Drabescus nervosopunctatus Signoret, 1880

Viraktamath, C. A., Webb, M. D. & Yeshwanth, H. M., 2022, Review of the leafhopper genus Drabescus Stål (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) in the Indian subcontinent with description of one new species, Zootaxa 5128 (2), pp. 225-247 : 237-238

Drabescus nervosopunctatus Signoret

Figs 2 ABJ, 3G, 5E, 10A–H.

Drabescus nervosopunctatus Signoret 1880: 209 , pl.23, fig. 72; Distant, 1908: 304–305; Zhang & Webb 1996: 25, figs 413–417, 527.

Coloration similar to that in D. angulatus .

Crown medially little shorter than next to eyes, more than 7× as wide between eyes as long medially, transversely depressed, transition to face rimmed. Face with lateral frontal sutures slightly convex in basal half; distance between antennae about 3.8 as wide as apex of frontoclypeus. Clypellus widened apically. Pronotum about 2.6× as wide as median length. Forewings without cross veins between claval veins. Fore tibiae not expanded.

Male genitalia. Pygofer about 1.5× as long as basal height in lateral view, basal half broad then abruptly narrowed then gradually to conically rounded apex, with spine-like process arising from ventral margin, dorsal half of ventral margin serrated before the origin of the process; a few macrosetae present in distal 0.33. Valve with anterior margin convex, about 3.3 times as wide as long medially. Subgenital plate, elongate, triangular, about 2.7 × as long as basal width, distal half a membranous appendix. Style with well-developed subapical lobe, apophysis curved laterally, apex narrowed and surface transversely striate. Connective with broad, quadrangular stem, about as long as arms, anterior margin without median lobe. Aedeagus with shaft more or less of uniform width in lateral view with lateral processes at base, widely separated at base, about as wide as shaft at midlength with their apices divergent in dorsal and ventral views, slightly shorter than shaft; dorsal apodeme well-developed, slightly more than half length of shaft; gonopore apical on ventral surface.

Female pregenital sternite. Sternite VII about 1.75 as wide as long medially, Posterior margin sinuate, with lateral angles slightly produced posteriorly; medially dark brown in distal half.

Measurements. Male 8.2–8.4 mm long, 2.8–2.9 mm wide across eyes and 2.5–2.6 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum. Female 8.8 mm long, 3.2 mm wide across eyes and 2.9 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum.

Material examined. INDIA: Uttarakhand: 5♂, 1♀, Dehradun, Mukta pokhari, new Chakrata , 10.vi.2015 ( IARI, UASB) .

Remarks. This species was described from an unknown number of female specimens (syntype (s)) with the following data: “Indes nord” in “coll. Signoret”. The extant type was examined by Zhang & Webb 1996: 25 and designated as lectotype. Male of this species can be readily recognised among species of Drabescus from the subcontinent by the short somewhat compressed aedeagal shaft with the basal processes divergent and wider than shaft at midlength in either ventral or dorsal view and also shorter. Also, the pygofer ventral margin is serrated before the apex. The female can be recognised by the sternite VII being sinuate and neither excavated nor incised medially and nor with a median lobe.

Figures

FIGURES 2 A–L. Species of Drabescus from Indian subcontinent. Habitus, dorsal and lateral views (A–F) and female sternite VII (G–L). A–B, D. nervosopunctatus Signoret; C–D, D. nigrofacialis (Distant); E–F, D. shillongensis Rao; G, D. angulatus Signoret; H, D. kempi Pruthi; I, D. limbaticeps Signoret; J, D. nervosopunctatus Signoret; K, D. nigrofacialis (Distant); L, D. shillongensis Rao.