Whitefly? on Frangula/Rhamnus californica

Photo#1173320

I doubt that the third image is the same species. The vasiform orifice looks to elongate and acute relative to the one tentatively ID's as Aleuroparadoxus. It overall suggests Aleuroplatus, but again the VO is not consistent. Are you able to find more pupae for slide mounting?

… Ian Stocks, 10 June, 2016 - 7:41am

Hello Ian

I am absolutely confident image 1 and image 3 represent the same specimen. I photographed a lone specimen on a leaf before flipping it over for a ventral photo. I then photographed 2 specimens together after.

Unfortunately I no longer live in this area. I moved last week. I just received microscope equipment a few days ago. All bad timing!

The pupa are easy to find at the location, so I can probably pick them up later once I get a driver's license and can make the 2-3 hour drive.

… James Bailey, 10 June, 2016 - 3:18pm

Moved

Moved from Insects.

… Charley Eiseman, 2 January, 2016 - 6:53pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Robert Lord Zimlich, 2 January, 2016 - 10:43am

Pupae collected

If whitefly really do have a life cycle of 20-30 days, I'll expect adults before or just after the end of the year.

… James Bailey, 17 December, 2015 - 6:14pm

Possibly

Trialeurodes vittatus.

… Zachary Lahey, 11 December, 2015 - 8:56pm

Thanks Zachary

Would any details or angles help?

I can't find any references on identifying this species, or any pupa photographs, so that's interesting...clearly not a species that is often recognized.

… James Bailey, 11 December, 2015 - 9:38pm

Best way to ID would be to make a slide mount, however, this requires the necessary reagents and equipment. Other whitefly records from the same host plant include species in the following genera: Aleuroplatus, Aleuropleurocerus, and Tetraleurodes, all of which are typically brown to black in color. My initial ID was tentative at best and was based on the first search result I found. What you probably have is a Tetraleurodes, but I'm not familiar one that emits wax on its dorsum as seen in your pictures.

… Zachary Lahey, 12 December, 2015 - 2:23pm

I would have placed it in

Aleuroparadoxus iridescens, Iridescent Whitefly. It too has Rhamnus for a host.

… Dennis Haines, 15 December, 2015 - 12:17pm

Yeah

I agree with Dennis. The arrangement of wax mirrors the placement the dorsal reniform papillae seen in the genus. The reference I was looking at (Greg Evans, world whitefly catalogue) doesn't list this species as a host.

… Zachary Lahey, 15 December, 2015 - 12:29pm

Interesting...

Well the pupae were definitely iridescent in the sun, some surprising purple-blue-green effects going on.

I think I might try and rear some anyway. That species doesn't seem to have photos of adults on the web.

It does resemble this image closely:
http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/whitefly/key/Aleyrodid%20Pupal%20Key%20to%20the%20Genera/Media/Images/Aleuroparadoxus%20iridescens%20(Bemis).jpg

Thanks all for the help.

… James Bailey, 15 December, 2015 - 12:31pm

Thanks Zachary

Perhaps I'll try rearing the pupae and seeing if I can get adults. Not that adults always help of course.

… James Bailey, 13 December, 2015 - 2:20pm