Tico emmettcarri 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 : 374-379

Tico emmettcarri Bahder & Bartlett sp. n.

( Figs 4–11 )

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

Diagnosis. A pale species without distinct body markings bearing clear wings with limited, diffuse markings, including a distinct spot near the fork of the CuA and a more diffuse marking at the claval apex among other markings. Sc branching from R proximad of claval apex. RP and CuA collectively have 8 branches reaching wing margin. The gonostyli have a rounded apex and a dorsal process near midlength including a sclerotized ridge and a large, curved spine angled distad.Aedeagus compact and narrow, shaft arched upward near midlength, devoid of subapical processes, with complex array of apical retrorse processes associated with endosoma. Pygofer with lateral margins of opening convex with a rounded lobe near the anal tube articulation.

Description. Color. In life, uniform ivory-white, males with diffuse orange markings on genae (diagonally below antennae), and laterad of lateral carinae on pro- and mesonotum and on median carina of mesonotum. ( Figs 4 & 5 ). Lateral carinae of head embrowned ( Fig. 5 ). Forewings clear, male wings with three prominent black spots; one near midlength in costal cell, second near fork of CuA, third between branches MP 3 and MP 4 proximad to crossvein; additional less prominent markings (some reddish) include large diffuse patch on Pcu; a patch cell between apex of clavus and CuA; weak markings at apical vein in each apical cell, and two poorly defined bands, one arising about at marginal apex of Sc, the second just beyond marginal apex of RA ( Fig. 6 ). Females with similar markings, differing in size and definition, except lacking spots in subcostal cell and Pcu and nearly all markings are fuscous ( Fig. 6 ).

Structure. Body length 3.00 mm (males), 2.02 mm (females) ( Table 2). Head. In lateral view, generally rounded, slightly humped at transverse carina between vertex and frons ( Fig. 5 ), anterior margin somewhat flattened ( Fig. 5 ). Frons and vertex with lateral margins strongly keeled, bearing sensory pits, median carinae absent ( Fig. 5 ). Antennae short and bulbous. In dorsal view, vertex roughly triangular, widest posteriorly, narrowed anteriorly to transverse carina; anterior margin concave between carinae, posterior margin strongly concave between eyes ( Fig. 5 ). In frontal view, frons relatively broad, lateral margins parallel between eyes, expanding below eyes to frontoclypeal suture; transverse suture between frons and clypeus distinct. Clypeus triangular, bearing median carina.

Thorax. Pronotum relatively long at midline (subequal to vertex length), weakly tricarinate; anterior margin strongly convex, following contours of head; posterior margin concave; pronotal paradiscal region broadly foliate, forming a cup-like fossa surrounding and strongly overtopping the antennae, foliations appearing semi-quadrate in frontal view ( Fig. 9A ). Mesonotum slightly wider than long, tricarinate, lateral carinae subparallel, slightly convex ( Fig. 5 ). Rostrum just exceeding hind coxae, apical segment about as long as wide. Hind tibia lacking lateral spines, flared at apex; spinulation of hind leg 7-6-6. Forewing ( Fig. 6 ) with sensory pits along costal, subcostal+radial, and postcubital veins. Sc branching proximad of claval apex and fork of RA and RP. Branching pattern; RA 1-branched, RP 2-branched, MP 4-branched (fork of MP 3+4 from MP 1+2 and MP 1 from MP 2 nearly coincident; MP may be 5- branched if RP 3+4 is assumed to fork), CuA 2-branched (distally fused if RP 3+4 forks); 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. 10 ).

Terminalia. Pygofer in lateral view narrow, irregularly sinuate on both posterior and anterior margin, widest ventrally, lateral margin of opening distinctly projecting posteriorly; dorsal margin with ovate lobe near articulation of anal tube ( Fig. 7 ); in ventral view, pygofer lacking medioventral process ( Fig. 7 ); in dorsal view, ovate lobes distinct ( Fig. 7 ). Gonostyli in lateral view spatulate, apex rounded, with proximal angular projection ventrally, dorsal margin near midlength bearing basal, sclerotized hook (apex directed laterad) and distal sclerotized ridge ( Figs. 7 & 8 ); in ventral view, lateral margin irregularly sinuate, inner margins strongly concave, greatly expanded at base forming medial angular projections ( Fig. 7 ); in dorsal view, inner margins with serrulate sclerotized ridge terminating with small spine, approximately ¾ the length of gonostyli, basal portion with dark tubercles ( Fig. 8 ). Aedeagus nearly bilaterally symmetrical, upcurved near midlength ( Fig. 9 ), shaft without subapical processes, but bearing pair median dorsal flanges, dorsally serrate in in left lateral view (dorsum partly occluded by endosoma); aedeagus with single pair of large retrorse processes arising from apex ( Fig. 10 , A 1 & A 2 , resting above endosoma) and complex endosoma; endosoma symmetrical, compact and complex, bearing large pair of robust elongate ventral processes (E1 & E2) bearing 2 pair of small processes at their base (E3 & E5 on right ride, E4 & E6 on left side) ( Fig. 10 ); two processes arise near aedeagal apex (medial, in dorsal view, Fig. 10 , E 7 , E 8 ), and two pair of apical endosomal processes, 1 pair of long, narrow processes arising from inner margin of endosoma Fig. 10 , E 9 & E 10 ) and a small median pair of processes visible in dorsal view ( Fig. 10 , E 11 & E 12 ). Anal tube elongate in lateral view, distally downcurved (ventrally convex), apex truncate with ventrally pointed projection dorsal margin irregularly sinuate; in dorsal view anal tube broadly spatulate; paraproct short ( Fig. 10C ).

