Aka hardyi Muir, 1931

Löcker, Birgit, 2015, Revision of the Australian species of Aka White, 1879 (Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae) with the description of a new genus, Zootaxa 3956 (2), pp. 199-223 : 211-212

Aka hardyi Muir, 1931

( Figs 3 D–F, 11)

Aka hardyi Muir, 1931: 64 .

Types. Neotype, here designated, ♂, AUSTRALIA, Tas: Mt Wellington, 22.ix.1935 (J.W. Evans) (ASCU ASCTHE016788).

Notes. Muir (1931) based this species on one male from Mount Wellington, 30.ix.1917 collected by G.H. Hardy and deposited in AMS. The male holotype could not be located in AMS. Neither could it be located in other collections known to contain Muir types (BMNH, BPBM). Therefore the type is declared lost. Nine specimens examined in this study matched the description of A. hardyi and are therefore used to redescribe this species. From these specimens a male topotypic specimen is hereby designated as a neotype to provide a diagnostic reference for the species.

Other material examined. AUSTRALIA, Tas: 1 ♀, same data as neotype ( ASCU); 2 ♂, Lake Fenton, Mt Field N.P., 42° 40.6’S, 146° 37.4’E, 1000m, ex Nothofagus cunninghamii beats, 55GDN692748, If12/Nc/HeAu3, 10.iv.2000 (PJK-W [J. Keble Williams]) ( ASCU); 1 ♂, same data except for 1010m, If2NcN/He30, 27.iii.2000 (J.Keble Williams); 1 ♂, same data except for If1Ng/He32, 3.iii.2000; 1 ♂, Lake Skinner, Snowy Range, 42° 56.4’S, 146° 40.6’E, 2000m, ex Nothofagus cunninghamii beats, 55GDN738456, Is9/Nc/HeAu3, 7.iv.2000 (PJK- W [J. Keble Williams]) ( ASCU); 2 ♂, Hobart, 18.ix.1935 (J.W. Evans) ( ASCU).

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from all other Australian Aka by the following combination of characters: male anal tube apically rounded, forming only one lobe; aedeagus with only 3 spines which are more or less equal in length.

Colour. Vertex mid to dark brown, carinae paler, with a whitish spot where subapical carinae meet lateral borders of vertex. Frons with a rectangular, dark brown, central area; lateral parts and carinae mid brown; a paler spot where forked carinae meet vertex and a whitish spot at each lateral end of frontoclypeal suture; post- and anteclypeus brown with slightly paler carinae. Pro- and mesonotum brown with slightly paler carinae; pronotum paler than mesonotum. Forewings light brown to whitish, mottled with mid to dark brown spots; tubercles concolorous with cells; veins in general darker than cells; pterostigma whitish. Abdominal sternites mid brown. Legs light to mid brown sometimes with a few darker marks.

Morphology. Body length: ♂ 3.8–4.9 mm; ♀ 5.4 mm.

Head: Vertex 1.3–1.4 x wider than long; median carina of vertex generally covering about 1/2 of basal compartment of vertex, rarely complete cover. Frons 1.0–1.2 x as long as wide; maximum width no more than 2x apical width; position of maximum width moderately dorsad of centre of frontoclypeal suture; median carina forked in basal (near frontoclypeal suture) fourth of frons. Median ocellus absent or present (distinct or indistinct). Anteclypeus lacking median carina. Subapical segment of rostrum 1.2–1.5 x longer than apical segment.

Thorax: Mesonotum with or without indistinct sublateral carinae. Forewing 2.7–2.9 x longer than wide; costal margin with a number of indistinct tubercles; tubercles never within cells; tubercles very small, concolorous with veins; tubercles not bearing setae; Sc+R+M near basal cell fused, forming a minute common stem Sc+R+M; fork of ScRA+ RP distinctly basad of fork CuA1+CuA2; distance tegula to ScR+M fork longer than distance between this fork and ScRA+ RP fork; position of r-m distinctly basad of fork MA+MP; fork MA+MP situated between apical 1/16 and 1/4 of forewing; icu distinctly distad of apex of clavus (rarely at same level as apex of clavus); RP apically unforked; MA unforked; MP unforked or bifid; nodus of y-vein distinctly distad of centre of clavus; y-vein with A1 moderately elevated; 4–6 apical cells. Hind leg: 1st tarsomere with 6 apical teeth (rarely 5); 2nd tarsomere with 6 apical teeth and 2–3 fine setae.

Male genitalia: Anal tube apically rounded, forming only one lobe, as in Figs 11 C,D. Pygofer and genital styles as in Figs 11 E–G. Aedeagus ( Figs 11 A,B): Phallotheca with 3 spines of more or less equal length. Spine (a) slightly curved, arising left lateral; the other two arising right lateral, close to each other, spine (b) strongly curved, its tip directed left lateral and spine (c) slightly curved. Flagellum unarmed.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Aka gwana: A habitus; B, C head. Aka hardyi: D, E head; F, G habitus. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 11. Aka hardyi: A aedeagus ventral; B aedeagus right lateral; C – D anal tube; E pygofer; F – G genital styles.