Agalliota maculata Gonçalves, Mejdalani et Coelho, 2006

Gonçalves, Ana Clara, Mejdalani, Gabriel & Coelho, Luci B. N., 2006, Agalliota maculata sp. nov. from Brazil and a key to the species of the genus (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Agalliinae), Zootaxa 1225, pp. 31-38 : 32-36

Agalliota maculata Gonçalves, Mejdalani et Coelho , sp. nov.

( Figs 1–9 )

Diagnosis

Pronotum ( Fig. 2 ) with four pairs of longitudinal stripes, the first (outermost) dark brown, the second pale brown, the third brown, and the fourth pale yellow. Forewings ( Fig. 1 ) with ground color pale brown, clavus with four maculae along claval sulcus, the first (basalmost) pale yellow, the second dark brown, the third pale yellow, the fourth brown; corium with two large dark brown areas. Aedeagus ( Fig. 7 ) with atrial region well developed, bearing dorsal and ventral projections, dorsal one small, ventral one distinctly larger with obtuse apex. Anal tube ( Fig. 4 ) with pair of elongate processes, each one ( Fig. 9 ) with spiniform projection at anteapical portion and some denticles at apical area.

Description

Length. Male, 4.3mm.

Head and thorax (color). General ground color brownish yellow; crown ( Figs 2, 3 ) with pair of elliptical dark brown spots equally distant between eyes and median line, and with median pale brown macula. Face ( Fig. 3 ) with transverse, irregular pale brown macula below ocelli; area adjacent to ocelli with pair of very small dark brown maculae. Frons ( Fig. 3 ) with pair of longitudinal, arched elongate pale brown stripes laterally, fused on lower portion, the fused part extending over median basal portion of clypeus, remainder of clypeus dark brown; genae and lora dark brown. Pronotum ( Fig. 2 ) with four pairs of longitudinal stripes, the first (outermost) dark brown, the second pale brown, the third brown, and the fourth pale yellow; median area pale brown. Mesonotum ( Fig. 2 ) with pair of lateral brown maculae contiguous with the pronotal ones; scutellum with pair of dark brown maculae on lateral basal portions. Forewings ( Fig. 1 ) with ground color pale brown; clavus with four maculae along claval sulcus, the first (basalmost) pale yellow, the second dark brown, the third pale yellow, the fourth brown; corium with two large dark brown areas, one on basal half adjacent to costal margin, the other on apical half extending from outer to inner margin and occupying parts of anteapical and apical cells, with conspicuous translucent area between dark brown regions.

Genitalia. Pygofer ( Fig. 4 ), in lateral view, elongate with apex rounded; dorsal margin, in caudal view, forming triangular process directed ventrally. Subgenital plates ( Fig. 5 ), in ventral view, triangular, elongate, fused at base, narrowed gradually toward apex, extending approximately as far posteriorly as pygofer apex, with scattered setae. Styles ( Fig. 6 ), in lateral view, large, outer fork short and blunt, inner fork longer with its basal portion strongly curved and apical portion tapering at apex. Aedeagus ( Fig. 7 ), in lateral view, simple, symmetrical; atrial region well developed with two projections, dorsal one small, ventral one distinctly larger with obtuse apex, both dorsally curved; aedeagal shaft curved dorsally with apex, in caudal view ( Fig. 8 ), bifurcate. Anal tube ( Fig. 4 ) large and robust, bearing long setae at apex and pair of sinuate, elongate processes at basal portion tapering apically, each process ( Fig. 9 ) with spiniform projection at anteapical portion and some denticles at apical area.

Female unknown.

Etymology

The species epithet, maculata , refers to the remarkable maculae on the pronotum and forewings, which are diagnostic of the new species.

Type material

Holotype: male, Brazil, “Viçosa, MG [State of Minas Gerais], Brasil \ Data 8/VI/1993 \ P.S. Fiuza Ferreira” (UFV).

Taxonomic notes

Since a comprehensive revision of the Agalliinae has never been attempted, various genera in the subfamily are still poorly defined. In addition, the available generic keys ( Oman 1936, 1938; Kramer 1964) include morphological characteristics that are not always useful. One example of this problem is perceived in the distinction between Agallia and Agalliota . In order to try to avoid misunderstandings in the classification of species from these genera, a table with the main differences between them is presented ( Table 1 ).

*Characteristics based only on Agallia constricta Van Duzee and Agalliota punctata ( Oman) ( Davis 1975).

The new species herein described possesses all characteristics currently attributed to Agalliota ( Oman 1938) . It can be easily distinguished from the previously described species by the pronotal stripes ( Fig. 2 ), forewing maculae ( Fig. 1 ), and anal tube processes ( Figs 4, 9 ) (dorsal spines of Oman 1933). The species of Agalliota can be identified using the following key.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Agalliota maculata sp. nov., male holotype. Body in laterodorsal view.

FIGURES 2 – 9. Agalliota maculata sp. nov., male holotype. (2) Crown, pronotum and mesonotum; (3) face; (4) genital capsule, lateral view; (5) valve and subgenital plates, ventral view; (6) style, ventral view; (7) aedeagus, lateral view; (8) apex of aedeagus, caudal view; (9) apical portion of anal tube process, lateral view.

Tables

TABLE 1. Useful features for distinguishing Agalliota Oman from Agallia Curtis. Both genera are currently poorly defined and a comprehensive revision of the Agalliinae is greatly needed.

Structure/Character	Agallia	Agalliota
Distance between ocelli	greater than distance from ocellus to compound eye	smaller than/equal to distance from ocellus to compound eye
Lateral margins of genae	sinuate below compound eyes	nearly straight below compound eyes
Pronotum surface	flattened	distinctly arched
Inner anteapical cell of forewings	open/closed basally	open basally
Dorsal prominence of valvula II of ovipositor*	present	absent
Teeth along valvula II of ovipositor*	small basally and becoming larger distally	relatively uniform in size and shape