Psylla frodobagginsi
Psylla frodobagginsi | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hemiptera |
Suborder: | Sternorrhyncha |
Family: | Psyllidae |
Genus: | Psylla |
Species: | P. frodobagginsi
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Binomial name | |
Psylla frodobagginsi Marconi, 2019
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Psylla frodobagginsi or the hobbit kōwhai psyllid is a species of psyllid, a plant-feeding hemipteran in the family Psyllidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found only on New Zealand kōwhai trees and is named after the character Frodo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings.
Taxonomy
P. frodobagginsi was first described by Francesco Martoni in 2019. The holotype specimen, collected at the Oamaru Public Gardens, is held at the Lincoln University Entomology Research Collection.[1]
Distribution
This species is endemic to New Zealand and has only been observed in the South Island.[1]
Description
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Psylla_frodobagginsi_%2810.1371-journal.pone.0221316%29_Figure_2.tiff/lossy-page1-220px-Psylla_frodobagginsi_%2810.1371-journal.pone.0221316%29_Figure_2.tiff.jpg)
P. frodobagginsi is smaller than its close relative, P. apicalis, lighter coloured, and has spotted wings. Males are as small as 1.24 mm (0.049 in).[1]
Biology
It is monophagous on kōwhai trees (Sophora microphylla).[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Martoni, Francesco; Armstrong, Karen (2019-09-18). "Resolving an 87-year-old taxonomical curiosity with the description of Psylla frodobagginsi sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Psyllidae), a second distinct Psylla species on the New Zealand endemic plant kōwhai". PLOS ONE. 14 (9): e0221316. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0221316.
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: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Psylla frodobagginsi discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week, 20 October 2020