Geelus nektanddraad, Stiller, 2020

Stiller, Michael, 2020, A new leafhopper genus Geelus and 12 new species (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae Deltocephalinae) from Southern Africa, Zootaxa 4786 (3), pp. 301-344 : 320-322

Geelus nektanddraad sp.n.

( Figs 7 D–H, 9A–K)

Diagnosis. Aedeagal shaft curvate with two pairs of median teeth, dorsal apodeme reduced, preatrium angled 270° to shaft. Pygofer process smooth, sublinear, orientation posteroventrad. Female sternite 7 with widely notched median ligula, recessed or flush with lateral margin.

Etymology. Afrikaans compound word, nouns in apposition, nek = neck, mid-section, and tand = tooth, for the two pairs of distinct teeth medially on the shaft of the aedeagus. Gender masculine.

Male. Measurements. n=24. Length from apex of crown to apex of tegmina 4.75–5.05 mm. Crown median length 0.39–0.42 mm. Crown length next to eye 0.32–0.35 mm. Pronotum length 0.48–0.52 mm. Head width across eyes 1.36–1.45 mm. Pronotum width 1.29–1.38 mm. Ocellus diameter 39.3–51.1 μm; interocular distance 66.8– 81.8 µm. Apical angle of crown 120°±1.8°.

Pygofer lobe. Process orientation posteroventrad, sublinear, edentate, origin mediodorsally near base of pygofer lobe; pygofer lobe slightly narrower than pygofer, broadly triangular, apex triangular; anterior apodeme short, laterodorsal. Apex of pygofer lobe extend beyond apex of subgenital plate ( Fig. 9F ).

Anal tube. Tubular ( Fig. 9G ).

Subgenital plate. Number of macrosetae, 3–4; medioposterior angle, round; length: width 0.8–0.9; position of macrosetae, distal half ( Fig. 9E ).

Valve. Shape crescentic ( Fig. 9E ).

Style. Apophysis with subapical, lateroventral tooth; apical tooth ventral; apophysis width at base about two thirds of width across preapical lobe; ratio length to width of apophysis 3.4–4.8 ( Fig. 9C ).

Connective. Stem length relative to arm length, half as long as arms; stem width relative to width across arms, half as wide as greatest width across arms ( Fig. 9D ).

Aedeagus. Shaft thick; apex of shaft blunt, partially membranous and sclerotized; denticulation of shaft medially, with dorsal and ventral paired teeth; shaft curvate; dorsal apodeme, viewed laterally; reduced; preatrium rotated 270° ( Figs 9A, 9B ).

Female. Measurements. n=33. Length from apex of crown to apex of tegmina 4.84–5.18 mm. Crown median length 0.40–0.44 mm. Crown length next to eye 0.32–0.35 mm. Pronotum length 0.49–0.53 mm. Head width across eyes 1.42–1.49 mm. Pronotum width 1.33–1.42 mm. Ocellus diameter 39.1–49.1 μm; interocular distance 66.5–82.9 µm. Apical angle of crown 120.1°±2.0°.

Sternite 7. Posterior margin with wide, shallow notch, spanning posterior margin; ligula present with short, wide, rounded notch; ligula recessed (all from Biesiesfontein, Figs 9H , on Zygophyllum , Fig. 9I , on Sarcocaulon , Fig. 9J , on Pteronia ).

Valvifer 1. Symmetrical or ventral margin produced narrowly ( Fig. 9K ).

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, Northern Cape Province, CCDL 18878, Biesiesfontein Farm S Springbok, -29.75, 17.9333, 29.ix.–3.x.2002, M. Stiller, sweeping Galenia africana , Aizoaceae ( SANC).

Paratypes. 27♂, 32♀, 9 nymphs. Northern Cape Province, records below all this locality: Biesiesfontein Farm S Springbok, -29.75, 17.9333, 29.ix.–3.x.2002, M. Stiller, sweeping. 3♂, 1♀, 3 nymphs, CCDL 18877, Atriplex nummularia subsp. nummularia , Aizoaceae ; 1♂, 2 nymphs, CCDL 18876, Calobota sericea , Fabaceae ; 3♂, 8♀, CCDL 18874, Pteronia divariculata , Asteraceae ; 11♂, 11♀, 3 nymphs, ibid. holotype; 4♂, 5♀, CCDL 18875, Sarcocaulon l’heriteri, Geraniaceae ; 1♂, CCDL 26934, light trap; 1♂, CCDL 26935, Diospyros ramulosa , Ebenaceae ; 1♂, 3♀, CCDL 26933, Searsia undulata , Anacardiaceae ; 1♀, CCDL 26936, at night near light trap, Zygophyllum retofractrum , Zygophyllaceae ; Western Cape Province, 2♂, 3♀, 1 nymph, CCDL 18853, Wiedouw Farm base of Gifberg Pass, -31.7334, 18.7666, 3–10.x.2002, M. Stiller, sweeping, Salvia lanceolata , Lamiaceae ( BMNH, INHS, SANC).

