Platyjassella, Dietrich & Magalhães & Takiya, 2020

Dietrich, Christopher H., Magalhães, Raysa Brito de & Takiya, Daniela M., 2020, Revision of the endemic Malagasy leafhopper tribe Platyjassini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Iassinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 695, pp. 1-89 : 30-33

Platyjassella gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:357BA8C1-96C0-4BA1-A814-CA0358CE0697

Figs 1 P–U, 7, 16Y–AA

Type species

Platyjassella andohahelensis sp. nov.

Etymology

The genus name, a feminine noun, is a diminutive form of Platyjassus , referring to the relatively small body size of the included species.

Diagnosis

This genus may be distinguished by the following combination of features: body relatively small; color pale stramineous, without distinct spots or stripes; vertex strongly overlapping anterolateral margin of eye, crown uniformly shagreen; hindwing veins R4+5 and M1+2 confluent preapically but separate near apex; hind femur macrosetal formula 2+2+ 1; style with ventral denticuli; aedeagus with one or more distal processes.

Descripton

HABITUS. Small (5.5–6.7 mm), pale stramineous or green platyjassines.

HEAD. Crown flat, uniformly shagreen, anterior margin produced, spatulate, forming hood over dorsal part of face, lateral extension overlapping at least half of eye margin; ocelli anteromesad of eyes. Frontoclypeus moderately convex, with median depression anterodorsally; antennal ledge transverse to slightly oblique, overlapping frontoclypeus; lateral frontal suture present above antennal ledge but not extended to crown margin; gena slightly emarginate below eye, partly exposing proepisternum; lorum small, flat; anteclypeus slightly convex, lateral margins evenly divergent distally; rostrum slender, not surpassing posterior margin of mesosternum.

THORAX. Pronotum declivous, in profile continuing contour of crown, much wider than head, lateral margins strongly divergent posterad, transverse striations weakly delimited. Forewing without supernumerary crossveins, appendix extended to apex, wider than inner apical cell, inner apical cell relatively short. Hindwing veins R4+5 and M1+2 confluent preapically but separate near apex. Front femur row IC with setae in single row;AV with few stout setae in basal half, tibia dorsal surface rounded, PD with 4 widely spaced macrosetae. Hind femur macrosetal formula 2+2 +1, tibial row AD with one or more smaller setae between successive macrosetae; tarsomere I plantar row single and weakly developed, pecten with 4 platellae.

ABDOMEN. Male pregenital sternite slightly longer than sternite VII. Pygofer base with tergite variably shaped; lobe separated from base by membranous cleft, with or without dorsal appendage, lobe apex variably shaped. Subgenital plate with few macrosetae in submarginal band. Style apophysis slender, with numerous conspicuous ventral denticuli; apex tapered to a single point. Connective with stem as short as or shorter than arms, median anterior lobe absent. Aedeagus without basal processes, shaft slender and well sclerotized, with one or more distal apical or preapical processes usually present, gonopore apical. Female sternite VII with small median notch on posterior margin. First valvular broad through most of length, dorsal sculpture strigate. Second valvulae strongly broadened beyond midlength, dorsal margin in distal half with rounded hump followed by broad concavity and preapical tapered area without distinct teeth.

Remarks

This genus resembles Platyjassus in its uniform pale stramineous (or light green) coloration, overall structure and absence of supernumerary forewing crossveins, but differs in its smaller size and in some aspects of the male genitalia. Most species of Platyjassus (all except P. asymmetrica sp. nov.) also have a basal process on the aedeagus that extends distad (the preapical process of P. asymmetrica sp. nov. also extends distad). In contrast, species of Platyjassella gen. nov. lack a basal process on the aedeagus and usually have one or more distal processes that extend laterad or basad. Although species of Platyjassella gen. nov. are very similar to each other in external appearance, the genus is more heterogeneous than other genera of Platyjassini in the form of the male pygofer and style, suggesting that it may be further subdivided once the fauna becomes better known.

