Elginus falcatus, 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 : 15-16

publication ID

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

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BD0C4B-FFB7-D175-FF46-FE99FEC42CA2

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Elginus falcatus
status

sp. nov.

Elginus falcatus View in CoL sp.n.

( Figs 21 View FIGURES 17–24 , 61 View FIGURES 51–77 , 88 View FIGURES 78–104 , 115 View FIGURES 105–130 , 140 View FIGURES 131–156 , 165 View FIGURES 157–179 , 190 View FIGURES 180–205 , 216 View FIGURES 206–232 , 243 View FIGURES 233–258 , 263 View FIGURES 259–273 )

Diagnosis. Aedeagal shaft with sickle-shaped apex.

Etymology. Latin, for the sickle-shaped apex of the aedeagal shaft.

Colour. Male. As in Fig. 21 View FIGURES 17–24 .

Dimensions. Male (n = 48). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 3.0– 3. 6 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.9–3.2 mm; vertex medially 0.5 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.3–0.4 mm; pronotum medially 0.3–0.4 mm; scutellum medially 0.3–0.4 mm. Maximum widths: head 1.0– 1.1 mm; pronotum 0.81–0.9 mm; scutellum 0.4–0.5 mm. Ocellus: diameter 25–33 µm; ocellocular distance 46–60 µm.

Abdominal apodemes. Male. Fig. 263 View FIGURES 259–273 .

Genital capsule. Male. Aedeagal shaft short, 1.9 times as long as dorsal apodeme; in lateral view sickleshaped; in dorsal view apex deflected laterally; shaft basally with long, wire-like, dorsally curved spine; gonopore lateral ( Figs 61 View FIGURES 51–77 , 88 View FIGURES 78–104 ). Connective as in Fig. 115 View FIGURES 105–130 . Plate apex truncate; medial angle obtuse (120°); setation variable (3–7 macrosetae), sometimes 1–2 basal setae offset medially ( Fig. 140 View FIGURES 131–156 ). Pygofer lobe broadly rounded ( Figs 165 View FIGURES 157–179 , 190 View FIGURES 180–205 ). Style apophysis curved, tapering; almost reaching apex of plate; apophysis 0.8 times as long as median arm ( Fig. 216 View FIGURES 206–232 ).

Dimensions. Female (n = 44). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 3.1–3.5 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 3.2–3.6 mm; vertex medially 0.5–0.6 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.3–0.4 mm; pronotum medially 0.3–0.4 mm; scutellum medially 0.3–0.4 mm. Maximum widths: head 1.0– 1.1 mm; pronotum 0.8–0.9 mm; scutellum 0.5 mm. Ocellus: diameter 27–30 µm; ocellocular distance 50–61 µm.

Genital capsule. Female. Sternite VII variable, notch wide, V-shaped or rounded, with 1–2 pairs tubular sclerotized pillars dorsally or with 2 round sclerotized areas laterally. Figure 243 View FIGURES 233–258 illustrates sternite VII and partially dislodged, sclerotized dorsal sternite VIII. Third valvula with two long setae (27.5 µm, 28.8 µm in length). Second valvula with denticulation weakly developed, rounded, teeth separated by wide, shallow depression.

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, North-West. Middelwater Farm, Magaliesberg , 25°41ʹS 28°00ʹE, 18.iv.2003, M. Stiller, DVac grass ( SANC) GoogleMaps . Paratypes (61♂, 57♀, 8 nymphs). Eastern Cape . 1♀, 1 nymph, Lundin’s Neck road near Moshesh’s Ford, 30°47ʹS 27°46ʹE, 29.iv.2000, M. Stiller sweeping grass; Free State . 2♂, Golden Gate, 28°31ʹS 28°37ʹE, 6.i.1971, R. Kluge; 3♂, 1♀, Vrede, 27°30ʹS 29°06ʹE, 22.i.1975; 3♀, Ficksburg, 28°53ʹS 27°53ʹE, 19.xii.1978; 2♂, 2♀, Ficksburg, 28°53ʹS 27°53ʹE, 30.i.1981; 1♂, Fouriesburg, 28°37ʹS 28°13ʹE, 30.i.1981; 4♂, 3 nymphs, Golden Gate, 28°31ʹS 28°37ʹE, 20.xii.1982; 4♂, 6♀, Clarens, 28°31ʹS 28°25ʹE, 26.i.1991; all J.G. Theron; 1♀, Abdullam Farm near Clarens, 28°32ʹS 28°28ʹE, 18.i.1994, V.M. Uys; 1♂, 2♀, Buckland Downs Farm Harrismith, 27°58ʹS 29°07ʹE, 15.iv.1998, M. Stiller sweeping grass. Gauteng . 1♀, Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve , 26°31ʹS 28°14ʹE, 23.i.1975 GoogleMaps , J.G. Theron; 2♂, 3♀, Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve , 26°31ʹS 28°14ʹE, 21.ii.1995 GoogleMaps , DVac meadow.

KwaZulu-Natal. 2♂, 2♀, 3 nymphs, Highmoor Forestry Station, 29°20ʹS 29°36ʹE, 2233 m, 19.iv.2002, DVac grass & forbs in fire break, common grass species: Koeleria capensis , Microchloa caffra , Tristachya leucothrix (Poaceae) , Aristea sp. (Iridaceae) ; 1♂, 2♀, 2 nymphs, Highmoor Forestry Station, 29°19ʹS 29°37ʹE, 2200 m, 18.iv.2002, DVac grass & forbs in 2-year burn cycle; 2♂, 3♀, 2 nymphs, Swaiman’s Hut, 29°12ʹS 28°46ʹE, 2016 m, 22.iv.2002, all M. Stiller, E. Breytenbach, DVac pure stand Eragrostis racemosa (Poaceae) on rocky outcrop; 5♂, 4♀, Breakfast Stream, 29°03ʹS 29°23ʹE, 1965 m, 9.i.2007, sweeping short grass and forbs; 1♂, sandstone hills in valley near Fika Patso Dam, 28°41ʹS 28°41ʹE, 2000 m, 8.iv.2007, sweeping grass and forbs; 3♂, 2♀, Little Switzerland Hotel NE ridge, 28°34ʹS 29°03ʹE, 1650 m, 8.v.2007, sweeping Aristida monticola (Poaceae) growing amongst tree and shrubs. North-West. 6♂, 4♀, Rustenburg Nature Reserve, 25°40ʹS 27°12ʹE, 11.xi.2000, sweeping grass; 7♂, 4♀, ibid. holotype; all M. Stiller ( AMNH, BMNH, SANC).

Remarks. In most specimens examined, the wire-like spine was absent, probably lost during copulation. The dorsally curved aedeagal apex is similar to that of E. dexteruncus and the wire-like basal process resembles that of E. cultellus . About half of the examined specimens had the shaft curved in the opposite direction. A parasitized specimen had additional spines on the aedeagal shaft and fewer teeth on the style apophysis.

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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