Retevolatus semicurviverpus, Stiller, 2021

Stiller, Michael, 2021, New macropterous leafhopper genera and species within the tribe Bonaspeiini from the Fynbos biome of South Africa (Insecta, Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Cicadellidae), African Invertebrates 62 (1), pp. 1-45 : 1

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/afrinvertebr.62.54721

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BF44E5BA-47C5-4562-BC40-8CF482B6BBA7

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E81353AE-6A7E-4226-8008-81BD9A46517A

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:E81353AE-6A7E-4226-8008-81BD9A46517A

treatment provided by

African Invertebrates by Pensoft

scientific name

Retevolatus semicurviverpus
status

sp. nov.

Retevolatus semicurviverpus View in CoL sp. nov. Figures 4D-K View Figure 4 , 8A-L View Figure 8

Material examined.

Type locality: Republic of South Africa, Northern Cape Province, South of Springbok, Biesiesfontein farm; -29.75, 17.933 ; 29 Sep.-3 Oct. 2002; M. Stiller leg.; sweep Searsia undulata , Anacardiaceae .

Type specimen.

Holotype male, pinned, with genitalia in a separate microvial. Original label: "R.S.A., Biesiesfontein farm, Springbok, -29.75, 17.933; 29.ix.-3.x.2002, M. Stiller" "sweep Rhus [now Searsia ] Searsia undulata , Anacardiaceae " "SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL18346 (blue paper)".

Paratypes.

12♂♂, 10♀♀

South Africa • 11♂♂, 10♀♀; ibid. holotype. SANC, BMNH, INHS.

South Africa • 1♂; ibid. holotype; 29 Sep. 2002; M. Stiller leg.; light trap; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL18346.

Diagnosis.

Male aedeagus with shaft widely curvate, C-shaped, at apex with single, acutely-angled anteriad, sclerotized process; gonopore ventromediad; shaft ventrobasally to ventromedially coarsely denticulate (Fig. 8A, B View Figure 8 ). Style apophysis with apex narrowly curvate mediad (Fig. 8D View Figure 8 ). Connective elongate (Fig. 8C View Figure 8 ), ratio length to width 3.2-3.5, stem length to arm length 2.2-2.6. Pygofer process ventral, tubular, concavely curvate in lateral view, lateroposteriad in ventral view (Fig. 8F, G View Figure 8 ). Female sternite 7 with deep, semi-circular notch (Fig. 8J View Figure 8 ).

Male.

Measurements.

n=22. Length from apex of crown to apex of tegmina 5.69-5.98 mm. Length from apex of crown to apex of abdomen 4.24-4.64 mm. Crown median length 0.42-0.45 mm. Crown length next to eye 0.31-0.34 mm. Pronotum length 0.59-0.63 mm. Head width across eyes 1.45-1.51 mm. Pronotum width 1.35-1.41 mm. Ocellus diameter 47.0-58.7 µm; interocular distance 99.2-118.4µm. Crown angle 116.5-121.3°.

Genitalia.

Pygofer lobe. Macrosetae absent, fine setae sparsely on lobe (Fig. 8H View Figure 8 ). Process origin ventrally on pygofer, concavely curvate, acuminate, tubular, moderately sclerotized (Fig. 8F View Figure 8 ). Pygofer lobe desclerotized, triangular; ventromedially with membranous lobe, variable in orientation and projection beyond pygofer lobe (Fig. 8H View Figure 8 ).

Subgenital plate.

Length to width 2.2-2.4 times longer than width at confluence of subgenital plate and valve. Macrosetae 5-10, variable between left and right plate (Fig. 8I View Figure 8 ). Apex of style near apex of subgenital plate (Fig. 8I View Figure 8 ).

Aedeagus.

Dorsal apodeme narrow, desclerotized; preatrium reduced (Fig. 8A View Figure 8 ); apex of shaft reflexed anteriad, long, about 0.4-0.5 times as long as vector length of shaft from apex of apogee to base of shaft (Fig. 8A, B View Figure 8 ). Shaft widely curvate, angle subtended by arc 53.4-68.1°, coarse denticulation ventrally, in basal half.

Connective.

Elongate, ratio of length to width 3.2-3.5; stem length to arm length 2.2-2.6 (Fig. 8C View Figure 8 ).

Style.

Apophysis apex curved mediad; length of apophysis 0.4 times greatest length through sagittal plane (Fig. 8D View Figure 8 ).

Female.

Measurements.

n=15. Length from apex of crown to apex of tegmina 5.91-6.12 mm. Length from apex of crown to apex of abdomen 4.37-4.87 mm. Crown median length 0.44-0.47 mm. Crown length next to eye 0.33-0.35 mm. Pronotum length 0.61-0.64 mm. Head width across eyes 1.51-1.57 mm. Pronotum width 1.41-1.47 mm. Ocellus diameter 53.6-61.2 µm; interocular distance 100.3-113.1 µm. Crown angle by trigonometry 116.9-120.1°.

Genital capsule.

Sternite 7. Semi-circular notch, posterior margins straight or slightly concave, fine irregular, asymmetrical denticles marginally (Fig. 8J View Figure 8 ). Relative depth of notch 0.65-0.68 times greatest length of sternite 7; ratio of length to width 0.74-0.83.

Valvifer 1.

Dorsal margin sublinear, ventrobasal margin sublinear, ventrodistal margin rounded, posterior margin obtuse (Fig. 8L View Figure 8 ) or truncated (Figs 4F View Figure 4 , 8K View Figure 8 ). Ratio of length to width 1.51-1.87.

Valvula 1.

Shape in Fig. 4D View Figure 4 .

Valvifer 2.

Shape in Fig. 4J View Figure 4 .

Valvifer 2.

Shape in Fig. 4E View Figure 4 .

Valvula 3.

Shape as in Fig. 4K View Figure 4 . Macrosetae variable in number (Fig. 4I View Figure 4 ), length 35.8-55.2 µm.

Etymology.

Named for the weak curve in the aedeagal shaft, in Latin. Half, semi, curved, curvus, and aedeagus, verpa. Gender masculine.

Distribution.

Biesiesfontein, Fig. 18A View Figure 18 , green circle.

Discussion.

The aedeagus of this species is weakly curved, with an acutely angled dorsoanteriad, apical process that is constant in length, and whole in all examined specimens. The pygofer process is uniform in examined specimens, originating ventrally on the pygofer, acuminate and directed dorsoposteriad. The apophysis of the style of this species is curved mediad at its apex, and straight in R. subspiniverpus and R. flexiverpus . The deep, rounded notch of the sternite 7 of this species is distinct from the shallow or deep V-shaped notch of the other two species. The color and shape in dorsal and lateral views of this species resembles that of R. flexiverpus in Fig. 1A-I View Figure 1 closely.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hemiptera

Family

Cicadellidae

Tribe

Bonaspeiini

Genus

Retevolatus