Aka issidopsis, Löcker, Birgit, 2015

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 : 213

Aka issidopsis sp. nov

( Figs 4 A–C, 12)

Zoobank Registration: http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:73DC0C0F-AC8E-4C44-9E11-BCD695F9831B

Types. Holotype, ♂, AUSTRALIA, ACT: B[l]undells Ck, 35.22S 148.50E, vi 1987 (D.H. Colless) (ANIC 20- 007841). Paratypes, ACT: 6 ♂, 3 ♀, same data as holotype; 2 ♂, same data except for v.1987; 4 ♂, same data except for vi.1987, malaise trap; 2 ♂, 5 ♀, same data except for v.1987, malaise trap. Vic: 1 ♂, Cumberland Ck, via Marysville, 850m, sweeping low vegetation, temperate rainforest, 10.xii.1974 (I. Naumann) (QM); 1 ♂, Mt Buffalo, 21.viii.1935 (O.H. Swezey) (BPBM).

Etymology. This species resembles members of the Fulgoromorpha family Issidae in general body shape.

Diagnosis. This species can easily be distinguished from all other species of Aka by the following characters. Forewings at posterior end of thorax not tectiform, but raised up, both forewings almost forming a continuous plane. Therefore in dorsal view forewings very wide, diamond shaped, resembling Issidae . All other species have entirely tectiform wings, which are narrow in dorsal view.

Colour. Vertex yellowish, light brown, carinae paler, with a whitish spot where subapical carinae meet lateral borders of vertex. Frons and postclypeus light brown; anteclypeus paler. Pro- and mesonotum yellowish, light brown, sometimes with slightly paler carinae; pronotum sometimes paler than mesonotum. Forewings light brown with a few darker marks; tubercles darker, in distinct contrast to cells; veins sometimes slightly darker than cells; pterostigma whitish. Abdominal sternites light to mid brown. Legs light brown with a few darker marks.

Morphology. Body length: ♂ 4.8–5.4 mm; ♀ 5.1–5.7 mm.

Head: Vertex 1.0–1.2 x as wide as long; median carina covering 1/3 to full length of basal compartment of vertex. Frons 1.0–1.4 x as long as wide; maximum width no more than 2x apical width; position of maximum width moderately to distinctly dorsad of centre of frontoclypeal suture; median carina forked in basal (near frontoclypeal suture) fourth of frons. Median ocellus absent or present (indistinct). Anteclypeus lacking median carina. Subapical segment of rostrum 1.6–1.7 x longer than apical segment.

Thorax: Basal thirds of forewings not tectiform but raised up to form an almost continuous plane. In dorsal view forewings very wide, their shape resembling Issidae . Mesonotum with or without indistinct sublateral carinae. Forewing 2.5–3.0 x longer than wide; costal margin with 13–19 very distinct tubercles; tubercles aligned alongside veins, but reaching to some extent into cell area; tubercles dark, underlaid by a larger dark circle, therefore appearing large and distinctly in contrast to cells; most tubercles bearing very long setae; Sc+R fused, M emerging separately from basal cell; fork of ScRA+ RP distinctly basad of fork CuA1+CuA2; distance tegula to ScR+M fork about as long or slightly shorter 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 1/5 and 1/2 of forewing; icu at same level or slightly distad of apex of clavus; RP apically bifid; MA bifid; MP unforked or bifid; nodus of y-vein distinctly distad of centre of clavus; y-vein with A1 slightly elevated; 6–8 apical cells. Hind leg: 1st tarsomere with 6 apical teeth; 2nd tarsomere with 6 apical teeth and 1–3 fine setae.

Male genitalia: Anal tube apically rounded, forming only one lobe, as in Figs 12 C,D. Pygofer and genital styles as in Figs 12 E–G. Aedeagus ( Figs 12 A,B): Phallotheca left laterally with an almost straight spine (a), slightly curved at its tip; right laterally with a shorter, slightly s-shaped spine (b) and a long, strongly curved spine (c) with its tip directed caudally. Base of phallotheca ventrally with 2 small sclerotised teeth. Flagellum near base laterally extended forming a large sheet, apically with 2 slightly sclerotised spines.

Remarks. One specimen collected in ACT had 7 apical teeth on the first tarsomere. This situation was only present in one leg, the other leg displayed 6 teeth as in all other specimens of this species. Therefore this appears to be an aberration. The specimen from Mt. Buffalo deviates slightly from the colour description given above as it is generally darker in colour.

The length of aedeagal spine (b) varies within the species. In is longest in the specimen from Cumberland Ck and shorter in the specimens from Blundells Ck.

The curved spine (c) inserting right lateral and transversing to left lateral resembles that of the New Zealand species of A. finitima , A. dunedinensis , A. westlandica and A. duniana . However, in these species there are two spines inserting on the left lateral side, whereas A. issidopsis has only one spine inserting left lateral.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Aka issidopsis: A habitus; B, C head. Aka kuraka: D, E head; F, G habitus. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 12. Aka issidopsis: A aedeagus ventral; B aedeagus right lateral; C – D anal tube; E pygofer; F – G genital styles.