Telmapsylla minuta Hodkinson, 1992

Halbert, Susan E. & Burckhardt, Daniel, 2020, The psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) of Florida: newly established and rarely collected taxa and checklist, Insecta Mundi 2020 (788), pp. 1-88 : 46-47

Telmapsylla minuta Hodkinson, 1992

( Fig. 139, 140 )

Materials examined. USA: Florida: Miami-Dade County: Key Biscayne , 14.ii 1989, Avicennia germinans (R. Shaw) (FSCA) ; Biscayne National Park , 13.i. 2003, Avicennia germinans (L.D. Howerton) ( FSCA # E2003-169 ) ; Black Point Marina , 17.ii.2003, Avicennia germinans (J. Brambila and E. Varona) ( FSCA # E2003-568 ) . Monroe

County: Stock Island, 29.viii.1962, 3.ix.1964, blacklight trap (F.A. Buchanan) ( FSCA). Sarasota County: Sarasota, 15.ii.2004, Avicennia germinans ( FSCA # E2004-941).

Diagnosis. Adults of Telmapsylla minuta ( Fig. 139 ) can be recognized by the small size, triangular genal processes that meet in the middle, long forewings, characteristic dark “raccoon” stripe across the vertex (sometimes not visible in teneral specimens), and association with Avicennia .

Distribution. This species may be native to Florida, but it also is known from Costa Rica ( Hodkinson 1992b).

Host plants. Avicennia germinans (L.) L. ( Acanthaceae ).

Comments. Telmapsylla minuta has been in Florida for a long time, but it was recognized and described relatively recently from specimens collected on Avicennia germinans (L.) L. ( Acanthaceae ) on Pigeon Key (Monroe County) Florida on 23.v.1982 by F.W. Howard ( Hodkinson 1992b). The earliest specimen on record at the FSCA was collected on 29.viii.1962 on Stock Island.

Immatures ( Fig. 140 ) are free-living on the leaves. They tend to cluster between leaves and newly emerging buds, causing some spotting on the leaves, but little overall damage to the plants.

Ciriacreminae Enderlein, 2010 Euceropsylla Boselli, 1929

Comments. Euceropsylla contains 14 Central and South American species ( Ouvrard 2020), two of which are adventive in Florida. The genus is in need of a taxonomic revision.

Figures

Figures 139–148. Psyllidae. 139) Telmapsylla minuta: teneral adult, in profile. 140) Telmapsylla minuta: immature with tubular wax secretion filled with honeydew. 141) Acizzia jamatonica: female, in profile. 142) Acizzia jamatonica: oblique dorsal view. 143) Acizzia jamatonica: eggs. 144) Acizzia jamatonica: immatures. 145) Euceropsylla martorelli: female. 146) Euceropsylla russoi: female. 147) Heteropsylla fusca: female. 148) Damage by immatures of Mitrapsylla albolineata on Senna polyphylla. (Photos by Lyle Buss, University of Florida, Entomology Department: 139–146; Jeff Lotz, FDACS, DPI: 147; Susan Halbert, FDACS, DPI: 148).