Birdantis virginiae, Constant, 2011

Constant, Jerome, 2011, The genus Birdantis Stål in Australia (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoridae), Zootaxa 2885 (1), pp. 44-54 : 51-54

Birdantis virginiae n. sp.

Figs. 1 A–D , 2 , 3 F–I , 7 C .

Etymology. The species is dedicated to a promising young biologist, Miss Virginie Guibourt.

Material examined. Holotype ♂: [16.48’S 145.38’E. ( GPS), Qld. Kuranda (335m) (top of the Range), 19 Butler Dr 1–15.ii.2010, DCF Rentz] [ ANIC database No. 20 004475] ( ANIC).

Paratypes: QUEENSLAND, 1 ♂: 16.48’S 145.38’E. ( GPS) , Kuranda (335m) (top of the Range), 19 Butler Dr 1–16.iv.2010, DCF Rentz ( ANIC: 20 004474) ; 1 ♀: 16°49’S 145°41’ E, Smithfield, James Cook University , near bldg E2, 8.i.2009, DCF Rentz, G. Wilson on trunk Toona ciliata M. Roem ANIC Database No. 20 004479 (RBINS, ex ANIC) ; 2 ♀: 16°49’S 145°41’ E, Smithfield, James Cook University , near bldg E2, 8.i.2009, DCF Rentz, G. Wilson on trunk Toona ciliata M. Roem ( ANIC: 20 004478, 20 004481) ; 1 ♂: upper Jardine R, Cape York Pen., 11°14’S 142°36’ E, 26.x.1979, M.S. & B.J. Moulds Birdantis similis (Schmidt) , det: M.J. Fletcher ( ASCU: MJF003015 ) ; 1 ♂: same data as preceding, 24.x.1979 ( RBINS: MJF003016 ) ; 1 ♂: upper Davies Ck, Lamb Rg, Mareeba Dist., 800m, 25.xii.1988, H. & A. Howden coordinates: 16°54'S 145°33'E ( ASCU: MJF003017 ) ; 1 ♂: Gap Creek, Mt Finlayson Rg., S. of Cooktown , 2.i.1981, M.S. & B.J. Moulds Birdantis similis (Schmidt) , det: M.J. Fletcher coordinates: 15°52'S 145°22'E ( ASCU: MJF003018 ) ; 1 ♀: Claudie R., Cape York Pen., J. Kem , v.1961 Birdantis sp. , M.S.K. Ghauri det. 1962 coordinates: 12°50'S 143°21'E ( ASCU: MJF003200 ) ; 2 ♂, 2 ♀: Hinchinbrook Is., Gayndah Ck , 10 m, 7–15.xi.1984, Monteith, Cook & Thompson coordinates: 18°22'S 146°12'E ( QM; 1♂, 1 ♀: RBINS) ; 4 ♂: 3 mls W of Mossman , 13.iii.1964, I.F.B. Common & M.S. Upton coordinates: 16°28’S 145°22’E ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂: 2.i.1988, Polly Ck, Garradunga, J. Hasenpusch coordinates: 17°27’S 146°00’E ( QM) ; 1 ♂: Polly Creek, Garradunga , 12.i.1999, J. Hasenpusch ( QM) ; 1 ♂: 10°42.3’ Sx 142°13.5’ E, Prince of Wales Is. , camp., 3–7.i.2008. 15460, G. Monteith, K. Aland, 10m ( QM) ; 4 ♂, 1 ♀: 9 mls E of El Arish , 7.iii.1964, I.F.B. Common & M.S. Upton coordinates: 17°48’S 146°00’E ( ANIC) ; 5 ♂: Shiptons Flat, via Helenvale , 30.xi. 1985, 200m, G. Monteith & D. Cook coordinates: 15°48’S 145°15’E ( QM) ; 2 ♂: 15.47S 145.14 E, Shiptons Flat , 17–19.x.1980 T. Weir ( ANIC) ; 2 ♀: Lizard Is. , NNE of Cooktown, 18.xi.1974, M.S. & B.J. Moulds coordinates: 14°40’S 145°28’E ( AM) ; 2 ♀: Clump Pt. , 6.iii.1964, I.F.B. Common & M.S. Upton coordinates: 17°51’S 146°07’E ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂: Little Crystal Creek, Mt. Spec , 1000 ft., 3.i.1968, R. Dobson coordinates: 18°58’S 146°17’E ( QM) ; 1 ♂: Russell R. at Bellenden Ker Landing , 5m, 24–31.x.1981, Earthwatch / Qld. Mus. Birdantis similis (Schmidt) , det. M.J. Fletcher coordinates: 17°13’S 145°58’E ( QM) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀: