Neotrocnada rutasaca (Blocker) Domahovski, 2021

Domahovski, Alexandre Cruz, 2021, Cavichiassus, a new genus of Hyalojassini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from Brazil and first description of the genitalia of Neotrocnada rutasaca (Blocker) comb nov., Zootaxa 4926 (2), pp. 189-200 : 194-198

Neotrocnada rutasaca (Blocker) comb. nov.

( Figs 21 ‾45)

Balbriga rutasaca Blocker, 1979: 16 .

Diagnosis. Pygofer (Figs 27, 28), in lateral view, with ventral margin straight. Aedeagus (Figs 34, 35) with dorsal apodeme forming a median process directed posterad; in lateral view, shaft expanded toward apex.

Coloration. Head and thorax ( Fig. 21 ‾24) background yellowish-green. Crown (Fig. 23) with pair of diagonal black maculae posterior to ocelli and pair of small rounded spots near posterior margin of crown. Ocelli (Fig. 23) red. Face (Fig. 24) without maculae. Pronotum ( Figs 21 ‾23) with pair of rounded black maculae near middle of anterior margin and irregular black maculae, more densely distributed towards posterior margin (with variation of intensity between specimens). Mesonotum ( Fig. 21 ) with pair of black or red submedian rounded maculae; lateral angles and anterior portion of scutellum with black maculae. Forewing ( Figs 21 , 22, 25) with brown punctuations bordering veins; anterior portion of clavus darkened with many brown and black punctuations. Legs (Fig. 22) yellowish-green.

Measurements (mm). Male: total length 6.2‾6.4. Female: 6.5‾7.2.

Description. As in generic description of Krishnankutty & Dietrich (2012) except by the forewing with number of branches of the vein R varying between 2‾7.

Male terminalia. Sternite VIII (Fig. 26) strongly convex, ca. 1.5 times longer than sternite VII, concealing in repose more than basal half of genital capsule; ventral surface with many small setae; lateral margins slightly round- ed; posterior margin straight. Valve rectangular, more than twice as long as wide, broadly fused to pygofer. Pygofer (Figs 27, 28), in lateral view, 1.5 times longer than maximum height; dorsal margin deeply excavated medially; dorsoposterior margin fused to pygofer lobes; ventral margin straight, slightly folded inwards, bearing short setae, more densely distributed towards apex; apex broad and slightly excavated; macrosetae absent; ventral process (Figs 27‾29) elongated, arising near subgenital plate and produced ventrally as far as ventral margin of pygofer; ventral margin with one row of elongated setae, apical portion truncated, foot-shaped, more strongly sclerotzed. Anal tube (Fig. 27) membranous, without processes. Subgenital plates (Figs 27‾30) reduced to pair of small digitiform lobes fused each other. Connective (Figs 32, 33), small, U-shaped, with arms directed ventrally, dorsal portion wide and slightly flattened anteroposteriorly. Style (Figs 32, 33), in lateral view, elongated, weakly sclerotized, with apodeme very short; apophysis slightly curved outward, in dorsal view; apex rounded, curded dorsally, in lateral view. Aedeagus (Figs 34, 35) with preatrium reduced; dorsal apodeme developed, forming one median process directed posterad; shaft tubular, slightly curved dorsally, expanded toward apex; apex bifid, rounded, without processes, gonopore apical.

Female terminalia. Sternite VII ( Figs 36 , 37) ca. two times wider than long; ventral surface with short setae; posterior margin slightly excavated each side of short median rounded lobe. Internal sternite VIII membranous. Pygofer ( Figs 36 , 37) with thin setae near ventral margin and apex; ventral margin broadly rounded; apex obliquely truncated. Ovipositor slender, evenly curved dorsad, not surpassing pygofer apex. First valvifer (Fig. 38) trapezoid, 1.2 times higher than long; lateral margins approximately straight; posteroventral angle rounded. First valvula (Fig. 38) with dorsal and ventral margins, almost parallel, slightly convergent apically, ca. 8 times longer than high at base; ventral interlocking device long, extending over basal two-third; dorsal sculpturing area areolate starting before the mid-length; apical portion (Fig. 39) with ventral sculpture present near apex, continuous with the dorsal sculpture, apex tapered and acute. Second valvula (Fig. 40) ca. 10 times longer than high; dorsal and ventral margins parallel; dorsal margin with three distinct subapical teeth widely spaced; apical portion (Fig. 41) with rounded denticles on dorsal and ventral margins; apex subacute. Second valvifer (Fig. 42) ca. three times higher than long. Gonoplac (Fig. 42) 4.8 times longer than high; dorsoapical margin long, more than half length of gonoplac, almost parallel to ventral margin; external surface without dentiform cuticular projections; ventral margin broadly rounded, with spaced macrosetae near ventral margin; apex abruptly tapered, subacute.

