Ferricixius michaeli, Santos & Hoch & Zampaulo & Simões & Ferreira, 2023

Santos, Júlio César Do Carmo Vaz, Hoch, Hannelore, Zampaulo, Robson De Almeida, Simões, Matheus Henrique & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2023, Adaptive shifts in Neotropical planthoppers: new troglobitic species and the first surface species of Ferricixius Hoch & Ferreira, 2012 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha Cixiidae) from Brazilian caves, Zootaxa 5330 (3), pp. 375-397 : 383-385

Ferricixius michaeli sp. nov. Santos, Hoch & Ferreira

(Figs: 1B; 2B; 6A–F; 7A–G; 8D; 12 B; 17A, D) https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:57308824-5306-4B74-B4E1-38427682E219

Type material. Holotype: Male. Brazil, Minas Gerais. Matozinhos municipality, ICMAT-53 Cave , (UTM 592388W, 7842404S, 23K), 13.ix.2018, (Ativo ambiental et al.) ( ISLA 100980 ) ; Holotype condition: Dissected, stored in individual vials in 70% ethanol. Paratypes: 1♀♀ female, same data as male holotype ( ISLA 100981 ) and 1 nymph same data as male holotype ( ISLA 100982 ) .

Description.

Coloration (specimen preserved in 70% ethanol): As in figures 1B, 6A–C, 7A–G, generally Yellowish white (92) contrasting with some Pale yellow (89) and Light yellow (86) areas on thorax and male genitalia. Tegmina hyaline with Yellowish white (92) veins as in Fig. 6D .

Body length. Male. 4.2 mm (n = 1); Female. 4.7 mm (n = 1).

Head. Vertex ( Figs 6A, C ):Approx. 1.1 times wider (0.3) than long (0.3); apical compartment large and irregular, approx. 1.5 times wider (0.313) than medially long (0.2); apical transverse carina well developed, moderately elevated, and well elongated medially; subapical carina weakly elongated medially; angle formed by the caudal border weakly curved, almost straight; without basal emargination. Frons ( Fig. 6B ): Almost as long (0.4) as wide (0.4), approx. 1.3 times wider at the height of the antennae than level of the apical carina (0.3). Compound eyes and ocelli ( Figs 6A–C ; 12B ): Vestigial. Frontoclypeal suture ( Fig. 6B ).

Thorax. Pronotum ( Figs 6A, C ): Submedian carinae moderately developed, in dorsal view slightly concave laterally and moderately evanescent distally; hind margin obtusely angled. Mesonotum ( Fig. 6A ): Tricarinate, carinae evanescent. Tegmina (forewings) ( Fig. 6D ): Length (3.0 mm); ScP absent or evanescent; RA+RP1 fused; MP2+MP3+4 fused; vein anterior to MP1+2 fork, short or absent; C1’ cell present and reduced, displaced from the distal margin; C3 and C3’ cells absent; 8 apical cells and 7 subapical cells (including C1’). Hind legs ( Figs 6E–F ): Exhibit 4 lateral spines on hind tibia; hind tibia (1.5 mm) with 6 apical teeth medially separated (3+3); 1 st tarsomere with 6 apical teeth of approx. the same size; 2 nd tarsomere with 4 apical teeth, the two middle ones are closer to each other than the others, 2 nd tarsomere without thin setae.

Male genitalia. Genital segment ( Figs 7A–C, G ): Ventromedian process triangular elongated, gradually tapering to the apex. Anal segment ( Figs 7A–C ): In dorsal view approx. 1.8 times as long (0.6) as wide (0.3). Genital styles ( Figs 7A–C, G ): as detailed in generic description.Aedeagus ( Figs 7D–F ): Laterally flattened with one large process inserting near base; weakly concave laterally and curved on proximal margin, almost straight on distal margin, and serrated/irregularly dentate on ventral margin (more distally). Aedeagal shaft with two subapical spinose processes, one of which is bifid; the spinose bifid process inserts on the right lateral side, the longer spine extending beyond base of ventral process when at rest, longer spine is twice the size of the shorter spine; bifurcation begins moderately distant from base of the process; a second spinose process moderately short and weakly curved, inserts more ventrally. Flagellum moderately tubular with a “spine-like” process laterally near apex; process moderately large and approx. 2/3 the length of flagellum.

Differential diagnosis. F. michaeli sp. nov. is distinguished from other species of the genus Ferricixius mainly by its troglomorphic morphology with slightly reduced tegmina (still reaching the genital segment) versus epigeomorphic morphology in F. urieli sp. nov. and troglomorphic morphology with greatly reduced tegmina in F. goliathi sp.nov. and F. davidi , and by the ventral serrated process of the aedeagus, which is wide and almost straight distally.

Etymology. The epithet ‘ michaeli ’ refers to the Archangel Michael, who is present in several religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Archangel Michael is considered a defender of the church and of all Christian people, being considered the messenger of God. In Hebrew, Michael means “one who is similar to God”, interpreted as “Who is like God”.

Ecology. Specimens of F. michaeli sp. nov. were collected in ICMAT-0053 cave, a limestone cave located in the municipality of Matozinhos, Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil ( Figs 8A–C ). The cave presents 346 meters of horizontal projection and a single entrance. The two specimens were collected in a small aphotic chamber in the deeper area of the cave. The female was found under a small block of dry clay while the male was observed on the cave roof, just above the spot where the female was collected. The site was apparently dry, with no evidence of recent water activity or the presence of roots. The chamber was quite oligotrophic, with no visible organic resources suh as bat guano or vegetable debris and only few invertebrate specimens were observed in the area ( Pholcidae spiders and crickets in the family Phalangopsidae ). Two other visits were carried out in the cave, the first in September 2017 and the second in March 2019, but both failed in finding additional specimens. This may indicate that the species occurs in cryptic habitats or has an extremely low population density, unlike other troglobitic species of the genus ( F. davidi and F. goliathi sp. nov.), which can always be observed during visits to the caves where they occur.

The type locality of F. michaeli sp. nov. is in a region strongly affected by agricultural and mining activities. Pastures and quarries surround the outcrop in which the cave is located ( Fig. 8A ). These activities can directly affect the water quality and availability as well as the surrounding vegetation, both of which are essential for phytophagous hemipterans. Another concern is the dust generated by the limestone mining, which was observed to accumulate in the surrounding vegetation and in parts of the cave, especially near the entrance. Mining activities have been performed in the region for at least four decades. As the species is strongly dependent on vegetation and moisture, changes arising from such activities can put the species at risk. Thus, actions aiming at recovering the environment surrounding the outcrop are strongly recommended.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Ferricixius michaeli sp. nov.: head (A–C); pedicel with flagellum and arista (C1); tegmen (forewing) (D); hind tibia and tarsomeres (E); hind tarsomeres (F).

FIGURE 7. Ferricixius michaeli sp. nov.: Male genitalia: Genital capsule right lateral (A); genital capsule left lateral (B); genital capsule dorsal (C); aedeagus right lateral (D); aedeagus in dorsal view (E); aedeagus left lateral (F); genital capsule ventral (G).

FIGURE 8. Habitat Ferricixius michaeli sp. nov.: ICMAT-53 cave, Prudente de Moraes municipality- MG (A–C); habitus Ferricixius michaeli sp. nov. (D).

FIGURE 12. Head in lateral view: Ferricixius urieli sp. nov. (A); Ferricixius michaeli sp. nov. (B); Ferricixius goliathi sp. nov. (C); Ferricixius davidi Hoch & Ferreira, 2012 (D) (male).