Deiroderes inermis Ramos

McKamey, Stuart H. & Brodbeck, Brent V., 2013, Immature Stages and Hosts of Two Plesiomorphic, Antillean Genera of Membracidae (Hemiptera) and a new species of Antillotolania from Puerto Rico, ZooKeys 301, pp. 1-12 : 6-7

Deiroderes inermis Ramos Figs 18-27

Description.

Nymph (fifth instar): Length 3.5 mm. Glabrous throughout. Head with small protrusions (Fig. 18) in same placement as the large subtrianglar projections of Antillotolania , in anterior view ventral margin carinate, head ventrally excavated, with foliaceous ventrolateral lobes (Figs 20, 21), in dorsal view quadrate, in lateral view not emarginate. Thoracic nota lacking scoli. Forewing emarginate. Abdominal terga IV–VII with large lateral lamellae, directed posterolaterally, smallest on tergum IV and increasing in size posteriorly; tergum IX fused ventrally, forming short 'anal tube’, length about 2 × longer than tergum VIII. Terga III–VIII each with 1 pair of enlarged chalazae near mid line. Tergum IX dorsoventrally compressed. Nascent genitalia barely exceeding posterior limit of tergum VII lamella.

Remarks.

Caught sweeping a uniform stand of Capparis indica , a recorded host of Deiroderes inermis , adjacent to Guánica State Forest, which is the type locality of Deiroderes inermis . The Guánica area of Puerto Rico is arid and other membracids were previously unknown from there until L.L. Deitz (North Carolina State University) and SHM discovered Nessorhinus abbreviatus Ramos (Fig. 32) in February, 2007, on a different, unidentified host in February, 2007. Nymphs of Nessorhinus gibberulus Stål are known (McKamey unpubl.) and the fifth instars are several millimeters longer than that of Deiroderes inermis .