Elginus eccentricus, Stiller, M., 2009

Stiller, M., 2009, Revision of Elginus Theron (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with the description of two new genera and comments on the grassland leafhopper fauna in South Africa, Zootaxa 2135 (1), pp. 1-56 : 13-14

Elginus eccentricus sp.n.

( Figs 13–16 , 59 , 86 , 113 , 138 , 163 , 188 , 214 , 241 , 262 )

Diagnosis. Entirely asymmetrical aedeagal shaft with single basal process.

Etymology. Latin, for the asymmetry of the entire aedeagus.

Colour. Male & female. Dark and light colour patterns, and nymph as in Figs 13–16 .

Dimensions. Male (n = 5). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.9–3.5 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 3.1–3.7 mm; vertex medially 0.5–0.6 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.3–0.4 mm; pronotum medially 0.3–0.4 mm; scutellum medially 0.3 mm. Maximum widths: head 0.9–1.1 mm; pronotum 0.8–0.9 mm; scutellum 0.4–0.5 mm. Ocellus: diameter 28 µm; ocellocular distance 53–65 µm.

Abdominal apodemes. Male. As in Fig. 262 .

Genital capsule. Male. Aedeagal shaft entirely asymmetrical, apex curved left or right, basally with wide, flattened process; short, 1.8 times as long as dorsal apodeme; gonopore ventral ( Figs 59 , 86 ). Connective as in Fig. 113 . Plate apex truncate, medial angle obtuse; separated by about 15°; setation variable (3–5 macrosetae), uniseriate ( Fig. 138 ). Pygofer lobe broadly rounded ( Figs 163 , 188 ). Style apophysis tapering, margins more straight; almost reaching apex of plate; 0.8 times as long as median arm ( Fig. 214 ).

Dimensions. Female (n = 8). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 3.2–3.4 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 3.2–3.7 mm; vertex medially 0.5–0.6 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.3–0.4 mm; pronotum medially 0.3–0.4 mm; scutellum medially 0.3 mm. Maximum widths: head 1.0– 1.1 mm; pronotum 0.8–0.9 mm; scutellum 0.4–0.5 mm. Ocellus: diameter 28 µm; ocellocular distance 53–63 µm.

Genital capsule. Female. Sternite VII with shallow, wide V-shaped notch, 1 pair of pillars ( Fig. 239 ). Third valvula with 1 apical seta (21 µm). Second valvula with regular, rounded denticulation.

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa. Mpumalanga. Near Trout Cottage on road between Mt Sheba and Sabie, 24°58ʹ35.88ʺS 30°39ʹ58.26ʺE, 1826 m, 12.xi.2005, M. Stiller, DVac moribund grass ( SANC). Paratypes (7♂, 14♀, 4 nymphs). Mpumalanga. 1♂, 1♀, Paardeplaats Farm, Long Tom Pass near Lydenburg, 25°05ʹS 30°35ʹE, 2000 m, 22–23.xi.1997, sweeping Eragrostis curvula (Poaceae) ; 1♂, ibid. above, but, 25°06ʹS 30°34ʹE, 1700 m, sweeping Themeda triandra (Poaceae) ; all M. Stiller; 3♂, Boskrans

Dam, Houtenbek Farm, 25°21ʹS 30°01ʹE, 1940 m, 1.xii.2002; 2♀, Macabelel Lodge, Houtenbek Farm, 25°18ʹS 30°03ʹE, 1980 m, 2.xii.2002; all E. Grobbelaar; 2♂, 3♀, 4 nymphs, ibid. holotype; 8♀, ibid. holotype, but, 24°58ʹ40.32ʺS 30°40ʹ32.52ʺE, 1881 m, DVac hill above cottage, dry moribund grass; all M. Stiller ( AMNH, BMNH, SANC) .

Remarks. No signs of parasitism which may cause the dramatically asymmetric aedeagus were noticed in the examined males. One specimen from Boskrans Dam has the aedeagal shaft broken off. This species appears to be rare at the three recorded localities, with two being closer together on the Drakensberg in Limpopo Province in the vicinity of Lydenburg, and the other south west on the Steenkampsberg, near Dullstroom. Apart from this species, only E. matarei has a completely asymmetric aedeagus but has additional spines apically and subapically on the shaft apex.

