Dixamflata petri, Stroiński & Malenovský & Świerczewski, 2016

Stroiński, Adam, Malenovský, Igor & Świerczewski, Dariusz, 2016, Two new genera offlatid planthoppers from Socotra island (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Flatidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 56 (2), pp. 461-489 : 466-475

Dixamflata petri sp. nov.

( Figs 1–52 )

Type locality. Yemen, central Socotra, southern slopes of the Hagher mountains on the edge of the Dixam plateau, Tudhen, 12°32.7′N, 53°59.9′E, 1135 m a.s.l. ( Fig. 75 ).

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♁, “ YEMEN, SOCOTRA Island / Dixam Plateau , Tudhen / 12°32.7′N, 53°59.9′E, 1135 m / montane shrubland with / Commiphora planifrons , 22.vi.2012 // SOCOTRA expedition 2012 / I. Malenovský, P. Kment, / J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula / J. Niedobová & L. Purchart leg. // HOLOTYPE / Dixamflata / petri sp. nov. / det. A. Stroiński, I. Malenovský / & D. Świerczewski 2016” ( MMBC, dry-mounted, abdomen detached, dissected and stored in plastic vial with glycerol under the specimen) . PARATYPES: 13 ♁♁ 4 ♀♀, same data as holotype (6 ♁♁ 2 ♀♀ MMBC, 3 ♁♁ 1 ♀ MZPW, 4 ♁♁ 1 ♀ NMPC) ; 1 ♁, “ YEMEN, SOCOTRA Island / Hagher Mts., wadi Madar / 12°33.2′N, 54°00.4′E, 1170 m / montane shrubland with / Cephalocroton socotranus , 18.vi.2012 // SOCOTRA expedition 2012 / I. Malenovský, P. Kment, / J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula / J. Niedobová & L. Purchart leg. ( MMBC); 1 ♁, “ YEMEN, SOCOTRA Island, Zemhom area [= Aloove village env., see BEZDĚK et al. (2012)], 270-350m, N 12°30′58″ E 54°06′39″, 3.-4.ii.2010, at light, L. Purchart & J. Vybiral leg.” ( MMBC); 1 ♁ 1 ♀, “ YEMEN, SOCOTRA Island, Scant area, 1300-1500m, N 12°34′33″ E 54°01′31″ E, 31.i.-1.ii.2010, L. Purchart ” ( MMBC). Each paratype bearing “ PARATYPE / Dixamflata / petri sp. nov. / det. A. Stroiński, I. Malenovský / & D. Świerczewski 2016” label .

Diagnosis. The only species in the genus.

Description. Measurements. Total length 3.1–3.8 mm. Vertex: A/B 2.50–3.64. Frons: C/ E 0.58 –0.71; D/ E 0.88 –1.02. Pronotum: F/B 1.43–2.45. Mesonotum: G/F 1.33–1.80; G/B+F 0.90–1.11; G/H 0.50–0.62. Tegmina: I/J 1.62–2.09.

Coloration. General coloration light brown, mottled darker brown ( Figs 1–7 ); darker spots concentrating and fusing into dark bands in some specimens, especially on tegmen subapically and apically, along sutural margin of clavus and costal margin ( Fig. 3 ), as well as on head and thorax along dorsal midline ( Figs 3, 4 ). Legs ochreous, outer surface of tibiae mottled dark brown. Male abdomen dark yellow to brown, terminalia lighter than abdomen, ochreous; female abdomen light brown.

Structure. Head. Vertex slightly widening anterior to eyes; disc weakly depressed in median portion ( Figs 4 , 12, 13 ). Frons with median carina distinct only in median portion ( Figs 15, 16 ). Clypeus weakly convex ( Figs 16, 17 ).

Thorax. Pronotum with median ridge weakly visible, incision of anterior margin shallowly depressed ( Figs 12, 13 ).

Male genitalia. Process of periandrium well-sclerotized, long, oriented ventro-basad with apical part bent posteriorly ( Fig. 36 ). Lateral lobe of periandrium less chitinized than ventral periandrium. Ventral and dorsal margins of aedeagus denticulate ( Fig. 38 ).

Female terminalia and genitalia. Pregenital sternite with anterior margin weakly arcuate and posterior margin shallowly concave ( Fig. 46 ). Gonoplac with row of larger teeth and row of smaller teeth ( Figs 42, 45 , 47 ). Gonapophysis VIII with teeth of ventral margin placed more distally than teeth of dorsal margin ( Fig. 48 ). Bursa copulatrix kidney-shaped, cells with weakly sclerotized central areas with microsculpture on the surface ( Fig. 51 ). Spermatheca with ductus receptaculi ribbed, with narrow basal part and widened apical part; diverticulum ductus smooth, widening apicad ( Fig. 52 ).

