Nephotettix nigropictus (Stål), Stal

Duan, Yani & Zhang, Yalin, 2014, Review of the grassland leafhopper genus Nephotettix Matsumura (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Chiasmini) from the Chinese mainland, Zootaxa 3755 (3), pp. 201-229 : 219-220

Nephotettix nigropictus (Stål)

(Plate III; Plate VI: I–L; Figures 14–15 )

Thamnotettix nigropicta Stål, 1870: 740 .

Nephotettix apicalis, Distant, 1908: 360 ; Ishihara, 1964: 42; Ishihara & Kawase, 1968: 123. Nephotettix apicalis yapicola Linnavuori, 1960: 315 .

Nephotettix nigropictus yapicola, Ghauri, 1971: 495 .

Nephotettix nigropictus, Ghauri, 1971: 491 ; Vilbaste, 1975: 233; Ramakrishnan & Ghauri, 1979; Mahmood & Aziz, 1979: 61.

PLATE III. Nephotettix nigropictus (Stål) . A–G: habitus, dorsal view (A–D: male, E–G: female); H: face.

Length. Male: 4.00 mm; female: 5.15 mm.

Material examined. China: Jilin Prov.: 1 female, Jinghong Town, 30.VII.1983; Fujian Prov.: 1 female, Shaowu Town, Dazulan, VII.1963, coll. Zhouyao; 12 males, 8 females, Zhangzhou Town, Zhangpu County, 12.VIII.2006, coll. Yang Meixia; Hainan Prov.: 12 males, 12 females, Wuzhi Mountain, V.2011, coll. Duan Yani; Guangxi Prov.: 12 males, 12 females, Fangcheng, 3.XII.2011, coll. He Zhiqiang; Yunnan Prov.: 12 females, Jinghong Town, 15.IV.1982, coll. Wang Sumei & Zhou Jingruo; 12 females, Menglun Town, 640m, 21– 30.IV.1974, coll. Zhou Yao, Yuan Feng & Hu Yinyue; 1 male, Zhenkang County, Nansan Town, 09.V.2011, coll. Lu Lin, at light; 1 male, Yexianggu, 822m, 17.V.2011, coll. Lu Lin, at light; 1 male, Mengla County, Bubang Village, 690m, 19.V.2011, coll. Lu Lin; 2 males, Menghai County, Daluo Town, 679m, 22.V.2011, coll. Lu Lin, at light; 1 male, Menglian County, 971m, 25.V.2011, coll. Lu Lin; 2 males, Lancang County, Donggang Town, 1415m, 25.V.2011, coll. Lu Lin, at light; 1 male, Ruili City, Wanding, 871m, 31.V.2011, coll. Lu Lin, at light; 2 males, Yingjiang County, Zhina Town, 1086m, 03.VI.2011, coll. Lu Lin, at light.

Remarks. An adequate description of this species was given by Ghauri (1971) but some variation occurs as follows. Crown always with submarginal black transverse band, but marginal black band of crown and black markings of pronotum and forewing vary (Plate III: A–G). Pygofer side usually distodorsal corner round, distoventral corner with small lobe, spine 1 long, other spines usually four in number, short ( Fig. 14 C), but variation was found ( Figs. 14 A–C); style usually as ( Fig. 15 A), apophysis of style always elongate, but its shape varies ( Figs. 15 A–C). Males are easily identified from genitalia and in most cases even on colour (Plate III: A–C). Females of N. nigropictus quite often have a reduced colour pattern and so closely resemble N. cincticeps , but differ in the female sternite VII (Plate VI: I–L).

Figures

FIGURE 14. Nephotettix nigropictus (Stål). A – C: male pygofer side, lateral view; D: subgenital plate, ventral view; E: valve, ventral view.

FIGURE 15. Nephotettix nigropictus (Stål). A – C: style, dorsal view; D: connective, dorsal view; E & F: aedeagus, ventral and lateral view, respectively.