Aleurodicus ornatus Cockerell 1893

Aleurodicus ornatus Cockerell

(Fig. 53)

Aleurodicus ornatus Cockerell, 1893: 105. Lectotype puparium here designated, Jamaica [USNM].

DISTRIBUTION. Neotropical Region – Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Type material detailed and discussed below (USNM); 3 puparia, Jamaica, Bath, on Cocos nucifera, 21.v.1969 (Heinze) (BMNH).

COMMENTS. A slide of a single puparium of this species, bearing a USNM type label, has one label bearing the data “ Aleurodicus ornatus Ckll, type no.14773, USNM”, and other with “5673, Box 2, Q 6782, Cotype”. With such sparse data on this slide, Debra Creel (USNM) very kindly investigated, with the following report that I quote: “ …… another slide [with adults only] ….. says ‘ Aleurodicus ornatus Ckll. Q 6782. Remounted from slide with pupa [the slide whose data are quoted above] Type No. 14773’ with “capsicum” and “ Jamaica ” in pencil. …….an envelope of dry material says ‘ A. ornatus Ckll on Capsicum, Kingston Jamaica, from T D A Cockerell 1903, Q3284’ on the outside, and inside are a pupa, adult and leaf material with data ‘5673 on Capsicum Kingston Jamaica’. The year, 1903, may be a year of transfer from Jamaica (as with Bondar material sent from Brazil and discussed on p. 9), thus not precluding the material being part of the original sample that was described in 1893. The data for “5673” are also consistent with the quoted type data but no collection date is given. It is considered that the dry material, and single-puparium slide, are part of Cockerell’s original sample, sent from Jamaica, presumably to Quaintance. The single puparium from the dry envelope has been slide-mounted as part of this study and is here designated as the lectotype, which is clearly indicated; on the same slide is a single adult forewing, the only other insect material that was contained in the envelope.

A. ornatus is the only known member of the capiangae / dugesii species-group to possess but a single pair of small compound pores, on abdominal segment VII (Fig. 53). Three puparia in BMNH (data above) closely resemble the lectotype of A. ornatus in having small compound pores only on abdominal segment VII, but they have more numerous submarginal double-rimmed pores which are, thus, closer together: these specimens (Fig. 53) are determined as A. ornatus with caution.