Rhabdotalebra albinoi Paradell & Catalano, 2017

Paradell, Susana, Catalano, María Inés & Petrulevičius, Julián, 2017, A new species of Rhabdotalebra Young (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) associated with the guaran-guaran (Bignoniaceae: Tecoma stans L.) in Argentina, Zootaxa 4281 (1), pp. 225-231 : 227-231

Rhabdotalebra albinoi Paradell & Catalano , n. sp.

( Figs. 1A–G , 2 A–D , 3A )

Description. Length: 2.8–2.9 mm. Coloration yellowish with distinctive brown dark marks on forewings ( Fig. 1A ). Crown produced with apex rounded; posterior margin regularly concave. Pronotum median length 0,5 times greater than median length of crown; lateral margins divergent posteriorly ( Fig. 1A ).

Fore and hind wing venation characteristic of genus. Forewings with pattern similar to but darker than in R. litoralensis . Brown mark in basal half involving both clavus and corium crossing transversely to commissural vein, reaching costal vein; transverse vitta near base of vein R; rhomboidal mark dark brown from vein R to inner apical cell, darker brown blotch in outer apical cell, apical portions of all apical cells smoky, outer cell darker ( Fig.1B ).

Male: First sternal complex (1S) ( Fig.1C ) with sternal bar thin and straight ventrally; dorsal apodeme well developed, medial notch not reaching sternal bar; lateral apodeme well developed, extending dorsally. Second sternal abdominal apodeme (2S) ( Fig.1C ) short, reaching third segment, medial margins concave, apex rounded. Pygofer ( Fig.1D ) subtriangular in lateral view, with uniseriate group of four to six macrosetae on dorsoposterior margin, few microsetae dispersed on disk; with ventral strongly sclerotized subapical process ( Fig.1E ) curved on ventral margin, extended to pygofer apex, apex with bifurcate, divergent, strongly sclerotized and prominent dark spines on posterodorsal margin, one longer than other. Subgenital plate ( Fig.1F ) elongated, triangular, abruptly narrowed near midlength, exceeding ventral pygofer process, with three macrosetae confined on disk to half basal, one row of short and strong setae extended from midlength to apex. Style ( Fig.1F ) short and robust, with conspicuous and rounded preapical lobe; apical extension strongly sclerotized and abruptly curved caudoventrad, apex rounded. Connective ( Fig.1F ) small, shallowly U-shaped. Aedeagus ( Fig.1G ) in lateral view with preatrium distinct; dorsal apodeme well developed, saddle-shaped in lateral aspect, bilobed at base; shaft slender, curved dorsad, with one subapical process short, divergent from shaft in lateral view, and one apical processes long and sinuous directed ventrocaudally, reaching shaft midlength, apex acuminate; gonopore apical. Anal tube ( Fig.1E ) with lateral margins weakly sclerotized.

Female: Length: 3.0‒ 3.1 mm. Shape and general coloration very similar to those of male.

Seventh sternum ( Fig.2A ) subrectangular, posterior margin with short rounded median lobe. Pygofer ( Fig.2B ) in lateral view, with group of six or seven macrosetae on medioventral margin and six to eight macrosetae on dorsocaudal margin, dorsocaudal apex with one dark sclerotized and prominent spine. Valves of the ovipositor exceeding pygofer ( Fig.2B, D ). Second valvulae leaflike in third apical, very similar to R. litoralensis , but without teeth. Large valve ( Fig.2C ) dorsal margin and apex without teeth, with 2–3 sclerotized longitudinal bars of different size on surface, branched towards dorsal margin. Small valve ( Fig.2C ) similar, without teeth.

Type material. Holotype male, ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires, La Plata S 34° 55´ and W 57° 57´, 28-xi-16, on Tecoma stans (L.) ( Guarán-Guarán ), Petrulevičius col. Paratypes: 2 male, 2 female, same collection date as the holotype .

Other material examined. 5 males, 4 females, La Plata, S 34° 55´ W 57° 57´, 14-v-2012, on Tecoma stans (L) Juss. ex Kunth (“Guarán-Guarán”), Petrulevičius col., 1 female, La Plata, S 34° 55´ W 57° 57´, 10-xi-2014, Petrulevičius col., 3 males, Temperley, S 34° 46´ W 58° 23´, 8-9-vii-2012, on Tecoma stans (L.), Petrulevičius col., 1 female, La Plata, S 34° 55´ W 57° 57´, 23-ix-2016, on Tecoma stans (L.) “Guarán-Guarán”, Petrulevičius col.

Etymology. The new species is named for Prof. Albino M. Sakakibara in recognition of his outstanding contributions to knowledge of the fauna of South America.

Notes. R. albinoi n.sp. can be distinguished from the other known species of the genus by the following combination of features: Male (1) pygofer with ventral strongly sclerotized process, apex with two divergent strongly sclerotized and prominent dark spines, one long and other short, on posterodorsal margin. (2) Aedeagus with asymmetric apical and subapical processes directed caudoventrally. Female (3) pygofer with dorsocaudal apex with one dark sclerotized and prominent spine. Second valvulae leaflike in third apical, similar to R. litoralensis , but without teeth on dorsal margin and apex. The coloration pattern of the forewing is similar to that of R. litoralensis .

Biological notes ( Fig.3A ) R. albinoi n.sp. causes damage in the form of rings and horseshoes in high concentration, producing stippling on the leaves of “Guarán-Guarán”.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A ‒ G. Rhabdotalebra albinoi n. sp. A, dorsal habitus; B, forewing. Male: C ‒ G. C, sternal apodeme (1 S, 2 S); D, genital capsule; E, pygofer, lateral view and anal tube; F, subgenital plate, style, connective; G, aedeagus, lateral view. Scale bar = (Figs. A ‒ B: 3 mm; C ‒ G: 0.2 mm; F: 0.1 mm).

FIGURE 2. A ‒ D. Rhabdotalebra albinoi n. sp. Female: A ‒ D. A, sternite VII; B, genital capsule, lateral view; C, large valve, small valve; D, third valve. Scale bar = (Figs. A ‒ D: 0.2 mm; B: 0.25 mm).

FIGURE 3. A. Damage by Rhabdotalebra albinoi n. sp. (Circle indicating the damage in the form of rings and horseshoes on leaves of “ Guarán-Guarán ”). Scale bar = 1 mm.