Pauropsylla udei Rübsaamen, 1899

Percy, Diana M., Butterill, Philip T. & Malenovský, Igor, 2015, Three new species of gall-forming psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) from Papua New Guinea, with new records and notes on related species, Journal of Natural History 50 (17 - 18), pp. 1073-1101 : 1089-1091

Pauropsylla udei Rübsaamen, 1899

( Figures 3D,E ; 5I )

Pauropsylla udei Rübsaamen, 1899: 264 .

Pauropsylla montana Uichanco, 1919: 546 , nomen nudum; Uichanco (1921): 265. Pauropsylla bakeri Crawford, 1915: 258 ; Crawford (1919): 145.

Pauropsylla reticulata Mathur, 1975: 102 syn. nov.

Material examined

2 ♂, 11 2nd – 5th instars, Mis village (5°11 ʹ S, 145°47 ʹ E, 50 m) and Ohu village (5°13 ’ S, 145° 40 ʹ E, 200 m), Madang Province, PNG, September – November 2010 and February – March 2011, reared from conical galls ex Ficus variegata, P . Butterill leg. ( BMNH) ; 1 ♀, dissected from conical galls in alcohol, Baitabag village , Madang Province, PNG, January 1996, ex Ficus variegata, V . Novotný leg. ( MMBC) ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, numerous circular galls and immatures, Singapore (1.353°N, 103.778°E, 75 m), 6 November 2012, ex Ficus variegata, D . Percy leg. ( BMNH) ; 9 ♂, Sylhet, Bangladesh, 1 November 1930, ex circular galls, M. Bose leg. ( BMNH), same as type series of Pauropsylla reticulata Mathur, 1975 syn. nov.; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Pokfulam , Hong Kong, 14 March 1973, ex Ficus variegata ( BMNH); 1 ♂, 3 ♀, Ha Kwai Chung Tsuen, Hong Kong, 7 November 2005, C. Lau leg. ( BMNH); 12 4th – 5 th instars, Hang Mei Village, Tai O, Lantau Island , Hong Kong, 12 April 2010, ex Ficus variegata circular galls, J. Martin leg. ( BMNH); 1 ♀, 4 4th – 5th instars, Gunung Mulu National Park , Borneo, Sarawak, Malaysia, 27 June 1978, ex Ficus, V . Eastop leg. ( BMNH) ; 2 ♂, 2 ♀, Laguna College , Laguna, Philippines, 30 December 1975, ex Ficus variegata leaf galls, R. Braza leg. ( BMNH).

Comments

This species is widespread in Asia. We report new records for PNG, Madang Province, on Ficus variegata (Moraceae) , and illustrate some of the variation found in the structure of the male terminalia from different parts of the Oriental Region ( Figure 5I ). The PNG specimens have a narrower male paramere and proctiger, and the female terminalia are shorter, but otherwise specimens are similar to those examined from Hong Kong and Bangladesh; specimens from the Philippines show the most structural difference in male terminalia and further investigation of regional patterns of intra-specific variation is needed to assess whether there is sufficient divergence to warrant recognizing separate species. The 2nd and 5th instar immatures from PNG are covered in medium to long simple setae as illustrated in Rübsaamen (1899). Immatures examined from Sarawak and Hong Kong did not reveal noticeable differences. Genetic divergence between PNG and Singapore specimens supports the need for further intra-specific investigation (mitochondrial DNA divergence was relatively high, ~10%), as does the striking gall type differences between PNG and other areas.