Remarks. Unique in this species in the male are the thick shaft, two medial pairs of teeth and in the female the cup-shape ligula recessed medially into the sternite 7. Other species have the ligula rectangular ( G. drietanddraad , Fig. 14I ), square with small notch ( G. slangdraad , Fig. 17I ), rounded in G. platdraad ( Figs 12L, 12O ), and resemblance in G. stompdraad ( Fig. 11I ). Color and shape of crown ( Figs 7 D–F) and nymph ( Figs 7G, H ) resemble the other species closely, e.g. Figs 1 , 2 and 5 .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Geelus dundraad gen.n. & sp.n., habitus, dorsally. A. Male, Uitsig, Rooibos Tea; B. Female, Groenkol, Rooibos Tea; C. Male, Jamaka, on Aspalathus; D. Female, Jamaka, Aspalathus; E. Male, Koelenhof specimen; F. Female, Klipheuwel; G. Male, Wiedouw specimen, on Diosma; H. Male, Citrusdal.

FIGURE 2. Geelus dundraad gen.n. & sp.n., habitus, dorsally. A. Male, Brakwater; B. Nymph, Wiedouw specimen, Passerina; C. Nymph, Wiedouw specimen, Passerina; D. Nymph, Oudam, Rooibos Tea; E. Male, Muldersvlei specimen; F. Male, Muldersvlei specimen; G. Female, Muldersvlei specimen; H. Female, Muldersvlei specimen.

FIGURE 5. Geelus kinkeldraad gen.n. & sp.n., adult and nymph from Biesiesfontein, habitus, dorsally. A. Male, on Zygophyllum; B. Nymph, on Pteronia, early instar; C. Nymph, on Pteronia, early instar; D. Nymph, on Pteronia, late instar; E. Female, on Pteronia; F. Nymph, on Zygophyllum, late instar; G. Nymph, on Zygophyllum, late instar; H. Nymph, on Antizoma, late instar.

FIGURE 7. Geelus gen.n. species, adult and nymph, habitus, dorsally. A. Geelus vurkdraad sp.n., male, on Calobota; B. Geelus vurkdraad sp.n., female, on Calobota; C. Indeterminable species, nymph, on Calobota; D. Geelus nektanddraad sp.n., male, Biesiesfontein specimen, on Gorteria; E. Geelus nektanddraad sp.n., male, Biesiesfontein specimen, on Galenia; F. Geelus nektanddraad sp.n., female, Biesiesfontein specimen; G. Geelus nektanddraad sp.n., nymph, early instar, on Galenia; H. Geelus nektanddraad sp.n., nymph, late instar, on Gorteria.

FIGURE 9. Geelus nektanddraad gen.n. & sp.n., male and female genitalia, line drawings. A. Aedeagus, dorsally; B. Aedeagus, laterally; C. Style; D. Connective; E. Subgenital plate; F. Genital capsule, laterally; G. Genital capsule, dorsally; H. Sternite 7, Biesiesfontein specimen, on Zygophyllum; I. Sternite 7, Biesiesfontein specimen, on Sarcocaulon; J. Sternite 7, Biesiesfontein specimen, on Pteronia; K. Valvifer 1, laterally.

FIGURE 11. Geelus stompdraad gen.n. & sp.n., male and female genitalia, line drawings. A. Aedeagus, ventrally; B. Aedeagus, laterally; C. Connective; D. Style; E. Subgenital plate; F. Genital capsule, dorsally; G. Valvifer 1, laterally; H. Genital capsule, laterally; I. Sternite 7.

FIGURE 12. Geelus platdraad gen.n. & sp.n., male and female genitalia, line drawings. A. Aedeagus, laterally, specimen on Justicia; B. Connective, specimen on Justicia; C. Aedeagus, dorsally, specimen on Justicia; D. Aedeagus, ventrally, specimen on Justicia; E. Subgenital plate, specimen on Justicia; F. Style, specimen on Justicia; G. Aedeagus, laterally; H. Aedeagus, dorsally; I. Genital capsule, laterally; J. Subgenital plate; K. Connective; L. Sternite 7; M. Genital capsule, dorsally; N. Style, apophysis; O. Sternite 7, specimen on Justicia.

FIGURE 14. Geelus drietanddraad gen.n. & sp.n., male and female genitalia, line drawings. A. Aedeagus, dorsally; B. Aedeagus, laterally; C. Genital capsule, dorsally; D. Style; E. Genital capsule, laterally; F. Subgenital plate; G. Connective; H. Valvifer 1, laterally; I. Sternite 7.

FIGURE 17. Geelus slangdraad gen.n. & sp.n., male and female genitalia, line drawings. A.Aedeagus, dorsally; B. Aedeagus, laterally; C. Connective; D. Style; E. Subgenital plate; F. Genital capsule, dorsally; G. Abdominal apodemes; H. Genital capsule, laterally; I. Sternite 7.