Pravistylus caenophallus, Stiller, 2010

Stiller, M., 2010, Revision of the Southern African leafhopper genus Pravistylus (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae) 2468, Zootaxa 2468 (1), pp. 1-81 : 12-13

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2468.1.1
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10537691
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EFD356-FFD0-FFDE-6CFF-734F89CBD2F2
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Pravistylus caenophallus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Pravistylus caenophallus View in CoL sp. n.

( Figs 1 d View FIGURE 1 ; 2 y View FIGURE 2 ; 3 View FIGURE 3 ak; 4 ai; 5 ac; 6 ai; 7 e & f; 8 e)

Diagnosis. Aedeagus modified, shaft dorsomedially with bilobate process, apex of shaft complex, with gonopore ventral ( Figs 3 View FIGURE 3 ak, 4 ai). Plate triangular, apex truncate ( Fig. 2 y View FIGURE 2 ).

Etymology. Greek, for the modified or new (kainos) aedeagus (phallus).

Male and female. Pale ochraceous ( Fig. 8 e View FIGURE 8 ). Hind wing about one quarter as long as tegmina.

Male. Dimensions. (n = 11) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.1–2.2 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.7–2.8 mm; vertex medially 0.5 mm; vertex next to eye 0.3 mm; pronotum medially 0.3 mm. Width: head 0.8 mm; pronotum 0.7 mm. Ocellar diameter 28.0–29.4 µm; ocellocular distance 35.7–48.3 µm.

Genital capsule. Pygofer, in lateral view, with ventral posterior margin slightly expanded; subapical dorsal posterior margin lobate ( Fig. 1 d View FIGURE 1 ). Pygofer lobe uniformly triangular, about half as wide as pygofer ( Fig. 1 d View FIGURE 1 ). Plate triangular, apex truncate or sometimes rounded; apices of unequal length; 3–7 macrosetae medially; subbasal and medial lateral margin with tufts of fine setae ( Fig. 2 y View FIGURE 2 ); plate 1.6–1.8 times as long as wide. Aedeagus, in lateral view, with shaft arising medially from atrium; preatrium rounded; dorsal apodeme curved posteriad; shaft with base straight, dorsally with single keel-shaped, bilobate process ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ak); apex of shaft complex, asymmetrical, expanded transversely into laterally directed points; gonopore ventral ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ai). Style distal part moderately separate from anterior medial lobe; apophysis elongate, digitate, with about four teeth ventrally; preapical lobe acute ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ac). Connective stem bifurcate, slightly constricted at base; apex of stem about as wide as width across arms ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ai).

Female. Dimensions. (n = 5) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.1–2.4 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.9–3.1 mm; vertex medially 0.5 mm; vertex next to eye 0.3 mm; pronotum medially 0.3 mm. Width: head 0.8–0.9 mm; pronotum 0.7–0.8 mm. Ocellar diameter 18.9–31.5 µm; ocellocular distance 39.9–55.3 µm.

Genitalia. Sternite 7 base rectangular; ligula base triangular, wide, apex rectangular ( Fig. 7 f View FIGURE 7 ) or subparallel ( Fig. 7 e View FIGURE 7 ), notch at apex; ligula shorter than greatest length across base of sternite 7.

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, Mpumalanga. Elandskrans Resort, Waterval Boven , 25°39ʹS, 30°21ʹE, 1450 m, 19.ii.2005, M. Stiller, sweeping grass and forbs, 1400m – 1500m ( SANC) GoogleMaps . Paratypes. 12♂, 5♀. Mpumalanga . 12♂, 5♀, same data as holotype ( BMNH, SANC) GoogleMaps .

Remarks. This species is characterized by the modified aedeagus ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ak). Only two other species show some form of modification to the aedeagus. These are P. scolophallus sp. n. ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 aj) and P. odontiophallus sp. n. ( Figs 3 m View FIGURE 3 , 4 k & l View FIGURE 4 ). In P. odontiophallus sp. n. the apex of the shaft is depressed and always with one side bearing small teeth. In P. scolophallus sp. n. the preatrium is produced into a long, thin spine. In all other species the shaft is not modified. The plates of P. trunculidiscus sp. n. ( Fig. 2 j View FIGURE 2 ) and P. odontopygeus sp. n. ( Fig. 2 x View FIGURE 2 ) have similar shapes and length to width ratios to that of P. caenophallus ( Fig. 2 y View FIGURE 2 ). In some regards this species is similar to a new species of Vilargus Theron that will be described later. The shape of the plate and aedeagus of this new species of Vilargus are similar to that of P. caenophallus . At present Vilargus females are defined by a notched posterior margin of the sternite 7. The distinct ligula of the sternite 7 of P. caenophallus sp. n. ( Figs 7 e & f View FIGURE 7 ) justifies its placement in Pravistylus .