Elginus contradens, Stiller, M., 2009

Stiller, M., 2009, Revision of Elginus Theron (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with the description of two new genera and comments on the grassland leafhopper fauna in South Africa, Zootaxa 2135 (1), pp. 1-56 : 9-10

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2135.1.1

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BD0C4B-FFB1-D173-FF46-F9E1FB452983

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Elginus contradens
status

sp. nov.

Elginus contradens View in CoL sp.n.

( Figs 5, 6 View FIGURES 1–8 , 54 View FIGURES 51–77 , 81 View FIGURES 78–104 , 108 View FIGURES 105–130 , 134 View FIGURES 131–156 , 159 View FIGURES 157–179 , 183 View FIGURES 180–205 , 209 View FIGURES 206–232 , 235 View FIGURES 233–258 )

Diagnosis. Aedeagus symmetrical with shaft generally straight and gonopore at apex. Plate sclerotized laterally, medially mostly unsclerotized and with apex produced into medially directed tooth.

Etymology. Latin, contra, opposite, opposed and dens, tooth, for the opposed teeth on the apex of the subgenital plate.

Colour. Male & female. As in Figs 5, 6 View FIGURES 1–8 .

Dimensions. Male (n = 12). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 3.1–3.2 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.7–3.0 mm; vertex medially 0.4 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.3 mm; pronotum medially 0.3 mm; scutellum medially 0.3 mm. Maximum widths: head 0.9 mm; pronotum 0.8 mm; scutellum 0.4–0.5 mm. Ocellus: diameter 21–30 µm; ocellocular distance 39–50 µm.

Genital capsule. Male. Aedeagus symmetrical; shaft tubular, tapering, more or less straight in dorsal and lateral views; shaft 1.3 times as long as dorsal apodeme; dorsal apodeme roughly pentagonal; gonopore apical ( Figs 54 View FIGURES 51–77 , 81 View FIGURES 78–104 ). Connective as in Fig. 108 View FIGURES 105–130 . Plate elongate, triangular with apex produced into medially directed tooth; medial margin and adjacent region membranous; lateral margin sclerotized; 5–7 marginal macrosetae ( Fig. 134 View FIGURES 131–156 ). Pygofer lobe angulate ( Figs 159 View FIGURES 157–179 , 183 View FIGURES 180–205 ). Style with apophysis almost straight, 0.8 times as long as basal part; style extending half-way into plate ( Fig. 209 View FIGURES 206–232 ).

Dimensions. Female (n = 14). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 3.3–3.5 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 3.3–3.8 mm; vertex medially 0.5–0.6 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.3–0.4 mm; pronotum medially 0.4 mm; scutellum medially 0.3–0.4 mm. Maximum widths: head 1.0– 1.1 mm; pronotum 0.9 mm; scutellum 0.5–0.6 mm. Ocellus: diameter 28 µm; ocellocular distance 42–55 µm.

Genital capsule. Female. Sternite VII with bell-shaped ligula, bearing variable knob-like process at apex, 2 pillars between sternite VII and VIII ( Fig. 235 View FIGURES 233–258 ).

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, Eastern Cape. Qacha’s Neck , 30°10ʹ1.60ʺS 28°35ʹ35.20ʺE, 1717 m, 29.xi.2005, sweeping and blue pan trap, MDTP survey (Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Project) ( SANC) GoogleMaps . Paratypes (18♂, 11♀, 5 nymphs). Eastern Cape . 12♂, 11♀, 5 nymphs, ibid. holotype ; 2♂, same data but, 30°10ʹ4.50ʺS 28°36ʺE, 1720 m, 28.xi.2005, sweeping, MDTP survey GoogleMaps ; 4♂, Prentjiesberg, 31°2ʹ26.02ʺS 28°12ʹ24.88ʺE, 1575 m, 12.xii.2005, sweeping, MDTP survey; all in grassland ( AMNH, BMNH, SANC) GoogleMaps .

Remarks. The coloration and vertex markings of this species is similar to that of a number of other species of this genus. In terms of genitalia, the male pygofer, style and connective are similar to a number of species of Elginus , but the symmetrical aedeagus and the configuration of the plate bear little resemblance to any other species of this genus. Only E. oriens bears some similarity in the shape of its aedeagus, although the apical half of the shaft and the gonopore are asymmetrical. The plate in E. denticulatus bears a dorsal tooth at its apex, but otherwise shows no further resemblance to this species. In the female the sternite VII is similar to that of E. unispinus in that it has a rectangular ligula, and to E. theroni in that it has a bell-shaped ligula. It is included in Elginus even though the aedeagus is symmetrical and the unique shape of the plate, but also because the shape of the style, pygofer and sternite VII of the female resembles that of the other species of Elginus . Dimensions of both sexes also coincide with those of other species of Elginus .

SANC

Agricultural Research Council-Plant Protection Research Institute

AMNH

American Museum of Natural History

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hemiptera

Family

Cicadellidae

Genus

Elginus

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