Menytes, Andrew Hamilton, K. G., 2016

Andrew Hamilton, K. G., 2016, Neotropical spittlebugs related to Neaenini (Hemiptera, Cercopidae) and the origins of subfamily Cercopinae, Zootaxa 4169 (2), pp. 201-250 : 219-220

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4169.2.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B8B067BF-F6E6-4122-B884-AA385FF04421

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5613347

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A5742D-FFC7-AE19-FF76-AB3BCC2FFECD

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Menytes
status

gen. nov.

Menytes gen.nov.

Type-species: Menytes lathrius sp.nov.

Etymology. menytes (m), informer.

Distribution. Amazon basin of Ecuador.

Diagnosis. Intermediate between the very different genera Simorhina and Tomaspisinella , and with unique antennae.

Description. Superficially similar to a small Aphrophora but strongly hirsute ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 14 – 15 B). Head distinctly narrower than pronotum; eyes transverse; crown moderately short, with tylus and crown depressed and strongly elevated antennal ledge ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 14 – 15 E); facial part of frons medially sulcate ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 14 – 15 D); antenna with slender, elongate sensillum ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 14 – 15 F) as in Simorhina and Tomaspisinella , but with the postpedicel large, almost as wide as pedicel ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 14 – 15 G), entirely exposed and with very many large pits occupying the whole surface with coeloconic sensilla having unique spiral bases ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 14 – 15 H). Pronotum with anterior margin steeply declivous ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 14 – 15 B), anterior border weakly bowed; lateral margins more than half length of eyes. Tegmina elongate, hirsute, with obscure veins. Hind wing with triangular basal lobe bearing an erect hook at tip and 2 recumbent smaller hooks on distal edge; straight veins defining 4 apical cells; appendix narrowest around tip of wing ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 14 – 15 C). Fore femora subequal to hind femora. Hind tibiae with 2 almost equally long spines on outer edge ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 14 – 15 D), basal one 0.2 × and distal one 0.25 × as long as tibia; hind basitarsal pecten of 6 black-tipped spines, that of second tarsomere with 11 such spines. Male pygofer elongate, deeply notched dorsally on each side of anal tube; subgenital plates oblique, with decurved tips ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 25 – 35 A–B) separated by V-shaped notch ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 25 – 35 D); styles truncate at base, tapered to sharp tip extending nearly as far as subgenital plates; phallobase tubular; theca laterally compressed except for bulbous tip ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 25 – 35 C), shaft sinuate, unarmed ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 25 – 35 A–B).

Remarks. The spiral bases of the coeloconic sensilla set in large pits are unique. The sulcate face, concave crown and arched pronotum of Menytes are synapomorphies with Simorhina ( Fig. 15 View FIGURES 14 – 15 B). Synapomorphies with Tomaspisinella include strongly hirsute body ( Fig. 18 View FIGURES 17 – 19 B) and elongate pygofers ( Carvalho & Webb 2005, figs 4, 5, 8). Tomaspisinella have the postpedicel retracted into the apical cup of the pedicel, while the postpedicel of Simorhina represents a more plesiomorphic condition ( Fig. 15 View FIGURES 14 – 15 G). Some other distinctive characters are synapomorphic with allied genera or homoplastic with unrelated spittlebugs (for example, the depressed crown is also characteristic of Liorhinella , and the wedge-shaped style is similar to one found in an undescribed Epipygid). Phylogenetically, Menytes represents a sister-lineage of Simorhina linking that autapomorphous genus to Tomaspisinella .

There is only one known species in this genus.

Menytes lathrius sp. nov.

Etymology. lathrios (adj.) secret, hidden.

Description. Brown, antennal ledges tawny; venter marked with yellow on tip of frons, black on rest of face, pro- and mesopleura and tarsi; tegmina with broken, ivory band across apical quarter extending from costal dash to a chain of 2–3 small spots on each tegmen. Length: male 6.7 mm; female unknown.

Type. Holotype male, ECUADOR: Pastaza — Cusuimi, Rio Cusuimi , 150 km SE Puyo, 15–31 May 1971 (B. Malkin); in FMC.

FMC

North Museum of Natural History and Science

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hemiptera

Family

Cercopidae

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