Amberana noualhieri (Lallemand, 1920)

Soulier-Perkins, Adeline & Kunz, Gernot, 2012, Revision of the malagassy endemic genus Amberana Distant (Hemiptera, Cercopidae) with description of one new genus, Zootaxa 3156 (1), pp. 1-42 : 27-29

Amberana noualhieri (Lallemand, 1920)

( Figs 86–90 )

Literna noualhieri Lallemand, 1920: 283 , transferred to Amberana by Lallemand, 1949: 71, 72.

Male genitalia ( Figs 89–90 ). Pygofer with posterior margin rounded on upper 2/3 part, clear protrusion stopping this curve basally, a small extension on dorsal margin anteriorly to anal tube. Pygofer height: 1.9 mm. Subgenital plates gently curved, reducing slowly in diameter to apex that is still thick. Aedeagus developed anteriorly in twopointed protrusions, the lower being bigger than the one above. Dorsal extensions long, posterior dorsal protrusion reaching beyond dorsal pygofer margin, apex bifid, anterior dorsal protrusion shorter and club shaped at apex.

Lectotype designation. In the original description, Lallemand wrote: “ Types: ma collection et Muséum de Paris”, which leads to believe that Lallemand described this species from at least two specimens (syntypes), one (or several) in his collection (MRAC) and the other(s) in the MNHN. The only specimen from the MRAC is labelled as following: R. det. 6663E; Literna noualhieri Lall. [hand written] det. V. Lallemand 192?; 3; type; coll. Mus. Congo, coll. V. Lallemand, Baie d’Antongil, Madagascar; holotypus. We believe that the label “ holotypus ” was pinned with the specimen posteriorly to the original description especially when an older label “ type ” was also pinned to the specimen. In 1949, Lallemand transferred Literna noualhieri to Amberana . This new combination is the only nomenclatural act written since the description of the species. Nothing in the literature justifies that the specimen from MRAC was recognised as holotype. In the MNHN collection, two specimens were found with the following labels: Muséum Paris, Madagascar, Baie d’Antongil, A. Mocquerys, coll. Noualhier 1898. The first specimen also bears a hand written label “ Dauphina noualhieri Lallem. Types ” by Lallemand. The locality, the epithet name of the species and the mention “ types ”, on the label, correspond to the original description, along with the fact that the specimens belong to the Noualhier’s collection to whom the species is dedicated. But, the genus name is incorrect and no Dauphina noualhieri has ever been described by Lallemand. We believe that Lallemand meant to write Literna and not Dauphina on his label. Lallemand (1920) described D. brunnea followed by L. noualhieri . When he wrote the label, for the specimens corresponding to the description of L. noualhieri , he probably merged the two species names of his article: D. brunnea and L. noualhieri . It is not the first time that spelling mistakes and/or the wrong genus name on Lallemand’s labels are observed, this error being linked to the vicinity of two names in the literature. According to these observations, we think that the nomenclatural status of these syntype specimens should be clarified. Here, we designate the specimen from the MRAC as lectotype and subsequently the two specimens cited above from the MNHN become paralectotypes.

Material examined. Lectotype 3, Madagascar Baie d’Antongil , coll. V. Lallemand, R. det. 6663E ( MRAC). Paralectotypes 2Ƥ Madagascar, Baie d’Antongil, A. Mocquerys, coll. Noualhier 1898, MNHN (EH) 4811 [original label hand written by Lallemand], MNHN (EH) 4812 ( MNHN). Madagascar, Diego-Suarez, Ch Alluaud 1893, MNHN (EH) 4813, 1Ƥ ( MNHN. Madagascar, Sahanbava, Fianarantsoa, 1934 R. Catala, MNHN (EH) 4814, 1Ƥ ( MNHN). Madagascar, Fenerive, E. Perrot, Oberthür 101–96, MNHN (EH) 4815, 1Ƥ ( MNHN). Madagascar, Ile Sainte Marie, forêt de Kallao, III.60 R. Andria, I. G. 23.285, 1Ƥ; I. G. 22.889, 1Ƥ; H. Synave det., I. G. 22.889, 13 (RIScNB).

Figures

FIGURES 86 – 87. Amberana noualhieri. 86. Habitus. 87. Side view. FIGURES 88. Amberana noualhieri, distribution map.

FIGURES 89 – 90. Amberana noualhieri, male, lateral view. 89. Male genitalia. 90. Paramere.