Fescennia bivittata ( Coquerel, 1859 )

Stroiński, Adam, Łukasik, Piotr, Bartlett, Charles R., Pilet, Fabian, Hasinjaka, Rasolondalao Harin’Hala, Randretsiferana, Safidinirina Armande, Razafindrakotomamonjy, Andrianatenaina & Bahder, Brian W., 2025, New planthoppers in the genus Fescennia (Hemiptera: Derbidae) from screw palms (Pandanus spp.) in eastern Madagascar, with redescription of F. bivittata and an updated key to the genus, Zootaxa 5729 (1), pp. 75-104 : 87-91

Fescennia bivittata ( Coquerel, 1859)

( Figs 2–16 )

= Phenice bivittata Coquerel, 1859: 258 .

= Fescennia laticeps Stål, 1866: 199 ; nom. nov. for Phenice bivittata Coquerel.

= Fescennia bivittata (Coquerel, 1857) ; Distant, 1917: 288.

Type locality. Mayotte .

Diagnosis. Rust colored, head in lateral view conical with vertex posteriorly declinate, in dorsal view vertex broad, narrowed anteriorly, frons broadly quadrate and parallel-sided. Antennal pedicel apically invaginated, with dorsal peg and subapical lateral projection on ventroapical margin. Lateral margins of frons parallel, callus absent on dorsum of eye. Forewings with three large, fuscous bands. Medioventral process of pygofer broadly spatulate, apex bifurcated. Aedeagus with multiple broad, fin-like processes, serrated on margin.

Description. Color. Ground color orange, darker on thorax, paler on abdomen, legs testaceous, head white towards anterior margin, yellow near posterior margin, lateral margins of vertex and frons fuscous, fuscous patches on posterior of vertex, clypeus white with yellow wash on anterior margin, sides yellow-orange, apical segment of stylet black, thorax with carinae paler, outlined fuscous, wings with fuscous mottling, abdomen with fuscous mottling ( Fig. 3 ).

Structure. Head ( Figs 4–7 ). In dorsal view, head just wider than pronotum. Vertex trapezoidal (about 3.5x wider posteriorly than long at midline); median carina present; lateral margins keeled (bearing rows of pits, one row large and evenly spaced, second row incomplete with small pits, plus few irregularly placed pits), weakly arcuate; anterior margin with transverse carina, distally concave medially, posterior margin convex; disc of vertex medially flat (sunken relative to keeled lateral margins); in lateral view, head anteriodorsally projected for length less than greatest eye width, profile generally rounded, slightly angulate at fastigium, extending slightly above and beyond eyes. In frontal view, lateral margins of frons subparallel, constricting slightly at frontoclypeal suture, row of large sensorial pits along lateral margins, from just ventrad of vertex to frontoclypeal suture, smaller pits interspersed among larger pits. Compound eye, ovoid, deeply emarginated at antenna, dorsal margin without horn-like callus; eye bearing peg-like sensory structures; cuticular eminence at postero-apical margin ( Fig. 4 ). Lateral ocelli obscure near anteroventral margin or eye. Antennal pedicel elongate-rounded, with ventro-apical projection; flagellum directed caudolaterally (hidden from frontal view); peg-like structures present ( Fig. 7 ).

Thorax. Pronotum in lateral view declinate anteriorly, raised above level of vertex; in dorsal view narrow, midlength at midline about equal to vertex; anterior margin convex (following contour of posterior head margin), concave on posterior margin; tricarinate, disc concave with ~4 nodules on each side of midline, postocular carina distinct. Mesonotum from lateral view raised above level of pronotum, convex; in dorsal view, slightly wider than long at midpoint, tricarinate, mid carina complete to scutellum, lateral carinae serpentine, arising at anterolateral margin, curved posteriorly, obsolete in posterior 1/3 ( Figs 4–6 ). Hind leg with apical tarsomere about same length (or slightly longer) than middle tarsus, basitarsus about length of telotarsus; metatibio-tarsal formula 5-6-5 ( Fig. 8 ). Forewing ( Fig. 9 ): branching pattern MP 1+2 5-branched; CuA 1a fused in short distance with branch MP 3+4; clavus without false veins (sclerification). Hind wing ( Figs 10 , 11 )

