Neonipponaphis pustulosis

Adult apterae of Neonipponaphis pustulosis on their presumed secondary host (Castanopsis) are aleyrodiform (= whitefly larva shaped), with a round, flat, strongly sclerotized body. They are reddish brown or blackish brown in life (see first picture below). The medial frons is not protuberant, and the eyes are triommatidia. Antennae are short, indistinctly 3-segmented, and 0.14-0.17 times as long as the body. Primary rhinaria are small, round, protuberant, and placed wide apart at the apex of the terminal antennal segment. The rostrum is short and thick, not reaching the mid-coxae. The apical rostral segment is blunt, wedge-shaped, and 1.23-1.64 times as long as second hind tarsal segment. The head, thorax, and first abdominal segment are fused to form the prosoma (=cephalothorax). Abdominal segments II-VII are fused and distinctly separated from the prosoma, and abdominal segment VIII is free (see second image above). The dorsum of the prosoma has many small oval or irregular-shaped pustules (cf. Neonipponaphis shiae, which has large pustules on the prosoma). Pustules around the thoracic spiracles are much smaller, protuberant, and conical in shape. Muscle attachment plates are distinct, forming a radial pattern with the dorsal pustules.

Images above copyright Chen & Qiao (2012) under a Creative Commons Licence.

Abdominal tergites II-VII are wrinkled, and have irregular oval markings. The dorsum of the prosoma and marginal vertical area of the body have numerous fine and pointed hairs, as well as 13 pairs of distinctly longer, thicker, and stiffer submarginal hairs, plus spinal hairs on tergites I & V (cf. Neonipponaphis shiae, which has submarginal and spinal hairs longer than the scattered dorsal hairs, but similar to the latter in thickness and hardness). Abdominal tergite VIII has 6-8 dorsal hairs (cf. Neonipponaphis shiae, which has 4-6 dorsal hairs on tergite VIII). The hind tibia is 0.10-0.11 times as long as body (cf. Neonipponaphis shiae, which has the hind tibia 0.09-0.10 times as long as body). First tarsal chaetotaxy (=bristle arrangement) is 2, 2, 2 (fore, mid, hind). Siphunculi on abdominal tergite VI are small, and pore-like. The cauda is knobbed, constricted at its base, 0.48-0.64 times as long as its basal width, and with 7-10 hairs. The anal plate is bilobed. Body length of adult Neonipponaphis pustulosis apterae is 1.41-1.63 mm (cf. Neonipponaphis shiae, which is much smaller at 1.11-1.24 mm in length).