Xerophytavorus furcillatus, 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 : 40-41

Xerophytavorus furcillatus sp.n.

( Figs 1–2 , 28–51 )

Diagnosis. Pygofer process with apex bifurcate ( Fig. 40 ). Pygofer lobe medially with elongate area of densely set short macrosetae ( Figs 36, 40 ). Aedeagus with shaft biramous, depressed, medial, distal margins serrate ( Fig. 38 ).

Etymology. Latin, furcilla, a little fork, for the forked shape of the pygofer process.

Male, female and nymph. External morphology. Adult with pale spots and markings only on anterior part of clypeus, face (as in Fig. 6 , no markings on gena and lora), lateral margin of pronotum and vertex. Tegmina with narrow translucent or whitish marking in claval cells ( Figs 1, 2 ). Tegmina with two translucent regions or sometimes continuous band in costal and anteapical cells as well as in first apical and inner anteapical cells ( Figs 1, 2 ). Nymph dark brown, without median, yellow longitudinal line; legs with distal tarsomeres pale (legs as in Xv. rastrullus , Fig 5 ).

Abdominal apodemes. Similar to that of Xv. rastrullus ( Figs 55–57 ).

Male. Measurements. (n=9) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.10–2.24 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 1.81–2.06 mm; vertex 0.33–0.35 mm; next to eye 0.20–0.25 mm; pronotum 0.42–0.46 mm; scutellum 0.43–0.46 mm. Width: head 0.91–0.95 mm; pronotum 0.99–1.02 mm; scutellum 0.61–0.67 mm. Ocellus: diameter 2.50–3.80 µm; ocellocular distance 7.40–8.70 µm.

Male. Genitalia. Pygofer lobe with ventromedial process, apex asymmetrically biramous ( Figs 36, 40 ); lobe subapically with medial elongate band of macrosetae ( Figs 36, 40 ); anterior apodeme large ( Figs 35, 36 ). Aedeagal shafts widely separated, inner margins denticulate ( Figs 38, 39 ). Plate narrowly triangular, without macrosetae, but short, fine setae, mainly at apex ( Fig. 37 ), lateral subapical margin rugose. Style with elongate, acuminate apophysis, tooth medioventrally; preapical angle deep, rounded; preapical lobe acute; lateral anterior lobe large, wide, right-angled, medial anterior lobe short, triangular ( Fig. 34 ).

Female. Measurements. (n=9) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.15–2.26 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.11–2.26 mm; vertex 0.32–0.34 mm; next to eye 0.21–0.24 mm; pronotum 0.43–0.46 mm; scutellum 0.45–0.50 mm. Width: head 0.94–0.97 mm; pronotum 1.01–1.07 mm; scutellum 0.65–0.72 mm. Ocellus: diameter 2.95–5.14 µm; ocellocular distance 7.53–9.74 µm.

Female. Genitalia. Sternite 7 with deep median V-shaped notch, margins variable, prone to damage ( Fig. 41 ). Valvula 3 ( Fig. 42 ), numerous marginal setae from apex to base, apex narrowly rounded. Valvula 2 ( Fig. 48 ) lanceolate; apex slightly wider than base, finely serrate ( Figs 49 , dorsal serration basally, Figs 50, 51 , serration at apex). Valvula 1 ( Fig. 44 ) lanceolate; microsculpturing imbricate, as in Fig. 46 , near base and Fig. 47 at apex; shape of apex variable, Fig. 43 , narrowed apex, Fig. 45 , triangular apex.

Material examined. Holotype male. Malawi. Chambe Hut, Mulanje Mountain 15°58ʹS, 35°38ʹE, 1750 m, 22.xii.2002, M. Stiller, hand collected on Xerophyta splendens ( SANC). Paratypes. 83, 9Ƥ, 12 nymphs, Ibid. holotype ( BMNH, SANC).

Remarks. This species ( Figs 1, 2 ) and Xv. rastrullus ( Figs 3, 4, 7 ) are similar in colour and shape. The pale markings in the claval region of both species are variable, with the pubescence in Xv. furcillatus appearing slightly longer than in Xv. rastrullus . Internal male genitalia provide the best means of separation of species. The distinguishing features are the shape of the pygofer process and the shape of the base of the cluster of macrosetae on the inner apex of the pygofer lobe. In Xv. furcillatus the pygofer process has the apex with two points, and the cluster is elongate. In Xv. rastrullus the pygofer process has multiple prongs at the apex, giving it the appearance of a comb, and the cluster is round. Difference in the aedeagus are also present, but more subtle. The shaft in Xv. rastrullus is wider with larger teeth and in Xv. furcillatus the shaft is tubular with smaller teeth. Nymphs are clearly distinguishable with Xv. furcillatus brown, and Xv. rastrullus with a pale marking across the length of the body ( Fig. 5 ).

15–21. Ants on Xerophyta sp. 15, 16, ants ( Lepisiota incisa ) leafhoppers, Faerie Glen (images courtesy P. Webb); 17, 18, Moderate sized ant species ( Myrmicaria natalensis ) tending Xerophytavorus rastrullus, Irene (images courtesy P. Webb); 19–21, Large sized ant ( Camponotus eugeniae ) tending Xerophytavorus rastrullus, Magaliesberg , (images courtesy D. Shcherbakov).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Xerophytavorus gen. n.. 1, 2, Xerophytavorus furcillatus gen. n. & sp. n., Specimen from Malawi; 1, male; 2, female; 3 – 7, Xerophytavorus rastrullus gen. n. & sp. n.; 3, female, Pretoria, collected 1970; 4, female, Dome Kloof, Magaliesberg; 5, nymph, Koppie Alleen; 6, male, face; 7, female, Swawelpoort.

FIGURES 28 – 40. Xerophytavorus furcillatus gen. n. & sp. n., male. Head and pronotum, 28, dorsal view; 29, face; 30, lateral view; 31, tegmina; 32, foretibia setation; 33, dorsal view, distal right metafemur; 34, style; 35, pygofer, dorsal view; 36, pygofer, lateral view; 37, plate and valve, ventral view; 38, aedeagus and connective, dorsal view; 39, aedeagus and connective, lateroventral view; 40, process and apical macrosetae cluster on pygofer, medial view.

FIGURES 41 – 51. Xerophytavorus furcillatus gen. n. & sp. n., female. 41, sternite 7; 42, valvula 3; 43 – 47, valvula 1; 43, image of sculpturing at narrow apex; 44, image of whole structure and valvifer; 45, image of sculpturing at wide apex; 46, line drawing of sculpture medially; 47, line drawing of sculpture at apex; 48 – 51, valvula 2; 48, image of whole structure; 49, line drawing of serration medially; 50, line drawing of serration at apex; 51, image of serration at apex.

FIGURES 52 – 63. Xerophytavorus rastrullus gen. n. & sp. n., male. 52, tegmina; 53, foretibia setation; 54, aedeagus and connective, dorsal view; 55, anterior and posterior abdominal apodemes, anterior view; 56, posterior abdominal apodeme, dorsal view; 57, anterior abdominal apodeme, dorsal view; 58, pygofer, dorsally; 59, pygofer, lateral view; 60, process and apical macrosetae cluster on pygofer, ventral view; 61, plate and valve, ventral view; 62, aedeagus, lateral view; 63, style.