Key to species of Platyjassella gen. nov. (males)

1. Pygofer with dorsal appendage ( Fig. 7E )........................................................................................2 – Pygofer without dorsal appendage ( Fig. 7H )....................................................................................3

2. Pygofer lobe acuminate apically ( Fig. 7E ); aedeagus without apical processes ( Fig. 7F ) .................. ...................................................................................... Platyjassella andohahelensis gen. et sp. nov.

– Pygofer lobe rounded apically ( Fig. 7L ); aedeagus with apical processes ( Fig. 7M ) ........................ ............................................................................................. Platyjassella cormorana gen. et sp. nov.

3. Aedeagus asymmetrical; style apex avicephaliform ( Fig. 7 I–J)......................................................4

– Aedeagus symmetrical with pair of preapical retrorse spines ventrally; style apex acuminate or scoop-like ( Fig. 7D, T )......................................................................................................................5

4. Aedeagus with shaft relatively broad, apex with single recurved process arising from right side of shaft ( Fig. 7R ) ............................................................... Platyjassella emarginata gen. et sp. nov.

– Aedeagus with shaft extremely slender, apex with pair of short projections ( Figs 7 I–K) ................... ................................................................................................ Platyjassella attenuata gen. et sp. nov.

5. Aedeagus with pair of small preapical spines ventrally; style apex scoop-like ( Fig. 7T ) ................. ........................................................................................... Platyjassella immaculata gen. et sp. nov.

– Aedeagus with pair of large retrorse apicolateral processes; style apex acuminate ( Fig. 7D ) ........... ................................................................................................... Platyjassella ancora gen. et sp. nov.

Figures

Fig. 1. Platyjassini, dorsal and lateral habitus of males. A. Pachyjassus alatus sp. nov. B. Pachyjassus basifurcatus sp. nov. C. Pachyjassus ranomafanensis sp. nov. D. Pallijassus stenospatulatus (Evans, 1959). E. Petalojassus ochrescens sp. nov. F. Phaiojassus acutus sp. nov. G. Phaiojassus bispinosus sp. nov. H. Phaiojassus constrictus sp. nov. I. Phaiojassus grandis sp. nov. J. Phaiojassus spatulatus sp. nov.K. Phaiojassus undulatus sp. nov. L. Phaiojassus unispinosus sp. nov. M. Pictojassus kirindiensis sp. nov. N. Pictojassus productus sp. nov. O. Pictojassus tulearensis sp. nov. P. Platyjassella ancora sp. nov. Q. Platyjassella andohahelensis sp. nov. R. Platyjassella attenuata sp. nov. S. Platyjassella cormorana sp. nov. T. Platyjassella emarginata sp. nov. U. Platyjassella immaculata sp. nov. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 7. Platyjassella gen. nov. – A–D. Platyjassella ancora sp. nov. A. Genital capsule, lateral view. B. Genitalia, lateral view. C. Same, ventral view. D. Aedeagus, posterior view. – E–G. Platyjassella andohahelensis sp. nov. E. Genital capsule, lateral view. F. Genitalia, lateral view. G. Same, ventral view. – H–K. Platyjassella attenuata sp. nov. H. Genital capsule, lateral view. I. Genitalia, lateral view (aedeagal shaft broken near midlength). J. Same, ventral view. K. Aedeagus, posterior view. – L–N. Platyjassella cormorana sp. nov. L. Genital capsule, lateral view. M. Genitalia, lateral view. N. Same, ventral view. – O–R. Platyjassella emarginata sp. nov. O. Genital capsule, lateral view. P. Genitalia, lateral view. Q. Same, ventral view. R. Aedeagus, posterior view. – S–U. Platyjassella immaculata sp. nov. S. Genital capsule, lateral view. T. Genitalia, lateral view. U. Same, ventral view. Photos not to scale.