Material examined. 6³, 20♀: “ Brasil, Paraná, S. [S„o] J. [José] dos\ Pinhais, 25º36’18”S\ 49º11’37”W 880m \ [several dates between 12.X.2011 and 31.XII.2019] Sweep \ A.C. Domahovski leg.” ( DZUP); 1♀: “ Brasil, PR, S. [S„o] J. [José] dos Pinhais \ Rep. [Represa] Guaricana, Malaise,\ 25.7176ºS 48.9640ºW, 760m \ 26.XII.2017 - 09.I.2018, Muniz,\ Melo, Cavichioli & Domahovski ” ( DZUP).

Notes. Blocker (1979) assigned this species to Baldriga based on general habitus and appendix of the forewings absent ( Figs 43 ‾45). However, the author suggested that B. rutasaca probably belong to an undescribed genus by differences on the hind femoral chaetotaxy, forewing texture, and “other characters” that differs from the remaining species of the genus. The study of the external morphology and male genitalia demonstrated several similarity with Neotrocnada as follow: the ventral portion of the head horizontal; the frons narrow with abrupt transverse fold at level of antennal ledge; the front tibiae foliaceous; the forewing with vein R with several branches; the pygofer with ventral processes highly modified, resembling subgenital plates; the subgenital plates reduced; the connective U-shaped; the style small, slender, with the apodeme weakly developed, and the apophysis digitiform and weakly sclerotized; and the aedeagus with apex bifid, without processes.

Moreover, the male genitalia of B. rutasaca differs from the Mexican species of Baldriga by the pygofer hooks highly modified and very long (pygofer hooks short in Baldriga , resembling of those present in Momoria and Gargaropsis ); the style with apodeme weakly developed (well developed in Baldriga ) and apex rounded (apex bifid apically in Baldriga ); the connective U-shaped (strap-like in Baldriga ); and the aedeagus without apical processes (with pair of apical processes in Baldriga ).

Based on this morphological characters, herein is proposed a new combination and N. rutasaca comb. nov. can be differentiated from N. napoensis in having the pygofer with ventral margin straight (excavated in N. napoensis ); the aedeagus with dorsal apodeme forming one median process directed posterad (absent in N. napoensis ); and the shaft more robust and expanded toward apex (thinner and narrow apically in N. napoensis ).

Figures

FIGURES 21─35. Neotrocnada rutasaca comb. nov., male. 21, Habitus, dorsal view. 22, Habitus, lateral view. 23, Head, frontal view. 24, Head, ventral view. 25, Forewing. 26, Sternite VIII, ventral view. 27, Genital capsule, lateral view. 28, Pygofer, valve, and subgenital plate, lateral view. 29, Subgenital plate and ventral process of pygofer, lateral view. 30, Subgenital plate, ventral view. 31, Connective, anterior view. 32, Connective and style, ventral view. 33, Connective and style, lateral view. 34, Aedeagus, lateral view. 35, Aedeagus, posterior view. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURES 36─42. Neotrocnada rutasaca comb. nov., female. 36, Distal portion of abdomen, ventral view. 37, Distal portion of abdomen, lateral view. 38, First valvifer and first valvula, lateral view. 39, Apical portion of first valvula. 40, Second valvula, lateral view. 41, Apical portion of second valvula. 42, Second valvifer and gonoplac, lateral view. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURES 43─45. Baldriga rutasaca Blocker, 1979, female holotype (NHMUK 013589016). 43, Habitus, dorsal view. 44, Habitus, lateral view. 45, Labels.