Etymology. Dedicated to our friend and colleague Petr Kment (National Museum, Prague) in acknowledgement of his vital help to Igor Malenovský on the field trip to the Hagher mountains during which the major part of the type series was collected.

Habitat and occurrence in Socotra. Probably hygrophilous and confined to herbaceous vegetation in open marshy patches at high altitudes of the Hagher mountains in central Socotra. All specimens from the type locality (Tudhen) were found in a relatively small open area of a helocrene spring, where they were collected by suction sampling and sweeping from herbaceous vegetation dominated by rigid tussocks of Juncus socotranus (Juncaceae) , swards of Cyperus sp. ( Cyperaceae ), and low dense cushions of Bacopa monieri (Plantaginaceae) and Exacum caeruleum (Gentianaceae) , some of which may be the host plant(s). The area was grazed by cattle and situated within an extensive sparse montane shrubland dominated by Commiphora planifrons , Cephalocroton socotranus , Croton sulcifructus , and Croton socotranus ( Figs 75–76 ). Another specimen was collected in very similar conditions in a small marsh along a mountain brook (wadi Madar, Fig. 77 ).

Distribution. So far only known from the highlands in central Socotra.

Figures

Figs 1–7. Dixamflata petri gen. & sp. nov. 1 – habitus, lateral view; 2 – habitus of another specimen, lateral view; 3 – habitus, dorsal view; 4 – anterior part of body, dorsal view; 5–6 – same, frontal view; 7 – same, lateral view.

Figs 8–13. Dixamflata petri gen. & sp. nov., SEM micrographs. 8 – habitus, lateral view; 9 – same, dorso-lateral view; 10 – same, dorsal view; 11 – same, dorso-caudal view; 12 – anterior part of body, dorsal view; 13 – same, dorso-lateral view.

Figs 14–19. Dixamflata petri gen. & sp. nov., SEM micrographs. 14 – anterior part of body, lateral view; 15–16 – frons, frontal view; 17 – rostrum, ventral view; 18 – antenna, dorso-lateral view; 19 – antennal plate organs.

Figs 20–22. Dixamflata petri gen. & sp. nov., SEM micrographs. 20 – hind leg, general view; 21 – hind leg, apical part; 22 – tegmen, lateral view.

Figs 23–28.Dixamflata petri gen.& sp. nov., tegmen, SEM micrographs.23 – apical part; 24 – basal part; 25 – caudal part, lateral view; 26 – ventral part; 27 – caudal part, dorsal view; 28 – clavus, dorsal view.

Figs 29–34. Dixamflata petri gen. & sp. nov., SEM micrographs. 29–30 – tegmen, sensory area; 31–32 – male abdomen, lateral view; 33 – same, dorsal view; 34 – anal tube, dorsal view.

Figs 35–39. Dixamflata petri gen. & sp. nov., male. 35 – male terminalia, left lateral view; 36 – periandrium, lateral view; 37 – same, ventral view; 38 – aedeagus, ventral view; 39 – aedeagus, lateral view.

Figs 40–45. Dixamflata petri gen. & sp. nov., female, SEM micrographs. 40 – abdomen, dorsal view; 41 – abdomen, lateral view; 42 – terminalia, ventral view; 43 – terminalia, lateral view; 44 – anal tube, dorso-lateral view; 45 – terminalia, caudal view.

Figs 46–52. Dixamflata petri gen. & sp. nov., female. 46 – pregenital sternite, flattened, ventral view; 47 – right gonoplac, external view; 48 – gonapophysis VIII, lateral view; 49 – gonapophyses IX and gonospiculum bridge, lateral view; 50 – same, dorsal view; 51 – bursa copulatrix with cells, lateral view; 52 – spermatheca.

Figs 75–76. Habitat of Dixamflata petri gen. & sp. nov. at the type locality in Tudhen, Hagher Mts. in Socotra. 75 – helocrene spring with a mosaic of tussocks of Juncus socotranus and low herbaceous vegetation and Commiphora planifrons shrubland in the background; 76 – detail of vegetation with Juncus socotranus, Cyperus sp. (background) and Bacopa monieri (low cushions in foreground). Photographs by Petr Kment.

Figs 77–79. 77 – Habitat of Dixamflata petri gen.