Proxima meloi, Laranjeira & Gonçalves & Domahovski & Takiya, 2022

Laranjeira, Vanessa Cristina, Gonçalves, Clayton Corrêa, Domahovski, Alexandre Cruz & Takiya, Daniela Maeda, 2022, Review of Proxima DeLong & Freytag (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Gyponini) with description of two new species from Brazil and identification key to species, Zootaxa 5091 (4), pp. 573-586 : 580-584

Proxima meloi sp. nov.

( Figs 33–51 , 56, 57 )

Diagnosis. Forewing ( Fig. 36 ) without dark maculae. Male pygofer ( Fig. 39 ), in lateral view, with apical portion rounded, not curved or folded inwardly. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 40 ), in ventral view, with inner margin strongly expanded. Style ( Fig. 42 ), in lateral view, with blade approximately straight, higher at base and narrowing towards the apex; ventral margin weakly serrated. Aedeagus ( Figs 43, 44 ) with atrial processes not bifid and as long as shaft; shaft without processes; apex bifid into acute processes directed anteriorly.

Measurements (mm). 11.8–12.9 mm (male); 12.8–13.5 mm (female).

Coloration. As in generic description.

External morphology. Crown-face transition ( Fig. 34 ) with transverse striae only close to the eye, smooth on the median portion. Forewing ( Fig. 36 ) with extra-numerary veins on discal, subapical and apical cells, sometimes apical half almost reticulate. Other characters as in generic description.

Male terminalia. Sternite VIII ( Fig. 37 ), in ventral view, approximately 1.4 times wider than long, strongly convex; lateral margins parallel; posterior margin widely rounded, emarginated medially. Valve ( Fig. 38 ), in ventral view, approximately 2.7 times wider than long; posterior margin slightly excavated medially. Pygofer ( Fig. 39 ), in lateral view, approximately 1.8 times longer than high; internal surface of lateral lobe with a thickening of the integument at anterodorsal portion; ventral margin rounded and expanded ventrally; posterodorsal and posteroventral margins approximately straight and strongly convergent at apex; apex rounded. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 39 ), in lateral view, strongly curved dorsally; in ventral view ( Fig. 40 ), 2.5 times longer than wide; subtriangular, outer margin slightly excavated; inner margin expanded and widely rounded; apex rounded. Connective ( Fig. 41 ), in dorsal view, large and wide; arms 1.2 times longer than stalk; anterior margin deeply excavated. Style ( Fig. 41 ), in dorsal view, with lateral lobe rounded; in lateral view ( Fig. 42 ), blade approximately straight, higher at base and narrowed towards apex; ventral margin weakly serrated; apex acute and curved dorsally. Aedeagus ( Figs 43, 44 ) with preatrium reduced; dorsal apodeme moderately developed with dorsal margin deeply excavated, lateral margins slightly produced laterally; atrial processes long, wide at base and narrowing towards apex, as long as the shaft, apex rounded; shaft long and tubular, widely curved anterodorsally; apex bifid (from apical third of shaft) into acute processes directed anteriorly.

Female terminalia. Sternite VII ( Fig. 45 ), in ventral view, approximately 1.4 times wider than long; posterolateral angle rounded; posterior margin slightly excavated near lateral angles, median portion strongly projected posteriorly with distinct median lobe deeply excavated medially. Pygofer ( Fig. 46 ), in lateral view, approximately 1.3 times longer than high; macrosetae distributed at ventral half and apex; apex rounded. First valvifer ( Fig. 47 ), in lateral view, subelliptic, slightly higher than wide; posterior margin truncated. First valvula ( Figs 47, 48 ), in lateral view, approximately 8.6 times longer than high; apex subacute. Second valvula ( Figs 49, 50 ), in lateral view, approximately 10.5 times longer than high; dorsal margin with four rounded teeth, basal tooth larger than others and apical tooth reduced; apex rounded.Second valvifer ( Fig. 51 ), in lateral view, approximately 2.2 times higher than wide.Gonoplac ( Fig. 51 ), in lateral view, approximately 3.6 times longer than high. Other characters as in generic description.

Etymology. The new species is named in tribute to Dr. Gabriel A. R. Melo, Hymenoptera specialist and one of the collectors of the type-series.

Material examined: Holotype male: “ Brasil, Bahia, 10 Km a\ NE de Encruzilhada,\ 15. 483ºS 40.824ºW,\ 830m 15.xii.2012,\ G. Melo & P. Grossi \Arm luminosa” ( DZUP) . Paratypes: Bahia: 2 ♂, 3 ♀, same data as holotype ( DZUP); 9 ♂, 1 ♀, “ Brasil, Bahia, 6 Km a\ SE de Encruzilhada,\ 15. 567ºS 40.870ºW,\ 910m 16.xii.2012,\ G. Melo & P. Grossi \ Arm luminosa” (4 ♂, 1 ♀, DZRJ DZRJ-AUCH 0232 , 0233 , 0234 , 0235 , 0236 ; 1 ♂, MZSP; 4 ♂, DZUP); 4 ♂, 2 ♀, “ Brasil, Bahia,\ Encruzilhada \ XII.1980 \ M. Alvarenga leg.” ( DZUP); 2 ♂, 1 ♀, “ Brasil, Bahia,\ Encruzilhada \ XI.1975 \ M. Alvarenga leg.” ( MNRJ); 2 ♂, 2 ♀, “ Encruzilhada \ BA. Brasil XI/74\ M. Alvarenga ” ( DZUP); 1 ♂, “ Encruzilhada \ BA. Brasil XII./80\ M. Alvarenga ” ( DZUP); Minas Gerais: 1 ♂, “ Brasil, Minas Gerais, 12km a N de\ Águas Vermelhas, Faz.\ Faceiro, 15.640ºS \ 41.477ºW, 845m,\ 12.xii.2012 G. Melo & P.\ Grossi. Arm luminosa” ( DZUP); 1 ♀, “ Brasil, Minas Gerais, 22km \ a NE de Pedra Azul , 15.819ºS 41.200ºW, 745m,\ 13.xii.2012, G. Melo &\ P. Grossi ” ( DZUP) .

Notes. Proxima meloi sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species of Proxima by its subgenital plate ( Fig. 40 ) with inner margin strongly expanded medially and by the aedeagus ( Fig. 43 ) with atrial processes simple and as long as shaft.

Figures

FIGURES 33–44. Proxima meloi sp. nov., male holotype. 33, head and thorax, dorsal view. 34, head and thorax, lateral view. 35, head, ventral view. 36, forewing. 37–44, male terminalia: 37, sternite VIII, ventral view. 38, valve, ventral view. 39, pygofer, valve and subgenital plate, lateral view. 40, subgenital plate, ventral view. 41, style and connective, dorsal view. 42, style, lateral view. 43, aedeagus, lateral view. 44, aedeagus, posterior view. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURES 45–51. Proxima meloi sp. nov., paratype female. 45, undissected terminalia, ventral view. 46, undissected terminalia, lateral view. 47–51, ovipositor: 47, first valvula and first valvifer, lateral view. 48, first valvula, detail of apical portion. 49, second vavulae, lateral view. 50, second valvulae, detail of apical portion. 51, second valvifer and gonoplac, lateral view. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURES 52–57. Dorsal and lateral habitus, respectively. 52–53, Proxima ocellata, male. 54–55, Proxima nigromaculata sp. nov., male holotype. 56–57, Proxima meloi sp. nov., male holotype.