Acizzia errabunda sp. nov. and Ctenarytaina insularis sp. nov.: Descriptions of two new species of psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) discovered on exotic host plants in New Zealand

Abstract

A recent molecular-based assessment of the psyllid fauna of New Zealand reported two genetically distinct, undescribed psyllid taxa on host plants not native to that country. Here, a morphological examination confirmed species-level variation that resulted in the description of two new psyllid species: Acizzia errabunda sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) from Acacia baileyana F. Muell and Ctenarytaina insularis sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) from Syzygium smithii (Poir.) Nied. Furthermore, the examination of specimens from entomological collections and from observations recorded on an online database enabled a better understanding of the distribution and host plant associations of these psyllid species. The description of A. errabunda is based on material collected in both New Zealand and Australia from the same plant species, A. baileyana, whereas the psyllid C. insularis has been found to be present in Brunei and New Zealand on S. smithii and in New Caledonia on Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S. T. Blake.