Male terminalia( Figs 12–15 ). Pygofer in lateral view narrow, strongly sinuate, narrowest near midlength, dorsally with caudal margin expanded to form triangular projection on posterior margin, expanded in ventral 1/3 to width to approximately equal width as dorsum, medioventral process asymmetrical, articulated at base, angled dorsally, in lateral view, narrowest basally, expanding from articulation point, bifurcated at apex, posterior bifurcation slender, curved toward anterior face, anterior bifurcation wide at base, subtriangular, gently curving anteriorly ( Figs 12 , 13 ). Gonostyli in lateral view broadly spatulate, rounded at apex, bearing distinct lateral ridge near dorsal margin for entire length; dorsal margin with hooked process near midlength, hooked posteriorly; proximally veering a small, angulate projection with thick setae ( Figs. 12–13 ); in ventral view, broad basally, bearing curved median process proximally with distinct basal ridge, angled mediodorsad; gonostyli constricting distad of processes, the expanded near midlength, apex rounded, large, subtriangular projection arising on inner margin at apex ( Figs 12 , 13 ). Aedeagal shaft tubular, simple, weakly upcurved, endosoma complex, asymmetrical, bearing four large processes; first process (E1) arising subapically on left lateral side, bifurcated proximally into two projections, posterior bifurcation (E1a) spinose, directed dorsad, anterior bifurcation (A2b) flattened, sinuate on dorsal and ventral margins, retrorse, finely serrulatedat apex, reaching just beyond shaft midlength ( Figs 14–15 ); second process (E2) arising at apex on dorsal margin, retrorse, nearly reaching aedeagal base, elongated and broadly flattened, serrated on dorsal margin near apex, apex cupped (appearing scoop-like) ( Figs 14–15 ); third process (E3) arising on right lateral side of E1, retrorse, broadly flattened and spatulate, reaching to aedeagal midpoint ( Figs 14–15 ); fourth process (E4) arising at apex on ventral margin ( Figs 14–15 ), bifurcated proximally into a pair of flattened, spatulate processes, right lateral process (E4a) serrated along apical margins, pinnaform in lateral view, spatulate in dorsal and ventral view, reaching to near midlength of shaft, left lateral bifurcation (E4b) narrower and shorter than E4a, spatulate, apex with serrated margin in distal 1/3 ( Figs 14 , 15 ). Anal tube in lateral view marrowly triangular, short, not reaching apex of gonostyli, ventral margin linear, dorsal margin irregularly sinuate ( Figs 12 , 13 ).

Plant Associations. Pandanus sp. ( Pandanaceae ).

Distribution. Eastern Madagascar; Analalava Forest Reserve, Isle St. Marie/Nosy Boraha. Also reported Mayotte, Comoros Islands, and Madagascar ( Coquerel 1859, Stål 1866, Jacobi 1917)

Material Examined. Madagascar, Alaotra-Mangoro Region , Analalava Forest Reserve, 27.I.2023, 24 males, 5 females ( FLREC), 14 males, 12 females ( MIIZ); Nosy Boraha (as. St. Marie), Voeltzkow [collector] ( 6 males, ASU) ( Fig. 16 ) .

Remarks. This species was described from Mayotte, subsequently reported from Nosy Boraha (as Sainte- Marie), Comoros Islands, and Madagascar ( Coquerel 1859, Stål 1866, Jacobi 1917, Metcalf 1945). The Comoros Island record from Jacobi (1917) may be an artifact from Jacobi attributing Mayotte as part of the Comoros; however, if the asserted distribution of the species is as widespread as it appears, F. bivittata is likely to be correctly attributed to the islands. The Coquerel collection was most likely deposited at the Société entomologique de France, which was mostly integrated into the collection of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris, but the type of this species was not found. Muir (1925: 472) stated that this type was in the Signoret collection based on Stål (1866: 199), which is located in part in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (Natural History Museum, Vienna), but the specimens have not been located.

Fescennia bivittata is characterized by a combination of the shape of the head, wing pattern and coloration of the mesonotum. The distinct banding on the wings, the angled head and nearly parallel margins of the frons, and rust colored mesonotum allow for this species to be distinguished from others. In addition, the structure of the medioventral process of the pygofer and aedeagus separates this species from congeners.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Adult Fescennia bivitatta aggregating on Pandanus sp. (Photo courtesy: Daniel Austin – iNaturalist danielaustin; observation 175711491).

FIGURE 3. Adult male habitus of Fescennia bivitatta in ethanol; (A) lateral view and (B) dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Adult male of Fescennia bivitatta in ethanol; (A) head, pronotum and mesonotum dorsal view, (B) head, pronotum and mesonotum lateral view and (C) head frontal view.

FIGURE 5. Adult male of Fescennia bivitatta dried and mounted; (A) dorsal view, (B-C) frontal view (D) dorso-lateral view and (E) lateral view.

FIGURE 6. SEM photographs of Fescennia bivittata clypeus (A–D) and thorax (E–F).

FIGURE 7. SEM photographs of Fescennia bivittata head, highlighting sensory structures on vertex (A–B), frons (C–E) and antennae (F–L).

FIGURE 8. Fescennia bivitatta hindleg (A), tibial apex (B) and tarsomeres (C–D).

FIGURE 9. Fescennia bivitatta forewing venation.

FIGURE 10. Fescennia bivitatta hindwing venation.

FIGURE 11. Fescennnia bivittata SEM photographs: (A) Tegmen costal margin with sensory structures,(B) jugal lobe of hind wing relative to body, dorsal view, (C) lateral view, (D) jugal lobe position on hind wing, (E) tip of stridulatory plate and (F) stridulatory plate, ventral view.

FIGURE 12. Fescennia bivitatta male terminalia; (A) lateral view, (B) ventral view, (C) dorsal view, (D) lateral view of gonostylus and (E) right lateral view of dissected medioventral process of pygofer.

FIGURE 13. Fescennnia bivittata male, SEM photographs; (A–B) abdomen and terminalia lateral view, (C) anal segement lateral view, (D) pygofer and gonostylus lateral view, (E–F) pygofer and gonostyli ventral view.

FIGURE 14. Fescennia bivitatta aedeagus; (A) right lateral view, (B) left lateral view, (C) dorsal view and (D) ventral view.

FIGURE 15. Fescennia bivitatta aedeagus line art; (A) right lateral view, (B) left lateral view, (C) dorsal view and (D) ventral view.

FIGURE 16. Specimen of Fescennia bivitatta from Arizona State University Collection.