Tuberaleyrodes actinodaphnis Takahashi Stat. nov.

(Figs 1–11)

Tuberaleyrodes machili var. actinodaphnis Takahashi, 1935: 56 –57.

Lectotype puparium (here designated) and paralectotypes. JAPAN: Botan, 12 puparia on 2 slides, on Cinnamomum sp., 25.v.1934, R. Takahashi; Actinodaphne sp., May 1935, R. Takahashi (TARI). The lectotype is located in the right-middle from the right side of the slide and marked on coverslip (Fig. 5). Martin & Mound (2007) documented type locality for this species from Taiwan following Mound & Halsey (1978). The correct BHU locality of this species is Japan.

Other material. All puparia from Actinodaphne pilosa; TAIWAN: Jhushan, 2 puparia on 2 slides, 30.ix.1994, K. C. Chou (1261); 1 puparium on slide, 20.ix.1995, K. C. Chou (2228); Kenting, 1 puparium on slide, 15.ix.1994, K. C. Chou (1206); 1 puparium on slide, 3.iii.1994, K. C. Chou (4pp); Puli, 1 puparium on slide, 17.iii.1995, K. C. Chou (2070); 1 puparium on slide, 12.vii.1995, K. C. Chou (2048); Shuili, 1 puparium on slide, 5.i.1995, C. C. Ko (162) (NTU).

Distribution. Japan (Takahashi, 1935); Taiwan (new record).

Host plants. Actinodaphne sp. (Lauraceae), Cinnamomum sp. (Lauraceae) (Takahashi, 1935).

Remarks. The lectotype puparium is selected from among 11 syntypes on a slide made from material collected by Takahashi on 25.v.1934 from Cinnamomum sp. Mound & Halsey (1978) listed this species as a variety of T. machili assuming that it may be a different species possibly based on the presence of setae on elevated tubercles. It seems Takahashi himself was not sure on the range of variation exhibited by T. machili and described T. actinodaphnis as a new variety of T. machili. Our examination of type material of T. actinodaphnis, and other determined specimens of T. machili by Takahashi, and a large number of specimens collected from the field by ourselves revealed that T. actinodaphnis is not a variety of T. machili, and now treated as a distinct species from other Tuberaleyrodes species. Hence, T. actinodaphnis is elevated to species level. In T. actinodaphnis, the vasiform orifice is located anterior to puparial caudal margin by two times of its own length (Fig. 11) whereas in T. machili it is located anterior to puparial caudal end by more than three times of its own length (Fig. 40). In addition to cephalic and first abdominal setae, the puparia of T. actinodaphnis have 12 pairs (4 subdorsal and 8 submarginal) of setae on usually elevated tubercles and located on same positions as in T. machili, however, T. actinodaphnis puparia have two pairs of additional setae on cephalic submargin those are absent in T. machili. The presence of large median tubercles on abdominal segments isolates T. actinodaphnis from T. machili. In T. machili, median area is without large tubercles but a row of minute tubercles present along segment sutures.