Hovatlas namorokaensis, Guilbert, 2020

Guilbert, Eric, 2020, New species of Tingidae (Insecta: Heteroptera) from Madagascar, Zootaxa 4759 (3), pp. 391-404 : 397-398

Hovatlas namorokaensis sp. nov. ( Figs 7 , 8 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FB761B5B-4F52-4914-BDF2-335A40FDEE69

Type material. Holotype female; massif de Namoroka; 16°24’43.5”S – 45°18’55.1”E; 28-X-2016; E. Guilbert coll. PBZT.

Paratype, 1 female, same data as for holotype PBZT ; 3 females; massif de Namoroka; 16°24’5.2”S – 45°17’52.6”E; 27-X-2016; E. Guilbert coll. MNHN .

Diagnosis. Pronotum with hood covering head and pronotum, except the posterior apex, areolae large and subquadrate. Hemelytra with costal area anteriorly uniseriate and posteriorly biseriate, the areolae larger than on other areas; subcostal area, anteriorly triseriate and posteriorly uniseriate.

Description. Body dark brown dorsally and light brown ventrally, legs and antennae yellow. Female (N=1): body length, 2.25; width, 1.05 at widest part.

Head small, strongly declivent; armed with five slender addressed tubercles directed forward, an occipital pair, a frontal pair and a median tubercule, occipital tubercles longer than others; post-ocular plate present; bucculae short and wide, with tiny areolae, joined anteriorly, not surpassing apex of clypeus; antennae long and slender; antennal segment measurements, I, 0.43; II, 0.63; III, 0.10; IV, 0.15; rostrum reaching metasternum.

Pronotum longer than wide; punctate, pilose where not covered by cyst, areolate on posterior process; tricarinate, median carina inflated as to form a cyst with collar, almost covering entire pronotum, longer than wide, with large angulate areolae; lateral carinae adpressed to the cyst, foliate, narrow, uniseriate with areolae subquadrate and elongate; paranota foliate, narrow, same width as median carinae, uniseriate, with large subquadrate areolae; sulcus laminae uniseriate; narrow anteriorly; widening and closed posteriorly; metathoracic sent gland with auricular-like opening.

Hemeytra longer than wide, slightly widening at base; costal area sinuate, uniseriate anteriorly and posteriorly, biseriate opposite to RM and Cu junction; areolae large and subquadrate; subcostal area triseriate on the anterior half of hemelytra, then biseriate at the middle and uniseriate posteriorly; outer row of areolae smaller than two inner rows; areolae round; discoidal area two third the length of hemelytra, five areolae wide at widest part, with round areolae, areolae larger than on subcostal area but smaller than on costal area; sutural area long, five areolae wide at widest part, areolae angular and as large as on costal area.

Etymology. The species name references the Tsingy of Namoroka where it was collected.

Comments. The subcostal area, triseriate anteriorly and uniseriate posteriorly distinguish this species from all other Hovatlas species.

Hovatlas is endemic to Madagascar.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Dorsal habitus of Hovatlas namorokaensis sp. nov.

FIGURE 8. Lateral habitus of Hovatlas namorokaensis sp. nov.