3212
Author
Hernández-Suárez, Estrella
Author
Martin, Jon H.
Author
Gill, Raymond J.
Author
Bedford, Ian D.
Author
Malumphy, Christopher P.
Author
Betancort, J. Alfredo Reyes
Author
Carnero, Aurelio
text
Zootaxa
2012
2012-02-29
3212
1
76
journal article
11755334
Paraleyrodes minei
Iaccarino
(
Figures 41
,
92, 93
)
Paraleyrodes minei
Iaccarino, 1990: 132
.
Distribution in the Canary Islands:
TENERIFE: Santa Cruz de Tenerife. GRAN CANARIA: Arucas, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Marzagán, Puerto de Mogán, San Bartolomé, Telde. LA PALMA: Tazacorte. LA GOMERA: San Sebastián, Valle Hermoso.
Elsewhere:
Neotropical Region:
Belize
,
Guatemala
,
Mexico
,
Puerto Rico
; Nearctic Region:
Bermuda
,
California
, Florida, Texas; Palaeartic Region:
Lebanon
,
Morocco
,
Spain
,
Syria
,
Turkey
; Ethiopian Region:
Benin
; Oriental Region:
Hong Kong
; Austro-oriental Region: West
Malaysia
; Pacific Region: Hawaii.
Host plants in the
Canary Islands
:
Citrus limon
,
Citrus sinensis
,
Citrus
sp.
,
Hibiscus
sp.
,
Cocos nucifera
,
Syagrus romanzoffiana
,
Strelitzia augusta
.
Other listed host plants:
It has being recorded from
Citrus aurantium
,
C. limon
in
Spain
(Llorens Climet & Garrido Vivas, 1992). A small colony of
P. minei
in
Hong Kong
was found on a most unusual host for any aleurodicine whitefly species—
Miscanthus sinensis
(Poaceae)
(
Martin, 2004
, BMNH).
P. minei
is polyphagous everywhere it occurs.
Comments:
Paraleyrodes minei
, the so-called “nesting whitefly”, is another example of a whitefly species that was described following its introduction to a new area and establishment as a pest, in this case from specimens collected in
Syria
. It is native to the neotropics, as are all other species in the genus. Two other
Paraleyrodes
species
,
P. bondari
Peracchi
and
P. citricolus
Costa Lima, have recently become established in Madeira (Martin, 1996). An identification guide to the species of this genus present in the western Palaeartic was provided by Martin (1996).
Paraleyrodes minei
is not an economic pest in the Canaries’ citrus orchards but it is spreading as a pest of ornamental palms.
Females of
P. minei
secrete waxy material around themselves and they oviposit within these tiny “nests” (
Fig. 92
), giving rise to the common name but this is a characteristic of most
Paraleyrodes
species
, so use of the common name is discouraged. In the field in the
Canaries
,
P. minei
can be recognised by the secreted wax, very small adults, and the males’ antennal flagellum comprising a single, thick and usually orangy-coloured segment; each female usually occupies her nest formed from white waxy material (
Fig. 92
); puparia are surrounded by (and sometimes covered by) filamentous translucent wax rods that extend from the dorsum (
Fig. 93
).