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Photo#1179493
Aleuroplatus puparium? - Aleuroplatus

Aleuroplatus puparium? - Aleuroplatus
El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, USA
January 3, 2016
Size: 1 mm
Specimen showing the typical "holes". See a nicer series of the same specimens by Mr. Harald Grieb at:

The base of these critters looks almost identical to this photo posted as whitefly pupa on oak leaves.
A journal article on Aleuroplatus gelatinosus and Redescription of two live oak-infesting whiteflies in California

On the underside of Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) leaves. These critters remind me of whitefly pupae.
Update: I went to collect samples two days later (1/5/16) and viewed them under a microscope. All the specimens checked look like empty shells, but upon closer inspection the black structure at the base of the "shells" is probably the fourth instar or “pupa” of a whitefly in the genus Aleuroplatus. The structure at the base was not produced by the leaves, but by the insect and "glued" to the leaves. I doubt that all the holes are exit holes from a parasitoid because that would imply 100% parasitism; which I think is unlikely. These photos do not show the holes (except for the last one) because inadvertently were shot from the side opposite to the hole. I plan to check these trees in the spring and summer hoping to collect live bugs and photograph other developmental stages.
Also, I mailed samples to a whitefly expert and will provide updates here as soon as he determines this bug's identity.

Images of this individual: tag all
Aleuroplatus puparium? - Aleuroplatus Aleuroplatus puparium? - Aleuroplatus Aleuroplatus puparium? - Aleuroplatus Aleuroplatus puparia? - Aleuroplatus Aleuroplatus puparia? - Aleuroplatus Aleuroplatus puparium? - Aleuroplatus Aleuroplatus puparium? - Aleuroplatus Aleuroplatus puparium? - Aleuroplatus Aleuroplatus puparium? - Aleuroplatus Aleuroplatus puparium? - Aleuroplatus

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Interestinger and intersestin
Interestinger and intersestinger. I have examined the slides and although it is a close match to A. gelatinosus figured in Gill & Walker (2010), it is different is several respects. It is clearly not A. coronata, either. It will take additional study--it apparently is not any of the species currently associated with oak (Evans catalog), unless it is a variant of gelatinosus.

 
Great!
I will monitor these trees in the coming seasons and hopefully be able to photograph nymphs and adults that may help to solve this puzzle. When the time comes, I will be happy to mail you specimens for study.

I think this is more likely t
I think this is more likely to be a whitefly; the three white lines correspond with the thoracic and caudal tracheal furrows. Whiteflies also exhibit aberrant wax production when parasitized. A number of species develop on Oak in the US, but possibly many more afar south as El Paso. I can get it to genus-probably-if someone sends specimens.

 
Thank you Ian!
Of all the possibilities mentioned, I think that yours sounds most plausible. Could it be Aleuroplatus?

 
Received the whitefly specime
Received the whitefly specimens today…very interesting. I’ll make some montage images today; I also doubt that they are parasitized—except for the one specimen imaged with the brown 'dome' with what must be an emergence hole.
On the assumption that it is Aleuroplatus, I consulted the Evans checklist, and there is a very likely candidate-Aleurodes gelatinosus Cockerell 1898a: 264.
[USA: New Mexico, on Quercus arizonica]

It seems that you’ve already concluded that?

gelatinosus is certainly a good epithet…the glassy material surrounding the pupa (not the cone on top) is very ‘sticky’

 
I appreciate your expert help with these bugs
They have been a real stumper to most entomologist that looked at these images. After viewing the photos, a couple of the most experienced individuals with whiteflies on live oaks concluded that it was A. gelatinosus only to backtrack and state that they felt confident on Aleuroplatus, but not so sure about the species. Besides the local entomologists, you are the only one who has received samples and considering your expertise on this insect group, I am placing all my bets on your diagnosis. Thank you again for your kind assistance.

Aphid mummy
This was an aphid that had been parasitized by an Aphidiinae braconid. I rather think though that this was not an emergence hole, which typically are evenly round. This hole is much more jagged, which makes me suspect that a predator with chewing mouthparts made it.

 
Thank you Chalcidbear!
I appreciate your kind help. What you said about the hole makes perfect sense. However, I am not familiar with any aphid that firmly attaches to the leaves and develops an structure similar to that of the palisade layer in whitefly puparium (see the greenish structure surrounding the base of this critter where it is attached to the leaf?). I fail to recognize it as aphid. Do you have a reference of an aphid that resembles this one? Thank you again for your kind assistance.

 
Palisade
I too am not convinced these are aphids; however, this waxy build up, if that's what it is, is not a true palisade layer as seen in whiteflies (e.g., Trialeurodes). In whiteflies, the palisade is located between the dorsal and ventral portions of the puparium. In this case, the "wax" appears to be located only on the dorsum of the animal.

What's underneath the wax?

 
I am working on it
I have shared these images with many entomologists and I am sure this bug will be determined soon. At the moment, Aleuroplatus seems most likely. Thank you!