Mahellus ungulatus, Viraktamath, C. A. & Meshram, Naresh M., 2017

Viraktamath, C. A. & Meshram, Naresh M., 2017, A review of the coelidiine leafhopper genus Mahellus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Coelidiinae) with description of two new species from the Oriental region, Zootaxa 4258 (3), pp. 271-280 : 279-280

Mahellus ungulatus sp. nov.

Figs 89, 17, 40–47, 52.

Ochraceous brown, mesonotum and scutellum with few dark brown spots, forewing veins brownish with ochraceous spots. Apices of hind femora, hind tarsi, bases of setae on hind tibiae, brown and claws dark brown.

Male pygofer in lateral view more or less triangular, broad anteriorly and narrowed posteriorly with sclerotized process along dorsal margin, curved mesally and acuminate ( Figs 40 , 52 ); with ventral blade-like process not exceeding apex of pygofer, broadened distally with 5–7 teeth-like projections ( Fig.41 ). Subgenital plate long and narrow with posterior spine-like projection; ventral surface with a few hair-like setae, posterior area with row of short stout setae ( Fig. 44 ). Connective Y-shaped with median longitudinal apodeme, stem short ( Fig. 42 ). Dorsal connective membranous, unpigmented band-like. Style uniformly broad basally, tapered apically ( Fig. 43 ). Aedeagus asymmetrical, long and slender compared to that of M. distanti , in lateral aspect broad in basal half then narrowed and of uniform width to apex, with pair of subapical processes serrated distally, apical process arising on dorsal margin, other subapically on lateral margin, gonopore large on dorsal surface of shaft almost at midlength ( Figs 45–47 ). Segment X in lateral aspect longer than broad, with flat ventral surface, in dorsal aspect broad at base and slightly narrowed distally, without ventral process.

Measurements. Male 7.0 mm long, 1.9 mm wide across eyes and 2.1 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE ♂, INDIA: West Bengal: Sukna , 10.xi.1981, S. Viraktamath Coll. ( USAB).

Etymology. The species name alludes to the finger-like extensions of the pygofer process.

Remarks. This species resembles M. determinatus (Distant) in aedeagal characters but differs in having a much narrower apophysis of the style. Both M. cardoni and M. ungulatus have a similar dorsal marginal sclerotized process which is mesally directed and acuminate distally, but differing in curvature (see Figs 50, 52 ).

Figures

FIGURES 40 – 47. Mahellus ungulatus sp. nov., male genitalia. 40. Pygofer, lateral view; 41. Pygofer caudoventral process, lateral view; 42. Connective, dorsal view; 43. Style, dorsal view; 44. Subgenital plate, ventral view; 45. Aedeagus and dorsal connective, lateral view; 46. Aedeagus and dorsal connective, dorsal view; 47. Apex of aedeagal shaft, dorsal view.

FIGURES 48 – 52. Speceis of Mahellus. 48. Chaetotaxy of forefemur of M. distanti; 49. Chaetotaxy of metabasitarsus and second tarsomete of M. distanti, ventral view; 50 – 52. Posterior portion of male pygofer of Mahellus, dorsal view showing dorsal marginal sclerotized process: 50. M. cardoni sp. nov.; 51. M. distanti; 52. M. ungulatus sp. nov.