Female terminalia: Subgenital plate subtriangular, widest at base, lateral margins sinuate, converging slightly basally, distal margin broad, sinuate ( Fig. 11A ). First gonapophyses of ovipositor bifid at apex, ventral process robust, curved dorsad, dorsal process slightly curved upward, strongly serrate on dorsal margin near apex, serrations irregular ( Fig. 11B ).

Plant associations. Asplundia sp. ( Cyclanthaceae )

Distribution. Costa Rica (Heredia).

Etymology. The specific name is given in honor of the young entomologist Emmett Carr who has a natural passion for palms, their insect pests and pathogens.

Material examined. Holotype male, “ Costa Rica, Heredia / La Selva Biological Station / B.W.Bahder, 22.VI.2019 / Host: Asplundia sp. // Holotype / Tico / emmettcarri ” ( FLREC) . Paratypes, 2 males, 3 females, same data as holotype, ( FSCA) .

Remarks. Tico emmettcarri sp. n. can be readily separated from the other two species in Tico gen. n. by the nature of the markings on the wings and the lack of a black marking in front of the eyes. The collective number of branches of RP and CuA reaching the wing margin is 8, such that an additional cell (relative to other included species) is defined (here identified as C3a, Fig. 6 ). The species is also distinctive in possessing proximal lobes and a dorsal sclerotized ridge on the gonostyli, the aedeagal shaft is arched upward near midlength and devoid of processes (although dorsal flange visible below retrorse flagellum, flange dorsally serrate from left view). The anal tube is elongate, distally downcurved and apically truncate. In contrast, both Tico pseudosororius sp. n. and T. sororius (Fennah) comb. n. bear a row of 4 spots on the wing and have a dark marking in front of the eyes. Also, in both of these species, the cumulative number of veins reaching the wing margin from RP and CuA is 7, such that cell C3a is not formed (compare Fig. 6 with Fig. 14 ). Tico pseudosororius sp. n. has evident differences in the terminalia including the dorsal lobe of the gonostyli is thumb-like (dorsal flange absent); also, the longest retrorse process on the aedeagus in dorsal view is a large flattened flange bearing a few large teeth. The anal tube is elongate, distally downcurved into rounded apices.

The male terminalia of Tico sororius are not known. When discovered, we anticipate that they will have features in common with described species in Tico gen. n., and their description would further elaborate genus-level features genera allied with Cenchrea .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Host plant and general habitat where specimens were collected; all collected from underside of leaves.

FIGURE 2. Cenchrea dorsalis; A) lateral view, B) gonostylus lateral view, C) aedeagus right lateral view, D) aedeagus dorsal view, E) male terminalia lateral view, and F) male terminalia ventral view.

FIGURE 4. Adult habitus Tico gen. n. emmettcarri sp. n.; A) female body lateral view, B) dorsal view, C) male body lateral view, and D) dorsal view, scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 5. Adult Tico gen. n. emmettcarri 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 6. Male Tico gen. n. emmettcarri sp. n. wing venation; black = vein, green = cell.

FIGURE 7. Male Tico gen. n. emmettcarri sp. n. terminalia; A) lateral view, B) ventral view, and C) dorsal view.

FIGURE 8. Gonostylus of Tico gen. n. emmettcarri sp. n.; A) lateral view demonstrating ventral-angular projection and dorsal process and B) inner surface demonstrating sclerotized ridge with tubercles and spinose apex.

FIGURE 9. Aedeagus of adult male Tico gen. n. emmettcarri sp. n.; A) right lateral view, B) left lateral view, and C) dorsal view.

FIGURE 10. Illustration of aedeagus of adult male Tico gen. n. emmettcarri sp. n.; A) right lateral view, B) left lateral view, and C) dorsal view.

FIGURE 11. Female genitalia of Tico gen. n. emmettcarri sp. n.; A) pregenital plate ventral view and B) first gonapophysis of ovipositor.

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

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