Decursusnirvana excelsa (Melichar) Melichar, 2014

Gao, Min, Dai, Wu & Zhang, Yalin, 2014, Two new Nirvanini genera from China (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Zootaxa 3841 (4), pp. 491-500 : 493-495

Decursusnirvana excelsa (Melichar) , n. comb.

(Figs. 1, 4, 7, 15–19)

Tettigonia excelsa Melichar 1902: 113 ; Oshanin 1906: 52. Tettigoniella excelsa (Melichar) , Oshanin 1912: 100. Oniella excelsa (Melichar) , Matsumura 1912: 46; Li & Wang 1992: 127. Cicadella excelsa (Melichar) , Wu 1935: 74.

Chudania nigridorsalis Kuoh 1992: 294

Description. Vertex with basal half pale yellow and apical half black; eyes black, ocelli reddish-brown; face yellowish white, lorum black. Pronotum black, with large pale yellow patch from apical 1/3 extending to posterior margin and with two longitude lateral markings; scutellum black. Forewing white to pale yellow, heavily marked with black (Figs. 1, 4, 7).

Male abdomen with 3S apodemes quadrate, extended to posterior margin of sternite III. Pygofer well sclerotized, median lobe protruded; lateral lobe without dorsal process, with 8–11 dorsoapical macrosetae; apex of ventral margin with two short hooklike processes ( Fig. 15 ). Subgenital plate with single longitudinal row of macrosetae, fine setae sparsely distributed over surface laterad of macrosetae ( Fig. 16 ). Style apical process elongate, curved laterally, apex expanded and cheliform ( Fig. 19 ). Connective Y-shaped with arms short and widely divergent, stem long and arched in lateral view ( Fig. 18 ). Aedeagal shaft with basal half straight, then abruptly curved ventrally, apical half directed ventro-caudad, basal 1/3 of apical half with well-developed triangular appendage at ventral margin, subapex with pair of appendages slightly curved caudally at ventral margin, apex with pair of appendages slightly curved dorsad, gonopore apical on posterior surface ( Fig. 17 ).Female with sternite VII produced medially as Decursus fasciiformis sp. nov.

Measurements. Male length 4.0–4.6mm, female length 4.9–5.5mm (including wing).

Material examined. China: 6♂, 8♀, Hubei Prov., Wufeng, Duling, 11 July 2006, Lv Lin; 1♂, Gansu Prov., Kangxian, Baiyunshan, 29 July 2002, Yang Zhaofu and Wei Cong; 1♀, Gansu Prov., Chengxian,, 25 July 2002, Wei Cong and Shang Suqin; 4♂, 1♀, Sichuan Prov., Emeishan Mountain, Linggongli, 14 Aug. 2002, Wei Cong and Shang Suqin.

Distribution. China (Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Shanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Hubei).

Remarks: This species originally was included in the genus Oniella based on external shape, well-developed pygophore lobe with ventral process, and subgenital plate long and bladelike with a row of large setae. However, it is substantially different from other species of Oniella in having the aedeagus lacking an atrium and with the shaft abruptly curved ventrad at the middle. It is therefore transferred to Decursusnirvana , along with the new species described below.

Figures

FIGURES 15 – 19. Decursusnirvana excelsa n. comb. 15, male pygofer, lateral view; 16, subgenital plate, lateral view; 17, aedeagus, lateral view; 18, connective, dorsal view; 19, style, dorsal view.