Doratura butzele Guglielmino & Bückle, 2021

Bückle, Christoph & Guglielmino, Adalgisa, 2022, Revision of the genus Doratura Sahlberg (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae) with particular regard to its distribution in Italy and description of four new species, Zootaxa 5112 (1), pp. 1-116 : 33-37

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5112.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C2750D92-315A-431F-BCEB-3E20ECD03EA0
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6954638
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039C8791-BF5D-1555-E8B8-871DBA5A332E
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Doratura butzele Guglielmino & Bückle, 2021
status

Treatment

( Figs 1F View FIGURE 1 ; 2G View FIGURE 2 ; 3B View FIGURE 3 ; 4D View FIGURE 4 ; 20C, D View FIGURE 20 ; 21F View FIGURE 21 ; 22A–G View FIGURE 22 ; 23D–F View FIGURE 23 ; 24D–G, L–N View FIGURE 24 )

Doratura (Doratura) butzele Guglielmino & Bückle, 2021: 78

Preliminary remark. In the MZUR (Rome) two specimens of Doratura are deposited, which were identified as Doratura paludosa Melichar by Wagner and present an aedeagus distinctly different from the aedeagus of the syntypes of D. paludosa in the Moravian Museum of Brno. In all other characters they are identical or at least very similar to these syntypes. Specimens with the same aedeagus shape are also in the Servadei collection, partly identified by Dlabola as D. paludosa as well. Apparently, both Wagner and Dlabola had noticed that in Italy two similar species are present and interpreted one of them correctly as D. veneta Dlabola , based on the figures in Dlabola’s description, the other one erroneously as D. paludosa Melichar without being acquainted with the genital morphology of the type series of the latter. In this unclear taxonomic situation, other authors used later both names for the two species without a coherent species discrimination. With D. veneta being synonymous to D. paludosa (see above), the second taxon, hitherto often interpreted as D. paludosa , recently has been described as D. butzele ( Guglielmino & Bückle, 2021) .

In addition to the characters provided in the original description, we mention only some further characters concerning coloration and male genital apparatus:

Description. Coloration ( Figs 22A–G View FIGURE 22 ). Pattern of markings as in D. paludosa with the same high degree of variability from light specimens (with very reduced dark markings: only three small spots on anterior border of vertex and thin transverse lines on face, black bands on abdomen disintegrated in rows of spots, small markings on male and female genital segment, thin stripes on legs and only inner areas of basal abdominal sternites dark) to very dark ones (with almost completely black face, complete dark band from vertex to scutellum, ± fuscous cells of fore wings, wide dark stripes on abdomen and almost completely black ventral side).

Male genitalia. Connective ( Fig. 2G View FIGURE 2 ) comparatively long with branched portion longer than proximal portion. Pygofer ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ) with about 7–12 macrosetae near its hind margin, concentrated in dorsal area near central black spot.

Fifth instar ( Fig. 21F View FIGURE 21 ). As in D. paludosa , with the same degree of variability.

Diagnosis. D. butzele displays a close affinity to D. paludosa and D. iblea . It shares with these species the aedeagus provided with small spinules on a great part of its surface and the stout evenly bent styles. The main difference to both species consists in the morphology of the aedeagus. In D. butzele ( Figs 23D–F View FIGURE 23 ) it is stouter (in lateral view), with rather evenly curved ventral margin and proximally curved dorsal margin. Spinules are present only in the central portion, with the apical sector remaining smooth and shiny. In D. paludosa the aedeagus ( Figs 23A–C View FIGURE 23 ) is slender in lateral view, widened only in its central portion, the ventral margin is strongly curved in the middle, the dorsal margin proximally straight, curved in its distal portion. Spinules are present on the entire surface including the apical part, a short proximal sector only remains free of them. D. iblea displays an aedeagus with abruptly elevated ventral crest, spinules are present up to the apex. In D. butzele , the pregenital sternite of the female ( Figs 20C, D View FIGURE 20 ) has generally a distinct small semicircular notch. In D. paludosa ( Figs 20A, B View FIGURE 20 ) this notch is usually shallow and rather indistinct. Sometimes it may be completely lacking, a condition that is observed also in D. iblea .

Distribution ( Fig. 58 View FIGURE 58 ). D. butzele is known in Italy from Veneto, Piedmont, Abruzzo, Molise, Apulia, Campania, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily. Furthermore, the species is present at least in Slovenia (Seljak, pers. comm.), Croatia (Istria), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania. (Among a series of D. stylata specimens from Tunisia, collected apparently by O. Schmiedeknecht and published by Melichar (1899), was one specimen of D. butzele ; the presence of the species in that country should be confirmed). Recently, the species was collected in Lower Austria, in a ground squirrel enclosure (possibly introduced).

Ecology. The species was collected in Northern and Central Italy (Veneto, Piedmont, Abruzzo, Molise) only at low altitude (0–700 m). In Calabria, it was found at low altitude too, but in the M. Pollino region also at moderately high altitude until 1400 m and in the Sila mountains until 1800 m; the highest collection sites in Sicily are at 1450 m ( M. Etna). The species occurs in dry or moderately moist habitats (borders of lowland riverbeds, grasslands near the seashore, ruderal places), in the southern regions also on mountain pastures or clearings of open forests .

Phenology. The species was collected from the beginning of June until the end of October. Probably it is bivoltine (possibly in mountain regions monovoltine) and overwinters in the egg stage.