Xerophytavorus rastrullus, Stiller, Michael, 2012

Stiller, Michael, 2012, New leafhopper genera and species (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) which feed on Velloziaceae from Southern Africa, with a discussion of their trophobiosis, Zootaxa 3509, pp. 35-54 : 42-44

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.213100
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6180563
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/192F0A26-3111-6606-3CBF-FF67FE432869
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Xerophytavorus rastrullus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Xerophytavorus rastrullus sp.n.

( Figs 3–7 View FIGURES 1 – 7 , 52–76 View FIGURES 52 – 63 View FIGURES 64 – 76 )

Diagnosis. Pygofer process apex with comb-like structure ( Fig. 60 View FIGURES 52 – 63 ). Pygofer lobe medially with oval cluster of macrosetae ( Figs 59, 60 View FIGURES 52 – 63 ). Aedeagus with shaft depressed, medial and distal margins serrate ( Figs 54, 62 View FIGURES 52 – 63 ).

Etymology. Latin, rastrullus , diminutive for rake or comb, for the appearance of the row of teeth on the pygofer process.

Male, female and nymph. External morphology. Pale spots and markings on face, lateral margin of pronotum and vertex ( Figs 3, 4, 6, 7 View FIGURES 1 – 7 ). Tegmina with triangular translucent, whitish or yellow marking in claval cells on some specimens only. Marking was present (as in Figs 3, 4 View FIGURES 1 – 7 ) or absent (as in Fig. 7 View FIGURES 1 – 7 ) in about equal proportions in males and females (142 examined pinned and specimens in a capsule). Tegmina in male in Fig. 52 View FIGURES 52 – 63 , claval veins poorly developed, microsetae on most veins; apically with weakly developed or without cross-veins; appendix narrow. Female tegmina ( Fig. 64 View FIGURES 64 – 76 ) with two anteapical cells and two apical cells. Hind wing as in Fig. 65 View FIGURES 64 – 76 . Nymph with yellow longitudinal stripe, flanks brown; fore- and mid-legs pale, hind legs pale with distal apex of femur and tibia dark ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 1 – 7 ).

Abdominal apodemes. Abdominal apodemes ( Figs 55–57 View FIGURES 52 – 63 ) with posterior apodeme wide, with narrow medial lobes ( Fig 55 View FIGURES 52 – 63 , anterior view, Fig 57 View FIGURES 52 – 63 , dorsal view); anterior apodeme with elongate apical arms and membranous rounded, medial lobes ( Fig 55 View FIGURES 52 – 63 , anterior view, Fig. 56 View FIGURES 52 – 63 , dorsal view).

Male. Measurements. (n=43) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 1.97–2.16 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 1.72–1.98 mm; vertex 0.34–0.39 mm; next to eye 0.19–0.21 mm; pronotum 0.37–0.43 mm; scutellum 0.37–0.45 mm. Width: head 0.83–0.90 mm; pronotum 0.90–1.00 mm; scutellum 0.55–0.63 mm. Ocellus: diameter 3.60–4.50 µm; ocellocular distance 7.06–8.47 µm.

Male. Genitalia. Pygofer lobe medioventrally with process with comb-like apex ( Figs 59, 60 View FIGURES 52 – 63 ), lobe with apex with cluster of macrosetae, arising from ovoid base ( Figs 59, 60 View FIGURES 52 – 63 ); dorsal view as in Fig. 58 View FIGURES 52 – 63 , anterior apodeme short ( Figs 58, 59 View FIGURES 52 – 63 ). Aedeagal shafts sub-parallel, inner margins membranous, denticulate ( Fig. 54 View FIGURES 52 – 63 ), laterally as in Fig. 62 View FIGURES 52 – 63 . Plate triangular as in Fig. 61 View FIGURES 52 – 63 , lateral subapical margin rugose. Style with elongate, acuminate apophysis, ridge medioventrally; preapical angle deep, rounded; preapical lobe acute; lateral anterior lobe large, wide, right-angled; medial anterior lobe short, triangular ( Fig. 63 View FIGURES 52 – 63 ).

Female. Measurements. (n=30) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.02–2.18 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 1.83–2.06 mm; vertex 0.34–0.38 mm; next to eye 0.19–0.22 mm; pronotum 0.39–0.43 mm; scutellum 0.39–0.46 mm. Width: head 0.86–0.92 mm; pronotum 0.93–1.00 mm; scutellum 0.58–0.65 mm. Ocellus: diameter 3.82–4.35 µm; ocellocular distance 6.97–8.66 µm.

Female. Genitalia. Sternite 7 with deep median V-shaped notch, margins depicting damage ( Fig. 67 View FIGURES 64 – 76 ). Valvula 3 ( Fig. 66 View FIGURES 64 – 76 ) with uniseriate setae marginally, apex rounded. Valvula 2 ( Fig. 72 View FIGURES 64 – 76 ) lanceolate, apical half serrate, slightly narrowed medially; serration regular, fine as in Figs 74, 75 View FIGURES 64 – 76 at apex, Fig. 76 View FIGURES 64 – 76 , medially), medial sclerotized section as in Fig. 73 View FIGURES 64 – 76 . Valvula 1 ( Fig. 68 View FIGURES 64 – 76 ) lanceolate; dorsal and ventral microsculpture imbricate, as in Figs 69, 71 View FIGURES 64 – 76 at apex, and Fig. 70 View FIGURES 64 – 76 medially.

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, Gauteng. Pretoria, 25°45ʹS, 28°12ʹE, 1450 m, 21.i.1970, B. Buys ( SANC). Paratypes. 513, 44Ƥ, 17 nymphs. Gauteng. 143, 8Ƥ, ibid. holotype, 21.i.1970; 33, 2Ƥ, ibid. holotype, 13.xi.1976; 53, 7Ƥ, ibid. holotype, 13.xi.1977; 53, 2Ƥ, 7 nymphs, Faerie Glen Koppies, Pretoria, 25°46ʹS, 28°17ʹE, 4.iii.1994; 13, 1Ƥ, 2 nymphs, Rietfontein suburb, Pretoria, 25°41ʹS, 28°14ʹE, 1300 m, 26.xii.2001; 53, 3Ƥ, Swawelpoort, Bronberg, SE Pretoria, 25°48ʹS, 28°22ʹE, 1550 m, 17.xi.2004; 23, 6Ƥ, 1 nymph, Klapperkop, Pretoria, 25°46ʹS, 28°12ʹE, 1469 m, 3.iii.2006; 93, 7Ƥ, 7 nymphs, Smuts Koppie, Irene suburb, Pretoria, 25°53ʹ32.6ʺS, 28°14ʹ14.5ʺE, 1494 m, 4.iv.2012, hand collected. KwaZulu-Natal. 13, Orange River catchment, 28°53ʹS, 29°01ʹE, 2880 m, 16.iv.2006, sweeping grass and forbs in wetland; North-West Province. 63, 7Ƥ, Dome Kloof, Magaliesberg, near Mooinooi, 25°50ʹS, 27°32ʹE, 13.iii.2005. All collected by M. Stiller. All collected from Xerophyta retinervis , except where stated otherwise ( BMNH, INHS, SANC).

Remarks. Differentiation between species provided under remarks on Xv. furcillatus above. The single, high altitude record from the Drakensberg of KwaZulu-Natal Province is not considered an error, but rather the result of migration on air currents.