Tico pseudosororius Bahder & Bartlett, 2021

Bahder, Brian W., Zumbado Echavarria, Marco A., Barrantes Barrantes, Edwin A., Helmick, Ericka E. & Bartlett, Charles R., 2021, A new genus and two new species of planthopper in the tribe Cenchreini (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Derbidae) from lowland tropical rainforest in Costa Rica, Zootaxa 4908 (3), pp. 369-392 : 381-386

Tico pseudosororius Bahder & Bartlett , sp. n.

( Figs 12–19 )

Type locality. La Selva Biological Station , Heredia, Costa Rica .

Diagnosis. A pale species, with a dark mark in front of eyes (lateral view), on pronotum (lateral of lateral carinae) and on scutellum. Wings clear with row of four dark patches on the forewing (proximal two incompletely separated) plus one in the trailing margin of the clavus. RP and CuA combined with 7 branches reaching wing margin. The gonostyli are spatulate with a rounded apex and a thumb-like dorsal process near midlength, process bearing a sharp, laterally hooked sclerotized spine near midlength. Aedeagus with complex array of apical sclerotized retrorse processes and flanges associated with endosoma. Pygofer with lateral margins of opening.Anal tube long with apex downcurved and rounded.

Description. Color. Body yellowish-white, head with fuscous mark in front of eyes, (lateral view), on pronotum (lateral of lateral carinae) and on scutellum ( Fig. 12 ). Wings clear with row dark patches on the forewing (appearing to be four with proximal two incompletely separated) and a dark spot in the trailing corner of the clavus; also a poorly defined subapical dark band.

Structure. Body length 2.66 mm (males), 2.68 mm (females) ( Table 3). Head. In lateral view, generally rounded, slightly humped at fastigium (marking position of transverse carina between vertex and frons; Fig. 13 ), anterior margin weakly rounded ( Fig. 13 ). In frontal view frons compressed, median carina absent, lateral margins strongly keeled (bearing sensory pits), weakly sinuate, narrowest dorsally, becoming wider below eyes to frontoclypeal suture; transverse suture between frons and vertex present. Clypeus elongate triangular, bearing median carina. Antennae short and bulbous. In dorsal view, vertex roughly triangular, with lateral margins strongly keeled, bearing sensory pits, median carinae absent, narrowed anteriorly to transverse carina, anteriorly strongly concave between lateral keels; posterior margin concave and truncate between eyes ( Fig. 13 ).

Thorax. Pronotum at midlength shorter than vertex, tricarinate (median weak, lateral originating behind inner eye margin, diverging, just reaching hind margin); anterior margin nearly truncate between eyes, laterally following contours of head; posterior margin concave; pronotal paradiscal region expansively foliate, forming a cup-like fossa surrounding and overtopping the antennae, foliations appearing semi-quadrate in frontal view ( Fig. 13 ). Mesonotum slightly wider than long, weakly tricarinate, carinae just reaching posterior margin, lateral carinae subparallel ( Fig. 13 ). Rostrum exceeding hind coxae, apical segment about as long as wide. Hind tibia lacking lateral spines, flared at apex; spinulation of hind leg 8-7-6. Forewing ( Fig. 14 ) with sensory pits along costal, subcostal+radial, and postcubital veins. Branching pattern; RA 1-branched, RP 2-branched, MP 3- or 4-branched (fork of MP 3+4 from MP 1+2 and MP 1 from MP 2 nearly coincident; MP 3+4 may be assumed for fork distally), CuA 2-branched (if MP 3+4 forks, branches of CuA fuse distally); Sc branch just preceding fork of RA and RP, and proximad of claval apex; CuA fork preceding fork of RA and RP (latter about level of claval apex) ( Fig. 14 ).

