Xalama microstyla Muir, 1930: 211

Bartlett, Charles R. & Kennedy, Ashley C., 2018, A review of New World Malaxa (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae), Zootaxa 4441 (3), pp. 511-528 : 520-523

Xalama microstyla Muir, 1930: 211

( Figures 19–24 , 27–29 , 37 , 39 )

Type locality. San Fermin , Bolivia.

Amended diagnosis. Color. Body generally deep brown ( Figs. 19, 21, 23 ); head, legs and dorsum of pronotum paler; carinae concolorous; vertex and dorsal portion of frons and genae orangish (bearing pale middorsal vitta on posterior vertex, extending posteriorly onto pronotum); ventral portions of frons and genae cream color; antennae stramineous. Disc of pronotum orangish brown except paler median vitta. Legs stramineous except darker proximally; venter of abdomen orangish. Wings clear with strong fuscous markings, one brown bar across apex of clavus to past fork of CuA; a second elongate curved marking extending diagonally along nodal line to wing margin, then diagonally across wing apex to costal margin. Structure. Body slender and elongate; length (from apex of vertex to tip of tegmina) males  = 4.69 mm (4.40–4.88 mm, n=5); females not available. Head narrower than pronotum ( Figs. 19, 23 ), carinae concolorous. Carinae distinct although median carina of vertex weaker. Frons elongate and parallel-sided ( Fig. 24 ; l:w  = 2.5:1, range 2.4–2.8:1, n=5), narrowed between eyes (width  = 0.17, n=5), widest near frontoclypeal suture (w  = 0.22, n=5). Vertex narrowing distally, slightly projecting in front of eyes, vertex broader caudally than long along midline (l: [basal] width  = 0.74:1, range 0.65–0.91:1, n=5); submedian carinae distinct, uniting before fastigium, basal compartments longer than wide. Rostrum reaching hind coxae. Antennae cylindrical, segment II long, nearly surpassing apex of clypeus ( Figs. 20, 24 ); segment I about 1/3 length of II (ratio I:II 0.37:1, range 0.28–0.45:1, n=5), length antennal segment I  = 0.13 mm (range 0.10–0.17, n=5), II  =0.34 (range 0.31–0.37, n=5). Pronotum subequal or just shorter than vertex along midline, lateral carinae usually not attaining hind margin. Mesonotum longer in middle line than vertex and pronotum together (1.91–2.33: 1, n=5). Wings elongate ( = 3.8 mm, range 3.2–4.1, n=5), much longer than abdomen, predominately clear with distinctive dark markings, wing apex rounded ( Fig. 37 ); nodus at about 2/3 length; Sc, RA and RP unbranched; MP branched near wing apex, CuA 3-branched; junction of PCu + AA near midlength of clavus; fork of MP+CuA at near 2/3 length of clavus; fork RA+SC and RP near claval apex (thus inner subapical cell longer than outer subapical cell). Spinulation of hind leg 5-6-4. Pygofer roughly triangular in lateral view ( Figs. 27 , 39 ), elongate ventrally and strongly narrowed dorsally; in caudal view, pygofer opening with midventral and lateral projections; midventral projection large and rounded, scoop-like; lateral projections just below midlength in form of rounded tooth in lateral view. Diaphragm extending from level of lateral projections and broadly concave beneath gonostyli (weak or absent above gonostyli). Gonostyli flattened and curled (apically scoop-like), irregularly parallel-sided, curved medially, bearing low, rounded tooth medially near midlength; apically broader and more flattened, somewhat angular, bearing find, irregular serrulations on inner apical margin fine; irregularly placed setae. Aedeagus elongate and robust, strongly downcurved into long, sclerotized structure, slightly twisted, bearing an irregular row of teeth on left and right sides and long, downward projecting process at curve. Anal tube (anal segment) small and simple.

Remarks. Differences between Xalama , Lamaxa , and Malaxa have been previously provided in the remarks under the later 2 genera. The much shorter and differently proportioned antennae and the very different form of the genitalia (viz. the strongly downcurved aedeagus and the projections on the ventral and lateral opening of the pygofer) are the most diagnostic features of the genus.

Material examined. Type material. Holotype ( Fig. 22 ) " S. Fermin / Boliv. // N. Holmgren // Typus [red paper] // Malaxa / microstylus / [male symbol] Muir [handwritten] // 79 / 81 / Riksmuseum / Stockholm / NHRS-GULI / 000011301". Other material examined. PERU: Chanchamayo, San Ramon, 11.12083°S 75.35361°W, 800 m, 17 Oct 2002, R. Rakitov & C. H. Dietrich (6 males, INHS) .

Figures

FIGURES 19–24. Xalama microstyla (19–22 holotype; 23–24 Peru); 19, habitus, dorsal view; 20, frontal view; 21, habitus lateral view; 22, labels; 23, habitus, dorsal view; 24, frontal view.

FIGURES 25–29. Male genitalia of Lamaxa occidentalis (25–26) and Xalama microstyla (27–29); 25, pygofer, semiventral view (note shape of process on ventral margin of pygofer opening); 26, pygofer, left lateral view; 27, pygofer, left lateral view; 28 pygofer, near caudal view; 29, pygofer, ventral view (note shape of process on ventral margin of pygofer opening).

FIGURES 35–37. Forewing, line art, leading margin ventrad; 35, Malaxa acutipennis; 36, Lamaxa occidentalis; 37, Xalama microstyla.

FIGURES 38–42. Redrawn line art; 38, Lamaxa occidentalis, aedeagal complex (aedeagus, connective, gonostyli) and anal tube from Muir 1926 (figure 6); 39 Malaxa microstyla, lateral view of terminalia, from Muir 1930 (figure 7); 40, Lamaxa gracilis, caudal view of pygofer (Fennah 1945, figure 94); 41, Lamaxa gracilis, median process of pygofer, ventral view (Fennah 1945, figure 91); 42, Lamaxa gracilis, anal segment and expanded dorsocaudal portion of male pygofer, posterodorsal view (Fennah 1945, figure 93).