Figures

FIGURES 9–16. Elginus species, habitus views. Fig. 9, E. denticulatus, female; Fig. 10, E. dexteruncus, male; Fig. 11, E. dexteruncus, female; Fig. 12, E. dexteruncus, nymph; Fig. 13, E. eccentricus, male; Fig. 14, E. eccentricus, female dark; Fig. 15, E. eccentricus, female pale; Fig. 16, E. eccentricus, nymph.

FIGURES 51–77. Elginus species, male, aedeagus, dorsal or ventral view. Fig. 51, E. acutus, ventral view; Fig. 52, E. bispinus, dorsal view; Fig. 53, E. cavatus, dorsal view; Fig. 54, E. contradens, dorsal view; Fig. 55, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus, dorsal view; Fig. 56, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus, dorsal view; Fig. 57, E. denticulatus, dorsal view; Fig. 58, E. dexteruncus, dorsal view; Fig. 59, E. eccentricus, dorsal view; Fig. 60, E. extrinsecus, ventral view; Fig. 61, E. falcatus, dorsal view; Fig. 62, E. furcillatus, dorsal view; Fig. 63, E. latus, dorsal view; Fig. 64, E. levilobus, ventral view; Fig. 65, E. malotiensis, dorsal view; Fig. 66, E. matarei, ventral view; Fig. 67, E. minutulus, dorsal view; Fig. 68, E. oriens, dorsal view; Fig. 69, E. recavus, dorsal view; Fig. 70, E. saltus (Naudé), dorsal view; Fig. 71, E. semialatus, with paired process, ventral view; Fig. 72, E. semialatus, single process, ventral view; Fig. 73, E. theroni, dorsal view; Fig. 74, E. tortuosus, dorsal view; Fig. 75, E. tubulus, dorsal view; Fig. 76, E. unispinus, ventral view; Fig. 77, E. vulgaris, dorsal view.

