Purusha pulverosa Distant, 1918

Constant, Jérôme, 2020, Revision of the Eurybrachidae (XV). The Oriental genus Purusha Distant, 1906 with two new species and a key to the genera of Eurybrachini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Eurybrachidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 602, pp. 1-40 : 18-23

Purusha pulverosa Distant, 1918

Figs 4 , 9–12

Purusha pulverosa Distant, 1918: 198 [listed], 200 [described].

Purusha pulverosa – Metcalf 1956: 8 [catalogued].

Diagnosis

Male

Easily recognized by the following combination of characters: (1) tegmina with small brown lines arranged in concentric rows parallel to apical margin on membrane, more visible in ventral view if the tegmina are covered with white wax ( Fig. 11 A–B); (2) posterior wings whitish, without markings ( Fig. 11 A–B); (3) anterior half of pronotum yellowish ( Fig. 11C ).

Female

Immediately recognized by the combination of the following characters: (1) tegmina without conspicuous white waxy spot but most often strongly covered with white wax, and very faint brown small lines on the membrane, arranged in 2–3 rows parallel to apical margin, mostly visible on ventral side; (2) posterior wings without spots; (3) anterior half of pronotum yellowish.

Differential diagnosis

Male

Easily separated from males of P. paradoxa , P. reversa and P. vietnamica sp. nov. by the characters given in diagnosis; from P. bellissima sp. nov., it will very probably be separated by posterior wings missing concentric rows of brown lines parallel to costal margin.

Etymology

The specific name is derived from the Latin adjective ‘ pulverosa ’, meaning ‘dusty’, and referring to the white waxy secretion covering the body and wings in this species.

Material examined

Holotype ( Fig. 10 )

VIETNAM • ♀; [Tonkin, June 1917. R.V. de Salvaza] [1918–1] [ Purusha pulverosa Dist. , Type] [Type]; BMNH.

Additional material

LAOS • 1 ♀; “Tintoe”; 1 Dec. 1918; R.V. de Salvaza leg.; BMNH .

THAILAND • 1 ♀; Loei Province, Phu Rua National Park ; 17°30′ N, 101°21′ E; 6–9 May 1999; alt. 1100 m; D. Hauck leg.; MMBC • 1 ♂; Chiang Rai Province, Wiang Pa Pao district ; [19°20′54″ N, 99°30′24″ E]; Aug. 1989; MHNL .

Examined from photograph ( Fig. 9 )

THAILAND • 1 specimen; Chiang Mai; 18°47′43″ N, 98°59′55″ E; 2 May 2009; John Moore photogr . • 1 ♀; Chiang Mai; 18°47′43″ N, 98°59′55″ E; 20 Nov. 2018; Itsrapong Voraphab leg.; DNPT .

Note

The location “Tintoe” in Laos was not found and is not recorded on Vitalis de Salvaza’s (1919) entomological map. However, as Vitalis de Salvaza collected at Pak Noun on the Mekong River in today’s Sayaboury Province in Nov. 1918 and at Ban Hou (Louangprabang Prov.) in Oct. 1918, it is likely that the locations he sampled in Dec. 1918 are situated in the same part of the Mekong Valley (M. Geiser pers. com., 2019).

Measurements and ratios

♂: LT (n = 1): 24.1 mm; Ltg/BTg = 2.0; BV/LV = 4.5; BF/LF = 1.85; LP+LM/BT = 0.6.

♀: LT (n = 2): 31.8 mm (31.0–32.6); LTg/BTg = 2.0; BV/LV = 4.4; BF/LF = 1.93; LP+LM/BT = 0.6.

Supplementary description

Male genitalia ( Fig. 12 )

Pygofer with dorsal half of lateral portion of posterior margin strongly projecting in laminate process directed posteriorly in lateral view and slightly laterally in ventral view; process narrowly rounded apically; ventral half of posterior margin slightly excavate in lateral view; ventral portion of posterior margin straight in ventral view; dorsal portion of pygofer strongly narrowing with posterior margin strongly excavate; anterior margin sinuate in lateral view ( Fig. 12 A–B). Anal tube large, broadly obovate, dorsoventrally flattened; apical margin broadly rounded in dorsal view; lateral margin very broadly rounded on distal half, narrowing basally in dorsal view, bisinuate in lateral view, more strongly so near base; anal column at basal ¼ ( Fig. 12A, D ). Gonostyli elongate, slightly broadening towards apex in lateral view, with ribbon-like apicoventral process directed posteriorly; dorsal margin forming an incurved denticulate lamina at posterodorsal angle; lateral hook near posterodorsal angle; ventral margin strongly emarginate on distal half in ventral view, forming a broad opening, small rounded process directed posteriorly at base of emargination ( Fig. 12 A–C). Phallobase robust, longer than broad in dorsal view, with horizontal lateral carina ended in a short posterior process directed posteriorly; ventrally, elongate, deeply furcate process curved ventrally, apices of furca pointed; dorsally to furcate process, pair of strong processes surpassing furcate process, curved ventrally on basal ⅔ and ending with blunt hook strongly curved dorsally ( Fig. 12 E–G). Phallus with two elongate, slightly swordshaped, incurved processes, ventral one shorter than dorsal one in lateral view; dorsal process more strongly curved medioanterodorsally than ventral one; mediodorsally, pair of large elongate processes with slightly excavate portion dorsally before apex ( Fig. 12 E–G).

Distribution

Northern Vietnam, Laos and northern Thailand ( Fig. 4 ).

Biology

Unknown.

Figures

Fig. 4. Purusha spp., distribution map.

Fig. 9. Purusha pulverosa Distant, 1918. A. Specimen in nature, Thailand, Chiang Mai, 2 May 2009 (photograph by J. Moore). B. ♀, Thailand, Chiang Mai, 20 Nov. 2018, I. Voraphab (DNPT – photograph by K. Jiaranaisakul).

Fig. 10. Purusha pulverosa Distant, 1918, holotype, ♀ (BMNH). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. normal view of frons. D. Head and thorax, dorsal view. E. Labels. C–E not to scale.

Fig. 11. Purusha pulverosa Distant, 1918, ♂ from Wiang Pa Pao, Thailand (MHNL). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Head and thorax, dorsal view. D. Normal view of frons. C–D not to scale.

Fig. 12. Purusha pulverosa Distant, 1918, male genitalia. A. Pygofer, anal tube and gonostylus, left lateral view. B. Pygofer and gonostyli, ventral view. C. Posterodorsal process of left gonostylus, dorsal view. D. Anal tube, dorsal view. E. Aedeagus, dorsal view. F. Aedeagus, left lateral view. G. Aedeagus, ventral view. Scale bars = 1 mm. Abbreviations: An: anal tube; G: gonostyli; Py: pygofer.