Comments on synonymization

Nine adult specimens of P. reticulata Mathur, 1975 collected together with the type series at the type locality, together with two dried galls, were sent to BMNH in 1931 ( Mathur 1975). The suspected synonymy of this material was noted by Hollis (1984, p. 28), and after examining this material, DMP concurs with his assessment and the synonymy is formalized here. The two galls are spherical and globular, and appear similar to those found on Ficus variegata (Moraceae) from Singapore ( Figure 5E ) and the Philippines (illustrated by Uichanco 1919), but they appear to lack exterior trichomes. In addition, there is some uncertainty regarding the host-plant range, as the holotype and paratype series (including BMNH material) was collected ‘ ex galls on unknown plant ’, but Mathur (1975) also cites other material collected from West Bengal, India (13 July 1935) ex galls on leaves of Breonia chinensis (= Anthocephalus indicus ; Rubiaceae ) in his description of P. reticulata . Furthermore, the type series of P. udei was originally described with the host as an unknown species of Rubiaceae in Sumatra, which was subsequently considered a host record error by Uichanco (1921), and certainly the original illustration and description of the galls by Rübsaamen (1899) for P. udei resemble closely those illustrated here on Ficus variegata leaves ( Figure 5E ).

Host plant

Various Ficus (Moraceae) species, including F. fulva (= F. chlorocarpa ) and F. variegata ( Uichanco 1919; Hodkinson 1983, 1986). In PNG it was collected on F. variegata .

Biology

As noted for P. triozoptera above, we report notable variation in the gall phenotype. In all cases, the galls of P. udei are enclosed and produced on the leaf blade. In PNG the galls are conical and smooth, without trichomes, and produced on the lower, abaxial leaf surface ( Figure 3D ). Those found in the Philippines, Singapore and Hong Kong are spherical or oval, usually produced on the upper, adaxial leaf surface, and the outer surface of each gall is covered in trichomes that are cream to red; gall coverage can be dense on younger leaves ( Figure 3E ).

Distribution

Bangladesh (Assam in Hodkinson 1983, 1986); China ( Hong Kong; Hodkinson 1983, 1986; Martin and Lau 2011); Indonesia ( Hodkinson 1983, 1986); Malaysia ( Hodkinson 1983); PNG (new record); Philippines ( Uichanco 1919; Hodkinson 1983, 1986); Singapore ( Hodkinson 1983). Possibly India ( Mathur 1975, as P. reticulata ; see comments on synonymization above).

Gene sequences

GenBank: KT588305 (COI), KT588311 (cytB) (PNGHE05-10); and KT588304 (COI), KT588310 (cytB) (SING01 – 12).

Figures

Figure 3. Galls Papua New Guinea (A–D), Singapore (E), Taiwan (F). (A) Trioza incrustata Percy, sp. nov.: leaf margin galls on Celtis philippensis (Cannabaceae) (early and later gall development viewed from lower leaf surface); (B) Cornegenapsylla allophyli Malenovský and Percy, sp. nov.: leaf margin galls on Allophylus cobbe (Sapindaceae) (early and later gall development viewed from upper leaf surface); (C) Trioza grallata Percy, sp. nov.: leaf surface galls on Elaeocarpus schlechterianus (Elaeocarpaceae) (adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces); (D) Pauropsylla udei Rübsaamen: conical leaf surface galls on Ficus variegata (Moraceae) produced on the abaxial leaf surface (inset above: gall detail on lower leaf surface; inset below: gall viewed from upper leaf surface); (E) Pauropsylla udei Rübsaamen: globular leaf surface galls on Ficus variegata (Moraceae) produced on the adaxial leaf surface, images on right show a dissected gall chamber and presence of the eclosed adult within; (F) Pauropsylla triozoptera Crawford: conical leaf surface galls produced on the adaxial leaf surface of Ficus cf. ampelas (Moraceae).

Figure 5. Adult comparison of Cornegenapsylla allophyli Malenovský and Percy, sp. nov. (A, D, E) and Cornegenapsylla sinica Yang and Li (B, C, F). (A, B) Forewings: (A) C. allophyli, (B) C. sinica; (C, D) heads: (C) C. sinica, (D) C. allophyli; (E, F) male terminalia: (E) C. allophyli, (F) C. sinica. Comparison of adult male terminalia in specimens of Pauropsylla triozoptera Crawford (G, left to right): from Papua New Guinea, Philippines, with inset schematic of gall phenotypes; (H) 5th instar circumanal pore area of P. triozoptera from Taiwan. Comparison of adult male terminalia in specimens Pauropsylla udei Rübsaamen (I, left to right): from Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Philippines, with inset schematic of gall phenotypes.