Colistra parvulus (Linnavuori)

(Figs 1A–N, 2L, M, 7A–J, 8A–O, 31A)

Caffrolix parvulus Linnavuori, 1961: 464, 466–467.

Colistra parvulus (Linnavuori, 1961); Davies, 1988: 215, 216.

Type material examined.

Type locality. Holotype male, South Africa, Western Cape province, Maanschijnkop, 11.3 km east Hermanus, -34.40, 19.35, 21 Dec. 1950, P. Brink, G. Rudebeck leg., CCDL08586, SANC; LUMZ.

Type specimen. Holotype male, double mounted on minuten, pinned, with genitalia in microvial pinned to specimen. Original label: “S[outh] Afr[ica], Cape Prov. [ince] / Maanschijnkop, 7 miles / E Hermanus / 21.XII.50, No. 93” (Fig. 1L) “Swedish South Africa / Expedition / 1950–1951 / Brink – Rudebeck” (Fig. 1M) “ SANC Pretoria / Dbase# CCDL / 08586 ”, LUMZ.

Paratype. 1♂ (Fig. 1I, genitalia glued to card, Fig. 1J, K), 1♀ (Fig. 1H); ibid. holotype. LUMZ .

Additional material examined. 81♂♂, 76♀♀, 29 nymphs

South Africa, Western Cape province:

1♂, 1♀; Palmiet River Kleinmond; -34.33, 18.98; 28 Feb. 1970; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL08578; SANC.

1♀; Viljoens Pass; -31.97, 19.11; 6 Jan. 1971; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL08579; SANC .

1♂; Grabouw; -34.15, 19.03; 6 Jan. 1971; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL08576; SANC .

1♂; Pearly Beach; -34.66, 19.50; 15 Dec. 1971; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL08577; SANC .

2♂♂, 3♀♀; Salmonsdam; -34.43, 19.63; 1 Oct. 1972; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL08581; SANC .

29♂♂, 6♀♀; Rawsonville; -33.68, 19.32; 10Apr. 1974; J.G.Theron leg.; Erica muscosa Ericaceae; CCDL08573; BMNH, INHS, SANC .

1♂, 1♀; Viljoens Pass; -31.97, 19.11; 5 Dec. 1974; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL08574; SANC .

2♂♂; Clanwilliam Cedarberg; -32.50, 19.25; 27 Mar. 1976; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL08575; SANC .

6♀♀; Pearly Beach; -34.66, 19.50; 8 Dec. 1977; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL28215; SANC .

1♀; Hermanus; -34.41, 19.23; 9 Dec. 1977; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL28216; SANC .

2♂♂, 2♀♀; Rawsonville; -33.68, 19.32; 13 Jan. 1979; J.G. Theron leg.; Erica muscosa Ericaceae; CCDL08580; SANC .

1♂, 2♀♀; Grabouw; -34.15, 19.03; 25 Sep. 1981; J.G. Theron leg.; Erica hispidula Ericaceae; CCDL27861; SANC .

4♂♂; Caledon; -34.22, 19.41; 9 Dec. 1985; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL08582; SANC .

3♂♂; Kogelberg Nature Reserve; -34.32, 18.96; 17 Jan. 2003; M. Olmi leg.; CCDL28394; SANC .

1♀; Blinkberg Pass vicinity; -32.73, 19.05; 6 May 2011; M. Stiller leg.; CCDL28120; SANC .

1♂, 1♀; Ceres vicinity; -33.38, 19.33; 7 May 2011; M. Stiller leg.; DVac; CCDL18978; SANC .

4♂♂, 2♀♀, 1 nymph; Fisantekraal site 2; -33.78, 19.16; 8 Dec. 2019; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping Erica fastigiata Ericaceae; CCDL27931; SANC .

6♂♂, 8♀♀, 5 nymphs; Fisantekraal site 4; -33.79, 19.16; 8 Dec. 2019; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping Erica fastigiata Ericaceae; CCDL27950; BMNH, INHS, SANC .

1♂, 1 nymph; Fisantekraal site 5; -33.79, 19.16; 8 Dec. 2019; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping Stilbe sp. Stilbaceae; CCDL 27961; SANC.

1♀; Skurfteberg; -33.11, 19.26; 13 Dec. 2019; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping Dicerothamnus rhinocerotis Asteraceae; CCDL 27992; SANC .

2♂♂, 2♀♀, 17 nymphs; Skurfteberg; -33.11, 19.26; 13 Dec. 2019; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping Erica sp. Ericaceae; CCDL28001; SANC .

2♀♀, 2 nymphs; Skurfteberg; -33.11, 19.26; 13 Dec. 2019; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping; CCDL28010; SANC .

18♂♂, 40♀♀, 3 nymphs; Kogelberg Nature Reserve #1, Kleinmond; -34.322, 18.963; 12 Feb. 2022; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping grass and shrub regrowth after fire; CCDL28610, SANC .

Diagnosis. Aedeagus with apex of shaft about as wide as midsection; dorsal apodeme elongate, half to three quarters as long as shaft, subparallel to shaft, narrowly attached to atrium, preatrium reduced; teeth of shaft medially at posterior margin with single tooth and paired teeth at lateral margins; apex of shaft at anterolateral margin with numerous small teeth.

Etymology. Retrospectively, not in Linnavuori (1961). Named for the small size of this leafhopper in Latin, parvus, little, minor, masculine or feminine; parvitas, - atis, feminine, littleness, insignificance; parum, too little. Gender masculine.

Description.

Male, female and nymph.

Color.

Head. Markings as in Fig. 1A–D, H, I, as described in Linnavuori (1961) and Davies (1988). Nymph as in Fig. 2L, M.

