Hishimonus nielsoni Knight

Viraktamath, C. A. & Anantha Murthy, H. V., 2014, Review of the genera Hishimonus Ishihara and Litura Knight (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from the Indian subcontinent with description of new species, Zootaxa 3785 (2), pp. 101-138 : 113

Hishimonus nielsoni Knight

Figs 19–20 , 147–157 .

Hishimonus nielsoni Knight 1970a: 132 , figs 39–41.

Head and pronotum creamy white with reddish brown mottling, slightly large sized mottling on pronotum anteriorly. Scutum reddish brown with lateral margins ivory white and lateral spot posteriorly darker; scutellum reddish brown, lateral and apical areas ivory white with dark brown spot on lateral margin between them. Forewings silvery white with brown mottling between veins; median spot formed by rich brown mottling, few spots on anterior margin, one larger lateral spot and posterior corner, dark brown. Legs with bases of setae spotted with dark brown.

Male genitalia. Pygofer longer than its height in lateral view, conically rounded posteriorly with stout setae over posterior half. Valve with broadly rounded corners approximately 1.5 times as wide at base as long medially. Subgenital plates with terminal fingerlike process narrow, 0.25 times as long as total length. Style thrice as long as wide at base, preapical lobe poorly developed with few hairlike setae, apophysis straight, slightly directed laterad. Stem of connective about as long as arms. Aedeagal shafts elongate, tapering gradually over distal 0.33 length to slender, dorsally directed apex, twisted in middle, faintly serrated in anterior surface; gonopore on posterior surface near midlength of shafts.

Measurements. Male 3.1–3.3 mm long, 1.1–1.2 mm wide across eyes.

Material examined. INDIA: Gujarat: 1 ♂, Waghai, 18.i.1981, S.A. Viraktamath. Karnataka: 5 ♂, 5 ♀, Bandipur 18 (5 ♂, 3 ♀) and 20 (2 ♀), i.1985, S. Viraktamath; 1 ♂, Sirsi: Sugavi, 12.iii.2005, Radhamani, T.R.; Kerala: 2 ♂, Thekkadi, 26–27.iii.1977, C. A. Viraktamath ( UASB).

Remarks. H. nielsoni was described from the holotype male and paratypes from Sri Lanka. It is recorded here for the first time from India. The population from India has different coloration compared to that found in Sri Lanka. It resembles H. arcuatus , but has the aedeagal shafts tapered distad of the gonopore with the apical curvature less pronounced with the style more elongate.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 24. Species of Hishimonus. 13 & 14. H. dwipae sp. nov.; 15 & 16. H. gillespiei Dai, Fletcher & Zhang; 17 & 18. H. indicus (Sohi); 19 & 20. H. nielsoni Knight; 21 & 22. H. pallidus Dai, Fletcher & Zhang; 23 & 24 H. phycitis (Distant), pale color morph. Figs 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23. Dorsal view; Figs 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24. Dorsolateral view.

FIGURES 147 – 160. Species of Hishimonus. 147 – 157. Hishimonus nielsoni Knight.: 147. Head and thorax, dorsal view; 148. Male pygofer, lateral view; 149. Male valve, ventral view; 150. Subgenital plate, ventral view; 151. Connective, dorsal view; 152. Style, dorsal view; 153. Apex of apophysis of style, lateral view; 154. Aedeagus, posterior view; 155. Aedeagus, anterior view; 156. Aedeagal shaft, lateral view; 157. Female seventh sternite, ventral view. 158 – 160. Hishimonus pallidus Dai, Fletcher & Zhang.: 158. Aedeagus, posterior view; 159. Aedeagus, posterodorsal view; 160. Aedeagal shaft, lateral view.