Smergotomia clairae, Dietrich, 2008

Dietrich, C. H., 2008, Some remarkable new Neotropical treehoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha: Membracidae), Zootaxa 1727, pp. 29-38 : 35

Smergotomia clairae n. sp.

( Figs 3, 4, 7, 10, 13, 14, 19–24)

Description. Measurements. Length, male 10.0–10.5; head width, male 3.6; pronotum width, male 4.0; forewing length, male 8.5; Length of male 10.5, head width 3.5–3.6, width across humeri 4.0, forewing length 8.8; female measurements unknown (only known female is teneral). Coloration. Overall color dull stramineous, marked with orange, yellow, and dark brown. Head without distinct markings. Pronotum dark orange medially, paler laterally. Scutellum brown basally, orange distally, median carina bright yellow. Forewing veins orange, membrane hyaline with dark brown pigment in basal half, in band extended from R 2+3 to M fork, and at apices of R 3, M 3+4, and Cu. Prothoracic tibiae with two transverse brown bands; meso- and metathoracic tibiae each with three transverse brown bands. Structure. Pronotum in profile with median crest subquadrate anteriorly, emarginate posterodorsally with acute posterodorsal projection; posterior margin with group of 4–5 setigerous tubercles on either side of midline. Aedeagus with shaft slender throughout length and parallel to dorsal apodeme, posteroventral surface with two parallel longitudinal rows of conspicuous setae with 6–7 setae per row, anterodorsal surface with two parallel rows of irregular teeth.

Material examined. Holotype male, ECUADOR, Napo, Res. Ethnica Waorani, 1 km S Onkone Gare Camp, Trans. ent. 12 February 1995, 220m, 00º39’10”S 076º26’W ( T. L. Erwin, et al., canopy fogging, lot#1049); 2 male paratypes, same data except 4 October 1994 (lot#862) and 8 February 1995 (lot#958).

Note. This species is named in honor of my daughter, Claire Evelyn Dietrich.