Mejdalania unciformis, Gonçalves, 2021

Gonçalves, Clayton C., 2021, Mejdalania, a new genus and three new species of Neocoelidiinae from Brazil (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Zootaxa 5039 (1), pp. 109-118 : 113-116

Mejdalania unciformis sp. nov.

Figs 19−28 , 33−34

Diagnosis. Pygofer, in lateral view ( Fig. 21 ), subquadrangular, ventral margin with apical lobe, lateroapical process with dorsal rami long and strongly curved dorsally, exceeding half height of caudal margin; subgenital plates, in ventral view ( Fig. 23 ), subtriangular, with lateral margins converging towards the apex in the basal two-thirds; aedeagus ( Figs 27–28 ) with apodemal processes shorter than the shaft, slender for the entire length, shaft slender and sinuous, S-shaped.

Measurements (mm). Male holotype: total length 7. Paratype (male), 5.9−6.6 (n=2).

Coloration. Body yellow ( Figs 33–34 ), green in life. Face, pronotum and mesonotum ( Figs 19 , 33 ) yellow. Forewing ( Fig. 20 ) yellow semi-hyaline with a dark yellow longitudinal strip adjacent to the anal margin. Legs ( Fig. 34 ) yellow.

External morphology. External morphological characters as in the generic description.

Male terminalia. Pygofer, in lateral view ( Fig. 21 ), subquadrangular, approximately as long as high; anterior margin with strongly developed lobe; ventrobasal and dorsoapical margins thickened, ventral margin rectilinear with a apical lobe, dorsal margin strongly declivous apically; lateroapical process with dorsal rami long and strongly curved dorsally, exceeding half the caudal margin, apex acute, ventral rami acute and directed ventrally, short, about one-tenth the length of the dorsal rami; apex truncated. Subgenital plates, in lateral view ( Fig. 23 ) with apical third slightly curved dorsally; in ventral view ( Fig. 24 ), subtriangular, with lateral margins converging towards the apex in the basal two-thirds. Connective ( Fig. 25 ) approximately half length of the style. Style ( Figs 25–26 ) with rectilinear. Aedeagus ( Figs 27–28 ) with apodemal processes shorter than the shaft, sinuous and slender, apex acutely rounded; shaft sinuous, S-shaped, flattened dorsoventrally, slender for the entire length with smooth lateral margins.

Female terminalia. Female unknown.

Material examined. Holotype ♂: “ Sinop , Mato Grosso \ Brasil, x.1975 \ M. Alvarenga leg” ( DZUP) . Paratypes: 2 ♂ same data as holotype, ( DZRJ, DZUP) .

Etymology. The species name alludes to hook shape of the lateroapical process of pygofer ( Figs 21–22 ).

Remarks. Mejdalania unciformis sp. nov. resembles M. bia sp. nov. by the subquadrangular shape of the pygofer and by the subtriangular shape of the subgenital plates and resembles M. longa sp. nov. by the shape of the aedeagus. However, M. unciformis sp. nov. is easily distinguished from other species by the long lateroapical process of the pygofer, curved dorsally ( Figs 21–22 ).

Figures

FIGURES 19–28. Mejdalania unciformis gen. et sp. nov., holotype male: 19, head, frontal view; 20, forewing; 21, pygofer and anal tube, lateral view; 22, pygofer and anal tube, caudal view; 23, valve and subgenital plates, lateral view; 24, valve and subgenital plates, ventral view; 25, connective and style, dorsal view; 26, style, lateral view; 27, aedeagus, lateral view; 28, aedeagus, caudal view. Scale bars: 19 = 1.0 mm, 20 = 2.0 mm, 21–28 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 29–34. Habitus, dorsal and lateral views, respectively. 29 and 30, Mejdalania bia gen. et sp. nov., holotype male. 31 and 32, M. longa gen. et sp. nov., holotype male. 33 and 34, M. unciformis gen. et sp. nov., holotype male. Scale bars: 29–34 = 2.0 mm.