Shaoshia zhangi, Wei, Cong, Ahmed, Zubair & Rizvi, Syed Anser, 2010

Wei, Cong, Ahmed, Zubair & Rizvi, Syed Anser, 2010, Shaoshia, an unusual new cicada genus from Pakistan with the description of a new species (Hemiptera: Cicadidae), Zootaxa 2421, pp. 28-34 : 29-32

Shaoshia zhangi sp. n.

Description. Measurements (6 males; mean (range)). Body length: 13.5 (12.0–14.0) mm; head width (including eyes): 3.5 (3.0–3.9) mm; pronotum width (including pronotal collar): 4.4 (4.1–4.7) mm; mesonotum width: 4.1 (3.9–4.3) mm; wing span: 30.5 (29.0–32.0) mm.

Head ( Fig. 1 B, D). Generally black with large ochreous spot on posterior margin near corresponding eye and ochreous longitudinal strip overlapping epicranial suture. Postclypeus with longitudinal central fasciae fuscous; series of 8–9 transverse fasciae ochreous to black, with apical ones much darker, nearly black. Anteclypeus blackish fuscous. Gena dark ochreous, with dense, long silvery hairs. Eye and antenna blackish fuscous. Ocellus reddish yellow. Rostrum fuscous. Distance between lateral ocellus and corresponding eye about as wide as distance between lateral ocelli.

Thorax ( Fig. 1 C–D). Pronotum generally ochreous; longitudinally marked on either side of midline; pair of central fasciae blackish fuscous, broadened at both anterior and posterior ends, connected near posterior margin; pronotal collar with narrow blackish fuscous fascia along anterolateral margins and transverse blackish fuscous fascia near sub-posterior margin, respectively; pair of large spots laterad central fasciae adjacent to posterior margin of pronotum whitish yellow. Mesonotum with ground color ochreous, with pair of blackish fuscous submedian sigillae and lateral sigillae, respectively; submedian sigillae very close to each other, separated by very narrow, obscure ochreous longitudinal strip; large central blackish fuscous patch in front of cruciform elevation connecting posterior ends of submedian sigillae and lateral sigillae; pair of spots in front of anterior angles of cruciform elevation whitish; cruciform elevation blackish fuscous with central part ochreous, with dense silvery short hairs around. Ventral part of thorax light ochreous.

Legs ( Fig. 1 C). Mostly light ochreous. Femur, tibia and tarsus of foreleg tinted with dark fuscous to black, spines of fore femur dark fuscous. Basal and apical parts on dorsal surface of femur, tarsus and claw of mid leg dark fuscous. Spines of hind tibia and tarsus dark fuscous.

Wings ( Fig. 1 A). Hyaline , without infuscation. Veins fuscous, with costal margin of forewing dark fuscous.

Opercula ( Fig. 1 C). Light ochreous, without infuscation; surface flat to very weakly convex. Timbal with seven ribs.

Abdomen ( Fig. 1 A). Slightly longer than distance from head to hind margin of cruciform elevation. Generally light ochreous, with dark fuscous on anterior and lateral margins of tergite II and dorsal surface of pygofer.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 2 A–C, 3A–C). Basal pygofer lobe undeveloped; distal shoulder with distal margin nearly truncate in lateral view. Medial lobe of uncus recurved next to anal tube in lateral view; uncal lobe with dense, long grey hairs. Aedeagus ( Figs. 2 A–C, 3B–C) curved ventrally from slit of medial uncal lobes; six short to long processes apically and subapically, with the basal one on left side longest, medial apical process with dorsal margin serrate; aedeagal shaft with some small tubercles adjacent to longest aedeagal process.

Female. Unknown.

Variation. Among the eight known specimens, six specimens have four apical cells on the hind wings, whereas one specimen has five apical cells on only the right hind wing and another specimen has just three apical cells on both hind wings ( Fig. 1 A).

Host Plant. The specimens of this species were all collected from Peganum harmala L. (Fam. Zygophyllaceae ), so-called “Hermal plant” in the local language of Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan.

Etymology. The species is dedicated to Prof. Zhang Yalin, an entomologist of the Northwest A&F University, China.

Type material. Holotype: 3 ( NHMUK), Pakistan: N.W.F.P., Dera Ismail Khan, Pahar Pur, Sheikh Badin National Park, approximately 1220 m, on “Hermal plant”, 17-VI-2007, coll. Iqbal Sher. Paratypes: 6 3 3 ( NHMUK), same data as for holotype; 1 3 ( NWAFU), same data as for holotype.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Shaoshia zhangi sp. n. male. A. habitus, dorsal view; B. face; C. thorax and anterior part of abdomen, ventral view; D. head, thorax and anterior part of abdomen, dorsal view; E. left foreleg showing the spines on fore-femur.

FIGURE 2. Shaoshia zhangi sp. n. male. A. male genitalia in situ, left lateral view; B. male genitalia, caudal view; C. enlarged male genitalia showing the aedeagus, caudal view.