Distantasca parasmithi Wang & Selleck & Zhang & Cao 2025, sp. nov.

Distantasca parasmithi Wang & Cao sp. nov. (Figs 1A–J, 2A–I) Description. Length: male 3.3–3.6 mm, female 3.3–3.5 mm. Body slender, face oblate in lateral view. Colour when alive light green with a tinge of blue (Figs 1A, B). Ground colour of ethanol-preserved specimens yellow whitish, without distinct patches (Figs 1C–F). Male 2S abdominal apodemes subparallel-sided, reaching end of segment IV, apically rounded (Fig. 1G). Male pygofer bearing 13–15 rigid setae on apical lobe, ventral pygofer appendage strongly bifurcate medially, dorsal branch longer than ventral one, nearly extending to posterior pygofer margin (Figs 1H, I, 2A–C). Subgenital plate surpassing pygofer lobe, in lateral view narrow basally, expanded from middle to apex; basal group 6-8; ca. 17 marginal rigid setae uniseriate in most part; with 24–27 macrosetae in 3–4 rows, reaching apex; with a row of fine microsetae near outer margin from middle to apex and a few long hair-like setae basally and apically (Figs 1H, I, 2A, D). Aedeagal shaft longer than preatrium, broad at base in lateral view, curved dorsally, with one basal appendage nearly reaching gonopore in lateral view, directed laterad in ventral view, basodorsal protrusion present, gonopore subapical on ventral side (Figs 1J, 2E, F). Paramere short, broad at base, apically pointed, ventral margin serrated near apex, with one fine seta subapically (Figs 1H, I, 2G). Connective triangular, stem slightly constricted subapically (Figs 1H, I, 2H). Anal tube long, with well-developed basal appendages nearly reaching ventral margin of pygofer, apex bifurcated, C-shaped (Figs 1H, I, 2A, I). Type material: Holotype. ♂ (VAIC # 085802, Figs 1A, B), Australia, Victoria, Watsonia, 09-V-2024, ex Dahlia sp. (Asteraceae), coll. Janice Wong. Paratypes. 4 ♂♂ (VAIC # 085803 – 085806) and 4 ♀♀ (VAIC # 085809 - 085812), same data as holotype; 4 ♂♂ and 2 ♀♀ (NWAFU), same locality data as holotype, 29-III-2024.Additionally, over 400 adult and nymphal specimens collected from the same location and individual Dahlia sp. plant at different times; 29-III-2024, 02-IV-2024, and 01-V-2024 (in VAIC). Molecular data: Seven specimens were used to obtain COI barcodes following Eow et al. (2023): four specimens destructively DNA extracted (2x nymphs and 2x females), and three non-destructively DNA extracted (males). We found five different haplotypes which diverged by up to 0.8% (GenBank accession numbers: PV138852-138856). The COI barcode sequences were compared to barcode sequences from the BOLD database (Barcode of Life Data System), and seven reference sequences with>97% similarity matches were found. Five of these records have publicly available collection details, indicating the same taxon has also been found in Madang, Papua New Guinea in 2016 (GMNGZ125-16), South Australia, Australia in 2022 (ASMIJ22720-24), and Queensland, Australia from 2012-2024 (HEQT1099-12, GCQT574-17, AUCGP278-24, AUCGP279-24). The host plant information is not known for these records. Etymology. The species epithet is derived from the combination of “ para- ” and “smithi ” which refers to the similarity of this new species to D. smithi (Fletcher & Donaldson, 1992). Remarks. This new species is similar to D. smithi (Fletcher & Donaldson) in the structures of pygofer ventral appendages, subgenital plate and anal tube appendages. However, it can be distinguished from D. smithi by the feature that the aedeagus has only one basal process (D. smithi has a pair of aedeagal processes). Additionally, D. parasmithi is currently only recorded from Dahlia, while D. smithi is a known pest of citrus in Australia. Distribution. Australia (Victoria, Queensland, South Australia), and Papua New Guinea, based on molecular data (see above).