Aleuroclava bannanensis Lin & Wang 2026, sp. nov.

Aleuroclava bannanensis Lin & Wang sp. nov. Figs 1, 2, 3 Type material. Holotype puparium: China • Yunnan, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, 21°55'36"N, 101°15'19"E, alt. 558 m, 1 puparium on slide, 29.vii.2023, leg. Qing-Song Lin, Lin-Qian Lu & Xiao Zhang, on unidentified plant, deposited in ZAFU. Paratypes: • 3 puparia on 2 slides with same collection data as the holotype. Description. Puparium. Empty pupal case white, elliptical in shape, with some deep indentations on the margin, slightly constricted at the thoracic and caudal ends (Figs 1 A, 3 A), 0.608 –0.649 mm long, 0.421 –0.462 mm wide. There is no obvious wax secretion on the dorsal surface and margin (Fig. 1 A). Margin. Faintly crenulate. Thoracic tracheal pores C-shape, inner margin smooth. Caudal furrow narrow, with some minute tubercles on it (Figs 2 B, 3 B). Dorsum. Submargin separated from dorsal disc by a ridge. Longitudinal and transverse molting sutures both reaching submargin (Fig. 3 A). The cephalic and first abdominal segments are long and situated on large tubercles (Fig. 2 C). Cephalothorax with six pairs of short, blunt tubercles, and some smaller tubercles located longitudinally along the termination of the abdominal segment. Median length of pro-, meso- and metathorax: 47.8, 49.9 and 59.5 µm, respectively. Length of abdominal segments as measured along the midline as follows: abdominal segments I – V each 26.6 µm; abdominal segments VI 21.7 µm; abdominal segment VII 20.3 µm; and abdominal segment VIII 18.4 µm. Abdominal segment sutures reaching subdorsal area. Distance between posterior end of vasiform orifice and caudal opening measured 85.9 µm long (Figs 2 D, 3 C). Vasiform orifice. Subcordate, posteriorly protrude (Figs 2 D, 3 C), 28.1 µm long, 33.9 µm wide; operculum subcordate, 16.7 µm long, 23.8 µm wide, almost covering the orifice; lingula concealed. Venter. Thoracic and caudal tracheal folds distinct (Figs 2 D, 3 B). Antennae 65.7 µm long, extend through inside prothoracic legs. Legs not elevated from the ventral surface, apical pads present; adhesive sacs and spiracles visible. Chaetotaxy. Posterior marginal setae 17.6 µm long. Cephalic setae 168.8 µm long. First abdominal setae 152.7 µm long. Eighth abdominal setae lateral to vasiform orifice, 3.5 µm long. Caudal setae 92.1 µm long. Host plant. Unidentified plant. Distribution. China (Yunnan). Biology. Specimens were found on the undersurface of leaves. No adults were collected in the samples, and no ants were observed attending the whitefly. Etymology. The species takes its name from its type locality, Xishuangbanna, China. Remarks. The new species differs from its congeners in having some tubercles arranged longitudinally at the termination of the abdominal segment, and the in having the submargin separated from the dorsal disc by a ridge. The puparium of the new species differs from A. canangae in lacking two-jointed tuberculate setae (present in A. canangae) and in having a cephalothorax with six pairs of short, blunt tubercles (three pairs in A. canangae).