FIGURES 78–104. Elginus species, male, aedeagus, lateral view. Fig. 78, E. acutus; Fig. 79, E. bispinus; Fig. 80, E. cavatus; Fig. 81, E. contradens; Fig. 82, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 83, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 84, E. denticulatus; Fig. 85, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 86, E. eccentricus; Fig. 87, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 88, E. falcatus; Fig. 89, E. furcillatus; Fig. 90, E. latus; Fig. 91, E. levilobus; Fig. 92, E. malotiensis; Fig. 93, E. matarei; Fig. 94, E. minutulus; Fig. 95, E. oriens; Fig. 96, E. recavus; Fig. 97, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 98, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 99, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 100, E. theroni; Fig. 101, E. tortuosus; Fig. 102, E. tubulus; Fig. 103, E. unispinus; Fig. 104, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 105–130. Elginus species, male, connective, Fig. 105, E. acutus; Fig. 106, E. bispinus; Fig. 107, E. cavatus; Fig. 108, E. contradens; Fig. 109, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 110, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 111, E. denticulatus; Fig. 112, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 113, E. eccentricus; Fig. 114, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 115, E. falcatus; Fig. 116, E. furcillatus; Fig. 117, E. latus; Fig. 118, E. levilobus; Fig. 119, E. malotiensis; Fig. 120, E. matarei; Fig. 121, E. minutulus; Fig. 122, E. oriens; Fig. 123, E. recavus; Fig. 124, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 125, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 126, E. theroni; Fig. 127, E. tortuosus; Fig. 128, E. tubulus; Fig. 129, E. unispinus; Fig. 130, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 131–156. Elginus species, male, plate, Fig. 131, E. acutus; Fig. 132, E. bispinus; Fig. 133, E. cavatus; Fig. 134, E. contradens; Fig. 135, E. cultellus; Fig. 136, E. denticulatus; Fig. 137, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 138, E. eccentricus; Fig. 139, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 140, E. falcatus; Fig. 141, E. furcillatus; Fig. 142, E. latus; Fig. 143, E. levilobus; Fig. 144, E. malotiensis; Fig. 145, E. matarei; Fig. 146, E. minutulus; Fig. 147, E. oriens; Fig. 148, E. recavus; Fig. 149, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 150, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 151, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 152, E. theroni; Fig. 153, E. tortuosus; Fig. 154, E. tubulus; Fig. 155, E. unispinus; Fig. 156, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 157–179. Elginus species, male, pygofer, dorsal view. Fig. 157, E. acutus; Fig. 158, E. cavatus; Fig. 159, E. contradens; Fig. 160, E. cultellus; Fig. 161, E. denticulatus; Fig. 162, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 163, E. eccentricus; Fig. 164, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 165, E. falcatus; Fig. 166, E. furcillatus; Fig. 167, E. latus; Fig. 168, E. levilobus; Fig. 169, malotiensis; Fig. 170, E. matarei; Fig. 171, E. minutulus; Fig. 172, E. oriens; Fig. 173, E. recavus; Fig. 174, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 175, E. theroni; Fig. 176, E. tortuosus; Fig. 177, E. tubulus; Fig. 178, E. unispinus; Fig. 179, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 180–205. Elginus species, male, pygofer, lateral view. Fig. 180, E. acutus; Fig. 181, E. bispinus; Fig. 182, E. cavatus; Fig. 183, E. contradens; Fig. 184, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 185, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 186, E. denticulatus; Fig. 187, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 188, E. eccentricus; Fig. 189, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 190, E. falcatus; Fig. 191, E. furcillatus; Fig. 192, E. latus; Fig. 193, E. levilobus; Fig. 194, E. malotiensis; Fig. 195, E. matarei; Fig. 196, E. minutulus; Fig. 197, E. oriens; Fig. 198, E. recavus; Fig. 199, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 200, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 201, E. theroni; Fig. 202, E. tortuosus; Fig. 203, E. tubulus; Fig. 204, E. unispinus; Fig. 205, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 206–232. Elginus species, male, style, Fig. 206, E. acutus; Fig. 207, E. bispinus; Fig. 208, E. cavatus; Fig. 209, E. contradens; Fig. 210, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 211, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 212, E. denticulatus; Fig. 213, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 214, E. eccentricus; Fig. 215, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 216, E. falcatus; Fig. 217, E. furcillatus; Fig. 218, E. latus; Fig. 219, E. levilobus; Fig. 220, E. malotiensis; Fig. 221, E. matarei; Fig. 222, E. minutulus; Fig. 223, E. oriens; Fig. 224, E. recavus; Fig. 225, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 226, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 227, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 228, E. theroni; Fig. 229, E. tortuosus; Fig. 230, E. tubulus; Fig. 231, E. unispinus; Fig. 232, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 233–258. Elginus species, female, sternite VII. Fig. 233, E. bispinus; Fig. 234, E. cavatus; Fig. 235, E. contradens; Fig. 236, E. cultellus, associated males with curved aedeagus; Fig. 237, E. cultellus, associated males with straight aedeagus; Fig. 238, E. denticulatus; Fig. 239, E. dexteruncus variant; Fig. 240, E. dexteruncus variant; Fig. 241, E eccentricus; Fig. 242, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 243, E. falcatus; Fig. 244, E. furcillatus; Fig. 245, E. levilobus; Fig. 246, E. malotiensis; Fig. 247, E. matarei; Fig. 248, E. minutulus; Fig. 249, E. oriens; Fig. 250, E. oriens; Fig. 251, E. recavus; Fig. 252, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 253, E. semialatus; Fig. 254, E. theroni; Fig. 255, E. tortuosus; Fig. 256, E. tubulus; Fig. 257, E. unispinus; Fig. 258, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 259–273. Elginus species, male, abdominal apodemes, Fig. 259, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 260, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 261, E. denticulatus; Fig. 262, E. eccentricus; Fig. 263, E. falcatus; Fig. 264, E. furcillatus; Fig. 265, E. malotiensis; Fig. 266, E. matarei; Fig. 267, E. minutulus; Fig. 268, E. oriens; Fig. 269, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 270, E. theroni; Fig. 271, E. tortuosus; Fig. 272, E. tubulus; Fig. 273, E. vulgaris.