Asiothrixus unicus, Dubey, Anil Kumar, Ko, Chiun-Cheng & Martin, Jon H., 2010

Dubey, Anil Kumar, Ko, Chiun-Cheng & Martin, Jon H., 2010, Description of Asiothrixus gen. nov. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and two new species with diagnoses and a puparial key to species, Zootaxa 2417, pp. 51-65 : 60-64

Asiothrixus unicus sp. nov.

( Figs 29–32 , 36–39 , Table 1)

PUPARIUM. Elliptical, broadest at abdominal segment II–III, narrower toward anterior half. Margin teethed, each tooth with a wax secreting gland at base; teeth not modified at tracheal pore openings.

Dorsum. Submargin not demarcated from dorsal disc. Longitudinal moulting suture reaching margin and transverse moulting suture reaching submedian area. Submargin with five pairs of capitate setae, two pairs on cephalothorax and three pairs on abdomen. Submarginal area with a row of minute circular pores, number of submarginal pores varies in left and right half of puparium; submarginal pores located far from marginal glands. A longitudinal row of crescent-shaped scallops present on submedian/subdorsal area, extending from cephalothorax to second abdominal segment. Abdominal segment VII not reduced medially. Abdominal segments suture I/II–III/IV weakly visible. A pair of glandular siphons present on abdominal segment II and III, each siphon narrowed toward anterior half and apically expanded with concave, nearly circular opening. Pockets not contiguous.

Vasiform orifice. Subcircular, inner posterior wall of the orifice with ridges; operculum covering 75% of orifice. Lingula tip exposed, not extending beyond posterior wall of the orifice, with a pair of setae subapically.

Chaetotaxy. Anterior and posterior marginal setae present. First abdominal setae absent. Cephalic, eighth abdominal and caudal setae present, eighth abdominal setae cephalolaterad of vasiform orifice. Cephalic setae three times longer than the length of vasiform orifice. Caudal setae submarginal, located in a row of submarginal pores.

Ven t er. Adhesive pads at leg apices, adhesive sacs and spiracles visible. Spinules in thoracic tracheal folds absent. Antennae reaching at base of prothoracic legs. A pair of minute setae present at base of meso-, and metathoracic legs.

Distribution. Indonesia, Sulawesi.

Host plant. Piper sp. ( Piperaceae ).

Material examined. Holotype, Indonesia, Sulawesi: Dumoga-Bone N. P., Toraut forest, near base camp, approximately 215 m. alt., one puparium of 5 puparia on one slide, on Piper sp., 15.iii.1985, J. H. Martin 4679 (NHM London).

Paratypes. 4 puparia on slide with holotype; 3 puparia on slide, data as for holotype (NHM London).

Etymology. The species name is derived from a Latin word ‘ unicus’ meaning ‘only’, ‘singular’ or ‘sole’ for emphasizing peculiar morphologies of the puparium.

Remarks. The puparia of this species are distinguishable from other Asiothrixus species by the narrow elongate shape and by the presence of long cephalic setae, reaching beyond the puparial margin, capitate submarginal setae and scallop-shaped markings on submedian area. It differs from A. smilaceti in the shape of siphons on abdominal segments II and III (in A. smilaceti , the basal parts of siphons are much enlarged and rounded), capitate submarginal setae, long cephalic setae and scallop-shaped markings on submedian area.

Figures

FIGURES 29 – 32 A. unicus sp. nov., holotype puparium, UK (NHM). 29, dorsal and ventral surface. 30, margin. 31, dorsal siphons. 32, posterior abdominal area.

FIGURES 33 – 39 photomicrographs, A. specialis sp. nov. and A. unicus sp. nov., holotype puparium, UK (NHM) (A 1 – A 3 representing corresponding abdominal segments). 33, A. specialis, puparium. 34, abdominal segments I – III. 35, same, vasiform orifice. 36, A. unicus, puparium. 37, scallop-shaped markings on submedian area. 38, siphons from abdominal segment. 39, vasiform orifice.