Terminalia. Male pygofer in lateral view narrow, irregularly sinuate on both posterior and anterior margin, widest ventrally, lateral margin of opening distinctly projecting posteriorly ( Fig. 15 ); in ventral view, pygofer lacking medioventral process ( Fig. 15 ). Gonostyli in lateral view spatulate, apex rounded, with proximal angular projection ventrally, dorsal margin near midlength bearing large process with sclerotized hook at midlength ( Fig. 16 ); in ventral view, lateral margin irregularly sinuate, inner margins concave, greatly expanded at base forming medial angular projections, inner margins with serrulate sclerotized ridge comprised of three apices, basal and distal apices large and rounded, middle apex greatly reduced, approximately ¾ the length of gonostyli, basal portion with dark tubercles ( Fig. 16 ). Aedeagus nearly bilaterally symmetrical, shaft with two pairs of processes, first pair situated subapically on shaft (A1 & A2), at junction with flagellum, angled anterior, curved dorsad ( Figs 17 , 18 ), second pair (A3 & A4) arising at apex of aedeagus, angled anterior. Flagellum, large, without armature, slightly ovoid in lateral view ( Figs 17 , 18 ). Endosoma highly complex large, very broad, heavily serrate processes. Three pairs of broad processes (E1–E6) and a single pair of well-defined processes (E7 & E8). Dorsal most processes narrower, shorter and bifid (E1 & E2; Fig. 18 ), well defined processes (E7 & E8) ventrad to E1 & E2, E3 and E4 ventrad to E7 and E8, moderate length and width, right process (E3) serrate, left process (E4) bifid ( Fig. 18 ), ventral-most processes longest and widest (E5 & E6; Fig 18 ), extending to base of aedeagus, both strongly serrate at apex with large subapical, lateral process ( Fig. 18 ). Anal tube elongate in lateral view, distally downcurved (ventrally convex), apex rounded, dorsal margin irregularly sinuate; in dorsal view anal tube broadly spatulate; paraproct short ( Figs 15A, 15C ).

Female terminalia: Pregenital plate spade-shaped ( Fig. 19A ), widest at base, immediately constricting to approximately 2/3 basal width, lateral margins parallel, constricting at distal 1/3, forming acute apex ( Fig. 19A ). First gonapophyses of ovipositor bifid at apex, ventral process split into two processes, twisted in helical form, dorsal process strongly hooked dorsad and slight anteriorly, strongly serrate on dorsal margin near apex, serrations of uniform size ( Fig. 19B ).

Plant associations. Asplundia sp. ( Cyclanthaceae )

Distribution. Costa Rica (Heredia).

Etymology. The prefix ‘ pseudo -‘ is from Greek term ‘ pseudes ’, meaning false; ‘ sororia ’ is derived from the Latin word soror, meaning sister, with the masculine termination ‘- ius ’ appended to agree in gender to Tico gen. n. The name is in reference to Cenchrea sororia , which this species strongly resembles and for which it was initially mistaken.

Material Examined. Holotype male, “ Costa Rica, Heredia / La Selva Biological Station / B.W.Bahder, 22.VI.2019 / Host: Asplundia sp. // Holotype / Tico / pseudosororius ” ( FLREC) . Paratype, 3 males, 7 females, same data as holotype ( FSCA) .

Remarks. Diagnostic features between Tico pseudosororius sp. n. and T. emmettcarri sp. n. are elaborated on in remarks under the latter species. Tico pseudosororius sp. n. and Tico sororius (Fennah) are very similar externally and, until males of the latter species are found, are best separated by features of the female terminalia and color patterns observed on the forewing as diagnosed in the key.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Adult habitus Tico gen. n. pseudosororius sp. n.; A) lateral view and B) dorsal view, scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 13. Adult Tico gen. n. pseudosororius sp. n.; A) head and pronotum frontal view, B) head, pronotum, and mesonotum dorsal view, and C) head, pronotum, and mesonotum lateral view, scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 14. Male Tico gen. n. pseudosororius sp. n. wing venation; black = vein, green = cell.

FIGURE 15. Male Tico gen. n. pseudosororius sp. n. terminalia; A) lateral view, B) ventral view, and C) dorsal view.

FIGURE 16. Gonostylus of Tico gen. n. pseudosororius sp. n.; A) lateral view demonstrating dorsal process and B) inner surface demonstrating sclerotized ridge with trifid process.

FIGURE 17. Aedeagus of adult male Tico gen. n. pseudosororius sp. n.; A) right lateral view, B) left lateral view, and C) dorsal view.

FIGURE 18. Illustration of aedeagus of adult male Tico gen. n. pseudosororius sp. n.; A) right lateral view, B) left lateral view, and C) dorsal view.

FIGURE 19. Female genitalia of Tico gen. n. pseudosororius sp. n.; A) pregenital plate ventral view and B) first gonapophysis of ovipositor.