 2004) , fails to provide a satisfactory resolution for the two species described here, but a key to all genera of Aleurodicinae will be provided as part of the Aleurodicus study discussed in the Introduction, and this will include Kaieteurodicus and the known palaeotropical genera.

Despite the significant difference in size and apparent structure of their compound pores, two species are considered to belong to this new genus, sharing the suite of characters given above. Each compound pore in puparia of K. panamensis has an axial processes, but also can be seen to have chitinous splines as seen in K. cereus (partially visible in fig. 23). Despite the difference in appearance, the compound pores of these two species may be similar in structure.

K. panamensis bears considerable resemblance to Ceraleurodicus splendidus Hempel , but there are several differences which are discussed in the comments on K. panamensis (p.13).

Figures

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.

FIGURE 7. K. panamensis. 7, puparium with expanded detail of loculate simple pores; 7 A, expanded detail of vasiform orifice and adjacent pore-bearing plates.

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.