Pronotum. Brown marking near eye either circular, paired or irregular (Fig. 1 A–D). Lateral margin narrow, smooth (Fig. 1E).

Tegmina. Costa yellow, brown marking in inner and outer costal cells next to R1a (cross vein between outer and inner costal cells); brown marking in inner and outer discal cells, claval cells and 1–3 apical cells (Fig. 1A–E, H, I).

Morphology.

Face. As in Fig. 1F, as described in Linnavuori (1961) and Davies (1988).

Tegmina. Veins in male in Fig. 7I, female in Fig. 8N.

Hind wing. Elongate (length/width=2.72–3.15), narrow; costal margin straight (Figs 7J, male, Fig. 8O, female).

Chaetotaxy. Profemur row AV with 8–10 short setae, row IC with 6–10 long, fine setae.

Measurements.

Male (n=87). Apex of crown to apex of tegmina 2.68–3.18 mm, apex of crown to apex of abdomen 2.46–2.75 mm; crown length 0.45–0.48 mm; crown length next to eyes 0.32–0.35 mm; pronotum length 0.34–0.37 mm; head width 1.06–1.26 mm; pronotum width 0.89–1.18 mm; ocellus diameter 19–29 µm; interocular distance 39–53 µm; crown angle 97–107°; crown length/crown length next to eye=1.34–1.44; head width/pronotum width=1.05–1.11; ocellus diameter/interocular distance=0.39–0.66; crown length/pronotum length=1.24–1.38; pronotum length/ pronotum width=0.31–0.35.

Female (n=74). Apex of crown to apex of tegmina 2.76–3.41 mm, apex of crown to apex of abdomen 2.79–3.46 mm; crown length 0.45–0.53 mm; crown length next to eyes 0.33–0.39 mm; pronotum length 0.35–0.42 mm; head width 1.17–1.40 mm; pronotum width 1.09–1.30 mm; ocellus diameter 22–30 µm; interocular distance 40–57 µm; crown angle 100–110°; crown length/crown length next to eye=1.31–1.41; head width/pronotum width=1.06–1.09; ocellus diameter/interocular distance=0.42–0.66; crown length/pronotum length=1.19–1.38; pronotum length/ pronotum width=0.23–0.38.

Terminalia.

Male

Segment 10. Lateral margin convergent, slightly convex, in dorsal view length/width=0.90–0.99 (n=18), (Fig. 7A, B).

Pygofer lobe. 3–6 macrosetae, rarely seven or eight, 38–90 µm in length (Fig. 7B, F); membranous apical and medial lobe as in Fig. 7F.

Subgenital plate. Greatest length/greatest width=0.85–1.16. Apex of apophysis of style inserted less than halfway into subgenital plate (Fig. 7C).

Style. Greatest length/greatest width=3.43–4.11, length apophysis/greatest length=0.17–0.25; angle 49–71° (Fig. 7G); apophysis curvate, margins subparallel.

Connective. Greatest width across arms/width of apex of stem=1.77–2.16, length arms/length stem=1.28–3.73; angle of arms 78–95°; greatest length/greatest width=0.45–0.57 (Fig. 7H).

Aedeagus. Shaft straight, tubular, medially with paired, lateral teeth and single posterior tooth, variable in position, size and orientation, shaft at apical anterior margin with numerous small teeth; gonopore marginal, wide at apex, tapered along posterior subapical margin, narrow subapically; dorsal apodeme elongate, half to three quarters as long as shaft (Fig. 7D, E).

Female.

Sternite 7. Isosceles trapezoid (distal width/basal width=0.65–0.67, greatest length/greatest width=0.46–0.51), lateral margins straight or curvate; posterior margin rounded medially with small, narrow bilobed or uniform projection or without projection, sclerotized medially (Figs 1G, 8A).

Valvula 1. Parallel-sided, apex acuminate (Fig. 8I), sculpture pattern commonly reticulate apically and medially (Fig. 8K, 8L, respectively), striate towards base (similar to other species of Colistra, e.g., Fig. 10M, 12N).

Valvula 2. Serration less than half the length of valvula 2 (Fig. 8H), teeth curvate, trough with fine teeth, serration at apex, similar throughout (Fig. 8J).

Valvula 3. 12–18 marginal to submarginal macrosetae at apex, 21–32 µm long (Fig. 8M). Whole valvula as in other species of Colistra, e.g., Fig. 10E.

Valvifer 1. Rhomboid with dorsal and ventral margin broadly rounded, anterior margin narrowly rounded, posterior margin acute (Fig. 8C, D, E), in dorsal view fused medially (Fig. 8B).

Valvifer 2. Apices narrowly rounded, length/width=1.23–1.66 (Fig. 8G), sculpture sparse, microtrichia and scale-like structures, marginal and submarginal, few circular submarginal pore-like structures (no setae found on eight valvifers in six dissected ovipositors) (Fig. 8F).

Remarks. Males and females share similar proportions, with the latter appearing smaller, and with a shorter crown and more obtuse crown angle. The male aedeagus of C. parvulus has the separate and elongate dorsal apodeme and short preatrium, except in the Clanwilliam specimen with a slightly longer preatrium. Variation is recognized in the relative position of posterior and lateral paired teeth, from almost opposite to lateral pair or more basal, and the dorsal apodeme three quarters to half as long as shaft, parallel or subparallel to the shaft. The sternite 7 of examined females appears consistently rounded, with little or no damage, and length/width slightly larger (0.46–0.51) than in C. bucapitatus sp. n. (0.42–0.46) and C. acapitatus sp. n. (0.41–0.45). The sternite 7 in C. semialius sp. n. (0.48–0.55) is similar to that of C. parvulus (0.46–0.51). Distribution map and potential natural distribution model in Fig. 31A.