Bellenden Ker Range, Cableway Base Stn , 100m, 17–24.x.1981, Earthwatch / Qld. Mus. At mercury vapour light, rainforest Birdantis similis (Schmidt) , det. M.J. Fletcher coordinates: 17°15’S 145°52’E ( QM) ; 1 ♂: Captain Billy Creek , Cape York Pen. 142°50’ E, 11°40’ S, 9–13.vii.1975, G.B. Monteith ( QM) ; 1 ♂: Babinda , 28.xii.1972 M.S. Moulds coordinates: 17°21’S 145°55’E ( AM) ; 2 ♀: Little Mulgrave , iii.1950, J.G. Brooks coordinates: 17°08’S 145°43’E ( QM) ; 1 ♀: 15.47S 145.17 E, Moses Ck. 4km N by E of Mt Finnigan, 14–16.x.1980 T. Weir ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂: Middle Claudie River. Iron Range. Qld. 22.x.1974, M.S. Moulds coordinates: 12°43’S 143°17’E ( AM) ; 1 ♂: Iron Range , 27.v.1975, M.S. Moulds coordinates: 12°46’S 143°19’E ( AM) ; 1 ♂: Iron Range , 12.iv.1964, I.F.B. Common & M.S. Upton ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀: Lockerbie , 14– 17.v.1948 Archbold Exped. North Queensland, Australia L.J. Brass Collector coordinates: 10°48’S 142°27’E ( AMNH) ; 1 ♂: Lockerbie, Cape York , 1.iv.1964, I.F.B. Common & M.S. Upton ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀: Gap Ck, Bloomfield district , 14.iv.1994, M.S. Moulds coordinates: 15°52’S 145°21’E ( AM) ; 1 ♂: 15.50S 145.20 E, Gap Ck. 5km ESE Mt Finnigan 13–16.v.1981, A. Calder ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂: Daintree River, Cape York Peninsula. ix.1947, N. Geary, coordinates: 16°17’S 145°27’E ( QM) ; 1 ♂: 15.04S 145.07 E, Mt. Webb Nat. Pk. 28–30.ix.1980, T. Weir ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀: 15.04S 145.07 E, Mt. Webb Nat. Pk. 27–30.iv.1981, A. Calder at light ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀: Graham Range, via Babinda , 9–10.iv.1979, G.B. Monteith coordinates: 17°19’S 145°59’E ( QM) ; 1 ♀: 1 mile East of Kuranda , 4.v.1955, Norris & Common ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂: 3 mls. N. of Kuranda , 24.iv.1955, Norris & Common ( ANIC) ; 2 ♂: 25 mls. W. of Tully , 8.iii.1964, I.F.B. Common & M.S. Upton ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂: Kirrama Range, W. of Kennedy 17.i.1990, MS & BJ Moulds coordinates: 18°06’S 145°42’E ( AM) ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀: 5 mi. E. Cardstone , 13.i.1967 M V lamp, D.K. McAlpine & G. Holloway (AM, 1 ♀: RBINS ex AM) ; 1 ♂: Iron Range , 12.v.1975, M.S. Moulds ( RBINS ex AM) ; 1 ♂: Iron Range , 18.v.1975, M.S. Moulds ( RBINS ex AM) ; 1 ♀: 4mls. W. of Babinda , 9.iii.1964, I.F.B. Common & M.S. Upton ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂: Kuranda , 15.i.1985, R. Straatman, at light ( QM) ; 1 ♀: 1 ml. E. of Kuranda , 11.iii.1964, I.F.B. Common & M.S. Upton ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀: 15.30S 145.16 E, 1km SE of Mt. Cook , 13.x.1980, T. Weir ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂: 15.50S 145.20 E, Gap Ck. 5km ESE Mt. Finnigan, 13–16.v.1981, A. Calder at light ( ANIC) ; 1 ♂: 9 mls. N. of Kuranda , 12.iii.1964, I.F.B. Common & M.S. Upton ( ANIC) .

Description. LT: ♂ (n = 48): 17.6 mm (15.8–18.8); ♀ (n = 22): 20.0 mm (18.7–21.2).

