Projecta Cao & Zhang, 2020

Cao, Yanghui, Dietrich, Christopher H., Dmitriev, Dmitry A. & Zhang, Yalin, 2020, Taxonomic study of some Afrotropical erythroneurine leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae), Zootaxa 4860 (3), pp. 301-351 : 308

Projecta Cao & Zhang gen. nov.

Type species: Projecta auriculata sp. nov., here designated.

Description. Body slim and medium sized, 3.5 to 4.1 mm, color nearly uniformly pale overall without distinct pattern. Crown fore margin broadly rounded apically, subparallel to hind margin, coronal suture distinct. Ocelli vestigial, represented by pair of pale crescent-shaped areas on dorsal part of face. Head including eyes narrower than pronotum. Face convex in profile. Pronotum with lateral margins strongly divergent posteriorly in dorsal view, hind margin strongly concave. Forewing ( Fig. 5a ) with first and fourth apical cells wide, second and third apical cells narrow, third cell narrowed basally and widened apically, fourth cell almost reaching apex of wing, as long as third, AA and AP present. Hind wing ( Fig. 5b ) with RA.

Male abdominal apodemes 2S narrow and short, not extended to hind margin of sternite III. Anal tube membranous, long, without appendages.

Male genital capsule spherical or cylindrical, moderately sclerotized, with pair of large lamellate apodemes on dorsal half of basal margin. Pygofer lobe attenuated and well sclerotized distally, with some fine setae near ventral margin and several microsetae on inner membrane; dorsal appendage usually articulated to lobe; ventral appendage absent. Subgenital plate usually not surpassing pygofer lobe, angulate subbasally and narrowing towards apex, apical part extended vertically, wide in lateral view, with irregular row of stout microsetae subbasally on outer margin and continued with row of rigid microsetae to apex, with some microsetae scattered on distal disc and about 2 macrosetae subbasally near outer margin. Style with wide and very long middle part, apical part foot-like, transversely striate; preapical lobe broad or protruded, with a few sensory setae. Connective V-shaped, manubrium (the basal region connecting lateral arms) narrow to broad, without central lobe. Aedeagal shaft usually tubular, curved ventrad, with at least one pair of distal processes; dorsal apodeme large, lamellate; preatrium short; gonopore terminal.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from Latin adjective “ projectus ” which means projecting, referring to the attenuate pygofer lobe. The name is feminine.

Distribution. Republic of Congo.

Diagnosis. The new genus is similar to the Oriental genus Kaukania Dworakowska, 1972a in body shape and the angulately produced pygofer lobe, but the subgenital plate is narrower and longer, the style has a well-developed preapical lobe, the connective is articulated with the aedeagal shaft and the aedeagus has at least one pair of processes.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Projecta auriculata. a. forewing; b. hind wing; c. abdominal apodemes 2S; d. genital capsule; e. pygofer dorsal appendage; f. subgenital plate, style, connective and sternite IX; g. subgenital plate, dorsal view; h. style, dorsal view; i. style, lateral view; j. connective; k. aedeagus, lateral view; l. aedeagus, ventral view; m. apex of aedeagus, caudal view.