Typhlocybella maidica, Catalano, María Inés, Paradell, Susana Liria & Lenicov, Ana María Marino Remes, 2009

Catalano, María Inés, Paradell, Susana Liria & Lenicov, Ana María Marino Remes, 2009, Typhlocybella maidica (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae: Dikraneurini), new species from Argentina, Zootaxa 2118, pp. 65-68 : 65-67

Typhlocybella maidica n. sp.

Diagnosis: This species is easily distinguishable from its congeners by the dorsal like-spine process of the male pygofer and the long, parallel ventral aedeagal processes arising at the base of the shaft. Description: Body size (mm): male 2.7 – 2.8; female 2.8 – 3.0; pronotal width 0.5 – 0.54; crown length 0.18 – 0.2; interocular width 0.28 – 0.32.

Male coloration: yellowish to brown. In dorsal view, head and pronotum yellow with two lateral faint fuscous marks along both sides of median white T-shaped stripe extending to pronotum; scutellum with three longitudinal slightly brown marks. Forewings with costal and apical area dark-brown with whitish spot inside each cell, dark orange coloured whitish mottled on claval and comisural area. Venation of fore and hind wings characteristic of genus ( Fig. 1, 2 ).

First sternal complex ( Fig.3 ) with sternal bar sclerotized with upward curved apex; dorsal apodeme well developed with broad medial notch, reaching sternal bar. Second sternal apodemes short with two lobules of rounded tips, not extending beyond abdominal segment 3. Second tergal apodeme ( Fig.4 ) with two long tongue-shaped plates suspended below transverse shallow wall, length width ratio about 3:1.

Male: Pygofer ( Fig.5 ) in dorsal view, deeply excavated with sclerotized margins, laterally bearing numerous small spines; in lateral view, twice longer than broad, rounded caudal margin with short spine-like dorsal process extended upward; 2 or 3 macrosetae and some microsetae irregularly arranged on disk. Subgenital plates ( Fig.6 ) broad at base, narrowing to apex with constricted area heavily sclerotized medially, finely pilose, with oblique longitudinal row of four or five strong and long macrosetae in basal half, and numerous, fine and long microsetae on both margins. Style ( Fig.7 ) with preapical lobe quadrate with one or two microsetae; apical extension slightly curved and tapered apically, without setae. Connective ( Fig.8 ) triangular, aedeagal articulation terminal. Aedeagus ( Fig.9 ) with slender depressed preatrium, approximately five times longer than wide; large dorsal aedeagal apodeme; shaft compressed, slightly curved upward, as long as preatrium, dorsally serrate and rounded at apex; a pair of sub-parallel tapering ventral processes caudad directed, arising from the shaft base, with small spines lying in all surface; oval gonopore subterminal.

Female: shape and coloration of the body closely similar to male.

Seventh sternum ( Fig.10 ) conically produced medially between rounded lateral lobes, covered with several strong microsetae. Pygofer ( Fig.11 ) in lateral view, wider at base than apex, and usually with 8 or 9 macrosetae in row on straight caudo-ventral margin, and 3 slender setae on dorso-caudal margin. Median valvulae slender, 12 times longer than broad, curved in apical half, rounded at apex; large valve ( Fig.12 ) with 18 to 20 strong denticulate irregular teeth, with 4 to 6 denticles each, ventral margin with 2 or 3 rounded and small teeth, with 4 sclerotized longitudinal bars of different size lying in lateral surface; small valve ( Fig. 13 ) with numerous, small and countless teeth in dorsal margin, and 3 sclerotized longitudinal bars lying in lateral surface.

Distribution: Buenos Aires: Chacabuco, Chivilcoy, Junín, Saladillo. Mendoza: La Consulta. Córdoba.

Biological notes: This species causes damage to maize crops and to Digitaria sanguinalis . Injury consists of a white mottling of leaves and chlorophyll removal during feeding.

Etymology: The specific mame maidica refers to the prevalence of this species on maize.

Type material: Holotype male: ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires: Saladillo, 3/III/2008, Catalano col. Allotype female same collection date as holotype. Paratypes 2 male and 2 female ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires: Chacabuco, XI/2006 - III/ 2007. Deposited at MLP.

Other material examined. ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires: Chacabuco, XI/2006 - III/2007, Catalano, Toledo, Brentassi, Dellapé cols., 10 males, 6 females; Mendoza: La Consulta, 12/II/2007, Lanati col., 2 males, 2 females; Córdoba: 14/XI/2006, Carloni col., 2 males.

Other specimens examined: T. parva : 1 holotype male Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico, 28/XII/1949, Beamer col., 1 paratype female Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico, 28/XII/1949, Beamer col., 6 paratype, 4 males and 2 females Mex. City, Guerrero, Mexico, 27/XII/1949, Beamer col., 1 paratype male Mex. City, Guerrero, Mexico, 27/XII/1949, Shaw col. OSUC

T. maculata : 1 holotype male, Maricao Insular Forest, Puerto Rico, X-XI/1947, Caldwell and Martorell cols. USNM.

T. minima : 4 non-types, 2 males and 2 females, Lake City, Fla. 11/XII/1949, Stannard et al. INHS

Remarks. The examination of the holotypes of T. maculata and T. parva and non-type material of T. minina has revealed that the Argentinean specimens are easily distinguishable by the following set of characteristics of the male genitalia: the dorsal like-spine process of pygofer, the pair of long ventral aedeagal processes with apices parallel arising at base of shaft, the triangular connective, and the short apical extension on the style. Although all four species of this genus are similar in general form and appearance, T. maidica show a darker color pattern.

The type of T. minuta is apparently lost and could not be examined.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 13. Typhlocybella maidica n. sp. 1, forewing; 2, hind wing. Male: 3 – 9. 3, sternal apodemes; 4, tergal apodemes; 5, pygofer, lateral view; 6, subgenital plate; 7, style; 8, connective; 9, aedeagus. Female: 10 – 13. 10, sternite VII; 11, pygofer; 12, large valve; 13, small valve. (Figs 1 – 2: 10 X; 3 – 13: 20 X) Scale bar = 1 mm.