Afronirvana leptoclada, Wang, Yang, Dietrich, Christopher H. & Zhang, Yalin, 2017

Wang, Yang, Dietrich, Christopher H. & Zhang, Yalin, 2017, Review of two genera of Nirvanini leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Evacanthinae) from Africa, Zootaxa 4231 (3), pp. 431-441 : 433

Afronirvana leptoclada , sp. nov.

( Figs 1–16 )

Description. Body length (including forewing): ♂ 5.3–5.5 mm; ♀ 6.1–6.4 mm. Male ( Figs 1–3 ) predominantly orange-yellow, with median dorsal black stripe parallel-sided and entire through most of length, tapered toward crown apex and widening posteriorly to cover forewing apex. Female ( Fig. 11 ) similar to male in coloration but median black stripe narrower, with one false vein present in outer apical cell of forewing.

Male pygofer ( Figs 4, 5 ) sclerotized with 9 macrosetae along caudal margin; sclerotized ventral process inflated medially, tapered and curved slightly dorsad caudally. Subgenital plate strongly compressed in distal 3/4 with margins parallel in ventral view, with 2–3 macrosetae near base. Aedeagal shaft ( Figs 7, 8 ) straight more or less round in cross section with pair of longitudinal flanges on anterior surface; in lateral view expanded distally with apex broadly rounded and with posteroapical extension hooked ventrad and bearing two slender processes closely appressed medially; in posteroventral view parallel sided in basal half, slightly expanded and then abruptly narrowed near apex, with two pairs of long slender preapical lateral processes extended ventrolaterad and nearly parallel to each other.

Material examined. Holotype ♂ (AMNH), Paratypes: 2♂♂ 2♀♀ ( AMNH, INHS), Africa Nigeria SE. St. Obudu Cattle Ranch , 16–18 VIII 1973, Linnavuori.

Remarks. This species resembles A. abrupta in external morphology and color pattern but differs in having the median longitudinal dorsal stripe wider (about 1/3 width of head in A. leptoclada but less than 1/5 width in A. abrupta ) and the presence of two pairs of slender lateral processes on the aedeagal shaft rather than a single pair of relatively robust processes as in A. abrupta .

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the pairs of slender lateral processes in the middle of the aedeagal shaft.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Afronirvana leptoclada, ♂: 1. Habitus, dorsal view; 2. Habitus, lateral view; 3. Face; 4. Genital capsule, lateral view; 5. Genital capsule, dorsal view; 6. connective and style, ventral view; 7. Aedeagus, ventral view; 8. Aedeagus, lateral view; 9. Subgenital plate, ventral view; 10 Anal tube, lateral view.

FIGURES 11 – 16. Afronirvana leptoclada, ♀: 11. Habitus, dorsal view; 12. Second valvula; 13. First valvula; 14. sternite VII; 15. Apex of second valvula; 16. Apex of first valvula.