Anzihelus, Yan & He & Yang & Webb, 2021

Yan, Bin, He, Hong-Li, Yang, Mao-Fa & Webb, Mick D., 2021, A new genus and species of Mileewini leafhoppers (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Mileewinae) from China, with a key to genera, ZooKeys 1028, pp. 61-67 : 61

Anzihelus gen. nov.

Type species.

Anzihelus bistriatus sp. nov.

Description.

Small pale and slender leafhoppers. Head slightly wider than pronotum, shagreen; crown with anterior margin broadly rounded in dorsal view, median length almost equal to interocular width; shallowly concave at ocelli, the latter located slightly anterior to a line between anterior eye angles; laterofrontal sutures extending onto crown and attaining ocelli; coronal suture three-fifths median length. Face with frontoclypeus shallowly convex; anteclypeus slightly elevated in midline and slightly tapered to broadly rounded apex. Pronotum laterally carinate. Forewing with two open subapical cells; membrane equal in length to clavus. Hind wing with vein RP extending to anterior margin of wing subapically (Fig. 1h ). Fore femur with two stout AV setae and several finer IC setae (Fig. 1i ). Hindleg femoral setal formula 2:1:1.

Male genitalia. Pygofer lobe in lateral view triangular with a weakly sclerotized band between lobe and dorsal bridge; ventroposterior margin with few spine-like setae; with short process arising at midlength of ventral margin, not attaining end of pygofer, apex pointed. Anal tube as long as pygofer, a medial lamellar process arising caudally from ventral surface, aligned vertically and bifurcate apically. Valve fused to pygofer. Subgenital plates long, narrow, apices exceeding posterior margin of pygofer; with uniseriate row of macrosetae from ventral margin in lateral view and some short and long microsetae on lateral surface. Connective Y-shaped, arms and stem short with a basomedial lobe. Style elongate apex foot-like with inner heel, with few fine setae on inner margin slightly distad of midlength. Aedeagus laterally compressed with distal processes on shaft, gonopore apical; basal apodeme short.

Female valvulae I in lateral view (Fig. 1j, k ), with dorsal and ventral margins of shaft distinctly convex; apex acute; with diagonal strigate sculpture dorsally and apically; basal ventral striae present. Valvulae II in lateral view (Fig. 1l, m ) leaf-shaped distally, apex subacute; blade dorsally with small and closely spaced crenulate sculpture and numerous irregular fine marginal teeth.

Remarks.

The new genus is similar to other Old World Mileewini genera ( Mileewa , Ujna and Processina ) in having vein RP in the hind wing extending to the anterior margin subapically (Fig. 1h ) rather than the more usual apical margin and the marginal vein reaching the wing margin between Pcu and A1. It also has the basal ventral striae of the first valvulae found in the above genera (Fig. 1j ). The latter feature, of unknown function, has been referred to as the ventral interlocking device but this function is performed by the rami of the first and second valvulae. The new genus can be distinguished from other Mileewini by its elevated vertex above the pronotum and from most other cicadellids by the male Xth segment (basal anal tube segment) with an unusual single caudal medial process (see also key to genera).

Etymology.

The genus takes its name from the locality of the type species, Anzihe Nature Reserve.

Distribution.

China (Sichuan).

Figures

Figure 1. Anzihelus bistriatus sp. nov. a-c (male) a habitus, dorsal view b habitus, lateral view c face d-f (female) d face e habitus, dorsal view f habitus, lateral view g-h wings g forewing h hind wing i fore femur, anterior surface j-m valvulae j, k first valvulae, lateral view l, m second valvulae, lateral view (l damaged basally). Scale bars: 500 μm (a-f); 0.1 mm (i-m).