Head: pale yellow-brown; vertex with transverse groove and all margins carinate (figs. 2 E, F); frons with 5 longitudinal brown lines: lines 1 and 5 limited to basal half, lines 2 and 4 curved internally basally and reaching upper margin of frons (sometimes limited to basal 4/5, especially in males), line 3 usually limited to basal 4/5, sometimes reaching upper margin; upper margin of frons marked by black line (fig. 2 G); clypeus with 2 curved brown lines (fig. 2 G); labium with penultimate segment surpassing hind coxae (fig. 2 H); ratio BV/LV = 3.85; BF/ LF = 1.2.

Thorax: pronotum pale yellow-brown with median carina and impressed point on each side; small brown spot on each side of disc; mesonotum brown, sometimes with disc paler, and with median and peridiscal carinae sligtly marked; irregular yellow markings on sides; peridiscal carinae yellow with small yellow circle at base (figs. 2 E, F); metathoracic sternite black (fig. 2 H); ratio BT/LP+LM = 1.0.

Tegmina: orange-brown, on basal half and clavus, apical half hyaline; irregular black-brown markings; largest and best defined markings on membrane, markings often confluent on latter; costal cell and veins on basal half tinged with green; veins on apical half variegated black-brown and pale yellow; costal and sutural margins subparallel, tegmina slightly broader at nodal line; apex rounded and with apical margin oblique (figs. 2 E, I, H); ratio LTg/BTg = 3.77.

Hind wings: hyaline with base orange; apex and baso-sutural area slightly infuscate; veins lack-brown, orangebrown at base; maximal breadth near base; slightly broader than tegmina (figs. 2 E, H).

Legs: yellow-green apex and one ring on tibiae I and II, and tarsi, brown; tibiae III with 6 lateral and 6 apical spines, brown (figs. 2 E, H).

Abdomen: brown dorsally with segments margined with black posteriorly; yellow-green ventrally (figs. 2 E, H).

Genitalia ♂: pygofer higher than long and with posterior margin emarginate at upper third in lateral view (fig. 6 A); anal tube elongate, slightly curved ventrally in lateral view and slightly broadening from base to apex in dorsal view (figs. 6 A, C); gonostyli with angles of posterior margin rounded and well marked, and one tooth in middle of dorsal margin (fig. 6 A); tooth projecting antero-laterally and with apex pointing ventrally (fig. 6 B).

Biology. The species seems to be restricted to Cape York Peninsula, and is attracted to light traps. Toona ciliata M. Roem (Meliaceae) is a host plant for this species. Several specimens were collected in Cairns on that species of tree by Gary Wilson (pers. comm.), who noticed the degree of camouflage of the animals when they were on or adjacent to old bark or wounds on the tree (the bark is generally light in colour).

Note. Some of the specimens had been identified by Fletcher (2005) as Birdantis similis ( Schmidt, 1911) after Lallemand’s (1963) revision. B. virginiae is easily separated from B. similis by the following characters of the latter: base of tegmina red; no black line between frons and vertex; three central lines of frons joining dorsally.

Figures

FIGURES 1. A–F, Birdantis goemansi. A, habitus, dorsal view (LT: 18.7 mm). B, head and thorax, dorsal view. C, frons, normal view. D, habitus, ventral view. E, habitus, lateral view. F, head and thorax, lateral view. G–L, Birdantis mouldsi. G, habitus, dorsal view (LT: 21.9 mm). H, head and thorax, dorsal view. I, frons, normal view. J, habitus, ventral view. K, habitus, lateral view. L, head and thorax, lateral view.

FIGURES 2. A–D, Birdantis virginiae, specimens on Red Cedar in Cairns (Photographs by Gary W. Wilson). E–K, Birdantis virginiae. E, habitus, dorsal view (LT: 20.2 mm). F, head and thorax, dorsal view. G, frons, normal view. H, habitus, ventral view. I, habitus, lateral view. J, head and thorax, lateral view.

FIGURES 3. A–C, Birdantis goemansi, male genitalia. A, pygofer, anal tube and gonostyli, lateral view. B, dorsolateral process of gonostylus, posteroventral view. C, anal tube, dorsal view. Scale 1 mm.

FIGURE 7. A–C, Distribution of the species of Birdantis in Australia. A, B. goemansi. B, B. mouldsi. C, B. virginiae.