Pealius gallae sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) causing leaf pit galls in Celtis philippensis Blanco (Rosales: Cannabaceae) in Andaman Islands, India.

A new whitefly species, Pealius gallae sp. nov. forming pit galls on Celtis philippensis Blanco discovered in the Andaman Islands, is described and illustrated. Leaf pit galls were formed in the microhabitat of the puparia, each pit was observed with a single puparium, the opposite side of the galls was convex, easily recognizable by chlorotic spots; older galls turn brown and brittle. This is the first authentic record with illustrations of any leaf pit gall forming whitefly. The specialised gall inducing insects may pose extinction risks with limited host range. The new whitefly differs from Pealius cinnamomi David and Sundararaj in the habitus, gall forming nature, number of submarginal setae, vasiform orifice shape, broad tracheal folds and pattern of tubercles in it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]