Aquaelicium typicum Distant, 1917

Löcker, Holger, Löcker, Birgit & Holzinger, Werner E., 2009, Revision of the Derbidae of Seychelles Islands (Insecta: Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha), Zootaxa 2221, pp. 1-26 : 4-6

Aquaelicium typicum Distant, 1917

( Figs 1 , 11 )

Aquaelicium typicum Distant, 1917: 289 .

Types. Lectotype, (here designated) 3, SEYCHELLES, Mahé: glued on card, genitalia in genital vial, labelled (handwritten on card) 36, Mahe ’08-09’, Seychelles Exp., Seychelle Islands, Percy Sladen Trust Expedition, 1913-170 (BMNH). Paralectotypes, 3, pinned, genitalia in genital vial, (round label with red border) Type, H. T., (handwritten) Aquaelicium typicum Type Dist., Mahe ’08-09’, Seychelles Exp., (handwritten) 0 11, (handwritten) Spec. figd., Seychelle Islands, Percy Sladen Trust Expedition, 1913-170 (BMNH). 3, glued on card, genitalia in genital vial, Silhouette ’08, Seychelle Islands, Percy Sladen Trust Expedition, 1913-170 (BMNH), 3 and Ƥ pinned, labelled (handwritten) 79, (printed) Mahe ’08-9, Seychelles Exp., Seychelle Islands, Percy Sladen Trust Expedition, 1913-170 (BMNH), Aquaelicium typicum Dist. det. R. J. Izzard, 1963 (BMNH).

Remarks. The original description does not mention the designation of a holotype, therefore these specimens are regarded as syntypes. A lectotype is designated to provide a diagnostic reference for the species.

Other material examined. SEYCHELLES, Mahé-N.: 6 3, 3 Ƥ, Mare aux Cochons, near swamp, 4°38’S, 55°25’E, 350m, 12.xii.2006, [34-1, S1-1035 - S1-1038, S1-1042 - S1-1045] (W. Holzinger & B. Komposch) ( OEKO); 2 3, 4 Ƥ, Mare aux Cochons, near swamp, 4°38’S, 55°25’E, 350–400m, on Phoenicophorium borsigianum (K. Koch) Stuntz (1 3, 4 Ƥ), on Roscheria melanochaetes (H.A. Wendl.) H.A. Wendl. ex Balfour (1 3), 17.xi.2006, [3-2, S1-1005 - S1-1010, VHLA 1] (W. Holzinger & B. Komposch) ( OEKO); 1 3, 1 Ƥ, Congo Rouge, montane forest, 4°38’42.4”S, 55°26’01.3”E, 820m, mixed stand of Phoenicophorium and Pandanus , 17.xi.2006, [12-2, S1-1011, S1-1012] (W. Holzinger & B. Komposch) ( OEKO). Praslin: 2 3, 3 Ƥ, Vallée de Mai, palm forest, 4°19’45”S, 55°44’15”E, 250m, on Phoenicophorium borsigianum (1 3, 3 Ƥ), on Lodoicea maldivica (J.F. Gmelin) Persoon (1 3), 28.xi.2006 [22-1, S1- 1013 - 1016] (W. Holzinger & B. Komposch) ( OEKO); 1 Ƥ, Vallée de Mai, southern path, palm forest, 4°19’45”S, 55°44’15”E, 130–250m, on Phoenicophorium borsigianum , 30.xi.2006 [24-2, S1-1018] (W. Holzinger & B. Komposch) ( OEKO); 2 3, 1 Ƥ, 1 3 or Ƥ, Vallée de Mai, end of path “Palm + Pandanus grove”, 4°19’45”S, 55°44’15”E, 130m, on Verschaffeltia splendida H.A.Wendl. , 30.xi.2006 [24-3, S1-1020 – S1-1023] (W. Holzinger & B. Komposch) ( OEKO); 1 3, 4 Ƥ, Vallée de Mai, palm forest, 4°19’45”S, 55°44’15”E, 130– 250m, on Phoenicophorium borsigianum , 2.xii.2006 [26-1, S1-1024 – S1-1028] (W. Holzinger & B. Komposch) ( OEKO); 2 3, 3 Ƥ, Fond Ferdinand, Coco de Mer forest, 4°21’14”S, 55°45’25”E, 50–80m, on Phoenicophorium borsigianum , 4.xii.2006, [28-2, S1-1030 – S1-1034] (W. Holzinger & B. Komposch) ( OEKO); 1 Ƥ, near Anse Lazio, shrub, 4°17’31.5”S, 55°42’09.2”E, 2–25m, 3.xii.2006, [27-1, S1-1029] (W. Holzinger & B. Komposch) ( OEKO).

Colour. Upper part of body fuscous-brownish to yellowish, eyes blackish. Vertex of head and a central fascia to pro- and mesonotum greyish. Clypeus and legs ochraceous. Forewings fuscous-brown with some ochraceous spots.

Morphology. Body length: male 3.6–4.2 mm, female 3.7–4.0 mm.

Thorax: Forewing 3.6–4.2 times longer than wide (at level of apex of clavus), wing distinctly widening posterior of apex of clavus.

Male genitalia: Anal tube as in Figs 11 D–F; genital styles as in Figs. 11 G–H. Aedeagus as in Figs 11 A–C; apically with at least six acute processes and a flattened ridge with several pointed tips.

Diagnosis. This species closely resembles A. brunnescens in colouration and other features, but can be distinguished from the latter by the broader shaft of aedeagus, the lack of a semicircular lobe and the presence of at least six acute processes at the apex of aedeagus, as opposed to only three in A. brunnescens . Aquaelicium typicum can be differentiated from A. elegantulum by the length of the aedeagal process “e”, which is much longer and more slender in A. elegantulum ( Figs 13 A–B) than in A. typicum ( Figs 11 A, C).

Distribution. Mahé, Silhouette, Praslin.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Aquaelicium typicum: A habitus lateral; B habitus dorsal; C head; D type labels (lectotype). Scalebar 1 mm applies to figures A – B.

FIGURE 11. Aquaelicium typicum: A, B, C aedeagus, (A) left lateral (B) ventral (C) right lateral; D, E, F anal tube; G, H genital style, (G) ventral (H) left lateral; I genital capsule.

FIGURE 13. Aquaelicium elegantulum: A, B, C aedeagus, (A) left lateral (B) right lateral (C) ventral; D, E anal tube; F, G genital styles, (F) ventral (G) left lateral; H genital capsule.