Xerophytacolus tubuverpus, Stiller, Michael, 2012

Stiller, Michael, 2012, New leafhopper genera and species (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) which feed on Velloziaceae from Southern Africa, with a discussion of their trophobiosis, Zootaxa 3509, pp. 35-54 : 53-54

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.213100
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6180567
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/192F0A26-3104-661C-3CBF-FC92FA922C06
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Xerophytacolus tubuverpus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Xerophytacolus tubuverpus sp.n.

( Figs 12–14 View FIGURES 8 – 14 , 98–122 View FIGURES 98 – 112 View FIGURES 113 – 122 )

Diagnosis. Aedeagal shaft tubular, uniformly curved dorsolaterally ( Figs 109, 110 View FIGURES 98 – 112 ). Pygofer lobe with apex of median process curved ventrad ( Figs 107, 108 View FIGURES 98 – 112 ). Plate apex truncate; laterally weakly striate; basally lateral and medial margins convergent, subparallel ( Fig. 106 View FIGURES 98 – 112 ). Sternite 7 of female with wide, shallow rounded notch, about as wide as sternite ( Fig. 113 View FIGURES 113 – 122 ).

Etymology. Latin, tubus pipe, verpus penis, for the tubular shape of the paired aedeagal shafts.

Male. Measurements. (n=10) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.40–2.53 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.00– 2.12 mm; vertex 0.52–0.60 mm; next to eye 0.33–0.35 mm; pronotum 0.38–0.41 mm; scutellum 0.40–0.48 mm. Width: head 0.85–0.90 mm; pronotum 0.82–0.89 mm; scutellum 0.55–0.62 mm. Ocellus: diameter 2.64–3.13 µm; ocellocular distance 1.24–1.73 µm.

Male. Genitalia. Pygofer lobe with median process, attached subbasally on inner margin, apex curved ventrad ( Figs 107, 108 View FIGURES 98 – 112 ) with narrow, variable process directed dorsoanteriad ( Fig. 108 View FIGURES 98 – 112 ). Anal tube incised half way into pygofer ( Fig. 105 View FIGURES 98 – 112 ). Aedeagal shafts tubular, parallel at base, curved dorsad and divergent apicad ( Figs 109, 110 View FIGURES 98 – 112 ), gonopore apical, oblique. Connective weakly sclerotized ( Fig. 111 View FIGURES 98 – 112 ). Style apophysis apex blunt, small subapical ventral spine ( Fig. 112 View FIGURES 98 – 112 ). Plate apex truncate, right-angled, weakly sclerotized ( Fig. 106 View FIGURES 98 – 112 ), 12–17 macrosetae. Anterior and posterior abdominal apodemes in posterior view as in Figs 103 and 104 View FIGURES 98 – 112 , in dorsal view similar to the apodemes of Xc. claviverpus ( Figs 79, 80 View FIGURES 77 – 87 ).

Female. Measurements. (n=6) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.56–2.83 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.31–2.68 mm; vertex 0.60–0.71 mm; next to eye 0.34–0.37 mm; pronotum 0.41–0.44 mm; scutellum 0.42–0.50 mm. Width: head 0.91–0.96 mm; pronotum 0.87–0.93 mm; scutellum 0.54–0.65 mm. Ocellus: diameter 2.87–4.13 µm; ocellocular distance 1.23–1.80 µm.

Female. Genitalia. Sternite 7 with wide, rounded notch ( Fig. 113 View FIGURES 113 – 122 ). Valvula 3 with about 7 setae in apical half ( Fig. 114 View FIGURES 113 – 122 ), additional fine setae basally. Valvula 2 ( Fig. 122 View FIGURES 113 – 122 ) serrate dorsally on apical third, serration very fine, on rounded protrusions ( Figs 120, 121 View FIGURES 113 – 122 , serration at apex, Fig. 119 View FIGURES 113 – 122 , serration medially). Valvula 1 lanceolate ( Fig. 116 View FIGURES 113 – 122 ), imbricate microsculpture ( Figs 115, 117 View FIGURES 113 – 122 , at apex, Fig. 118 View FIGURES 113 – 122 , more rectangular medially).

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, Gauteng. Faerie Glen Nature Reserve, Pretoria, 25°46ʹS, 28°17ʹE, 1450 m, 18.iii.1998, M. Stiller, on Xerophyta retinervis ( SANC). Paratypes. 113, 7Ƥ, 14 nymphs. Gauteng. 33, 1Ƥ, 1 nymph, Pienaarspoort, 25°44ʹS, 28°27ʹE, 1400 m, 23.iii.1993, sweeping grass; 1Ƥ, 4 nymphs, Faerie Glen Nature Reserve, Pretoria, 25°46ʹS, 28°17ʹE, 1450 m, 12.iii.1998; 43, 2Ƥ, 7 nymphs, ibid., holotype; 23, Rietfontein suburb, Pretoria, 25°41ʹS, 28°14ʹE, 1300 m, 26.xii.2001; 1Ƥ, Zonderwater, south of Cullinan, 25°42ʹS, 28°31ʹE, 1488 m, 14.xii.2005; 13, 1Ƥ, Ezemvelo Nature Reserve, at small dam, 25°43ʹS, 28°58ʹE, 1320 m, 4.iv.2006. Limpopo. 1Ƥ, Kransberg summit, NE of Thabazimbi, 24°28ʹS, 27°37ʹE, 2000 m, 23.iv.2005. Mpumalanga. 1Ƥ, Balmoral vicinity, 25°52ʹS, 28°55ʹE, 1460 m, 17.ii.2005, sweeping grass with some Xerophyta retinervis present; 13, Loskopdam Nature Reserve, 25°31ʹ2.8ʺS, 29°15ʹ2.3ʺE, 1174 m, 8.iv.2012. All collected by M. Stiller, on Xerophyta retinervis , except where stated otherwise ( BMNH, INHS, SANC).

Remarks. This species and Xc. claviverpus are similar in color and shape, with distinguishing features present in male and female genitalia, and which are discussed in the remarks under the description of Xc. claviverpus .