Abstract: 【Aim】 This study aims to clarify the biological differences between the two wing types (spotty wing and unspotted wing) of the spiraling whitefly Aleurodicus dispersus and infer the factors influencing wing type differentiation and determine its adaptive significance. 【Methods】 The development and reproduction of the two types of A. dispersus adults and the effect of parent wing type on wing type differentiation in F₁ progeny were compared at the constant temperature of 26℃. The effect of host plants and season on the differentiation of wing types was also investigated with the spotty wing adults as the F₀ generation. 【Results】 The results showed that there were no significant differences in the developmental duration of the parental and F₁ generation from egg to adult between the two wing types of A. dispersus. When the parents were spotty, the longevity, fecundity and population growth capacity of the F₁ generation were extremely significantly higher than those whose parents were unspotted. The proportions of unspotted individuals in the F₁ progeny when their parents were unspotted were extremely significantly higher than those whose parents were spotty. Host plants significantly affected the wing type differentiation of adults. The lowest proportion of unspotted individuals out of all adults was found on cassava, which was only 3.82%, while the highest was found on banana, which was 25.73%. There were significant differences in the proportions of unspotted and spotty individuals between different months. In July and August, the highest proportion of unspotted individuals out of all adults occurred. The proportions of unspotted individuals decreased gradually from September to March of next year, suggesting that temperature might be an important environmental factor influencing wing type differentiation.【Conclusion】 The differentiation of spotty and unspotted wing types of  A. dispersus  may be influenced by both genetic and environmental conditions. The coexistence of both spotty and unspotted individuals in A. dispersus populations could improve their ability to adapt to the environment.

Key words: Aleurodicus dispersus , wing spot, wing type differentiation, development, reproduction, adaptiveness