Stirellus mexicanus ( Osborn & Ball, 1902 )

Duan, Yani, Zhang, Yating & Dietrich, Christopher H., 2019, Six new species of Stenometopiini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with redescription of additional species and new distributional records, Zootaxa 4603 (2), pp. 201-240 : 215-217

Stirellus mexicanus ( Osborn & Ball, 1902)

(Figs 11–12)

Description. Length. Male: 2.6–3.1mm; female: 3.5–4.1mm.

Coloration. Overall color varying from brown to ochraceous to yellow green with dark brown marks (Fig. 11A–E). Crown with pair of dark brown apical spots and usually smaller pair of brown spots posteriorly. Pronotum, mesonotum and scutellum with or without symmetrical dark brown marks (Fig. 11A–D). Frontoclypeus ochraceous with fuscous arcs from lateral frontal suture reaching only part way across (Fig. 11F). Forewing translucent without fuscous tint, veins usually pale (Fig. 11A–E). Femora and tibiae with dark brown marks (Fig. 11E). Abdominal sternites variably infused with dark brown (Fig. 11G).

Morphology. Head wider than pronotum, weakly subconical, crown-face transition slightly angled (Fig. 11A– E). Crown nearly as long as or slightly longer than width between eyes (Fig. 11A–D). Anteclypeus nearly parallel- sided, extending beyond normal curve of genae (Fig. 11F). Pronotum median length nearly as long as median length of crown. Mesonotum and scutellum together nearly as long as pronotum (Fig. 11A–D). Forewing macropterous, usually exposing apex of abdomen in female (Fig. 11A–E).

Male genitalia. Pygofer side with few macrosetae dorsally, dorsal margin with slight preapical concavity, posterior margin rounded ( Fig. 12A, B ). Subgenital plate slightly convex laterally, macrosetae uniseriate on lateral margin ( Fig. 12D ). Style apophysis digitate, slim, laterallylaterally curved, preapicalpreapical lobelobe relativelyrelatively broadbroad andand acuteacute ( Fig. 12E ). Connective H-shaped, stem nearly as long as arms and very broad ( Fig. 12F ). Aedeagal shaft in lateral view sharply bent near base, relatively short and broad, distinctly expanded just dorsad of bend, broadly curved distally, apex blunt; in posterior view very slender and tapered with gonopore unusually elongate ( Fig. 12 G–I).

Female. Hind margin of seventh sternum nearly straight with very short lateral angles (Fig. 11G).

Material examined. 4ƋƋ, 4♀♀, 3ml. E Ocozocoantla, Chiapas, Mex, Je 24, 55GL262 RB & JM Selander (INHS); 3ƋƋ, 1♀, Mexico: Quintana Roo about 33 Km from Majahual along road from Majahual to road 307, 21 xi 2004, coll. M. Olmi ( INHS) .

Distribution. Cuba; Mexico; USA.

Remarks. It is similar to Stirellus picinus but it can be distinguished by the truncate hind margin of female sternite VII, by the upturned apex of the male pygofer lobe and the tapered aedeagal apex (in posterior view) with elongate gonopore.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Stirellus mexicanus A, C: male pygofer and segments X and XI, lateral and dorsal view, respectively; B: male pygofer lobe, lateral view; D: valve, subgenital plates and styles, ventral view; E: style, dorsal view; F: connective, dorsal view; G: aedeagus, dorsal view; H: aedeagus, lateral view; I: connective and aedeagus, lateral view.