Tennentsia evansi, Lambkin, Kevin J., 2015

Lambkin, Kevin J., 2015, Revision of the Dysmorphoptilidae with emarginate tegmina (Hemiptera: Auchenorryncha: Cicadomorpha: Prosboloidea) of the Queensland Triassic, Zootaxa 3936 (3), pp. 357-374 : 371-372

Tennentsia evansi sp. nov.

( Figs 22 , 26–28 )

Material. Holotype left tegmen QM F57827 +, Gayndah, collected by K.J. Lambkin. Ten paratype tegmina, all Gayndah: KLC: QM F57828 +, QM F57829 – F57835 , QM F57836 +, QM F57837 +.

Description. Tegmen approximately 16.1–19.6 mm long (holotype approximately 19.6), 6.3–8.3 mm wide (holotype 8.3), length/width approximately 2.4–2.5; emarginations deeper and much more acute than in T. princeps ; apical lobe more truncate, wider than long, occupying about 0.3 of total wing length, apical margin slightly concave; tegmen surface with 3 protuberances, at about ¼ length along each of M and RP, and proximally on the clavus ( Fig. 28 ); R with 0–3 costal veinlets; RA1 shorter than in T. princeps , continuing to the margin in line with the stem of RA; terminal branches of M apparently more widely spaced than those of T. princeps ( Fig. 27 , see also Riek 1976, fig. 15); CuA1 strongly convex; punctation of clavus very coarse, the very fine, dense punctation limited to the apical lobe only ( Fig. 28 ); coloration as shown in Fig. 26 , of note are the transverse fascia at about ⅓ length, and the darker colour on the apical lobe marking the area of finer, denser punctation.

Notes. The lighter area in the centre of the apical lobe in Fig. 26 is broken rock, although the veins remain preserved. This suggests a weaker vitreous zone of the membrane in this area possibly creating, with the darker surrounds, a disruptive colour pattern (Dmitry Shcherbakov, pers. com.). Tennentsia evansi is remarkably similar to the type species, T. protuberans , from the Late Triassic Molteno Formation of South Africa, even down to the slight concavity in the apical margin and the distribution of the coarse and fine punctation. It can, however, be distinguished, as far as the existing specimens allow, by the presence of 3 rather than 4 branches of RA2 (see Riek 1976, fig. 15). This is the second instance of a remarkable (possibly synonymic?) resemblance between species from the Middle Triassic Gayndah Formation and those of the Molteno Formation. Similar to T. evansi , the mecopteran Mesoses gayndah Lambkin can scarcely be distinguished from its Molteno Formation congener, M. magna Riek ( Lambkin 2014b). Tennentsia evansi is named in honour of one of the most distinguished Australian entomologists, John Evans (1906–1990). I will always remain grateful for John’s mentoring and encouragement of my interest in fossil insects, especially the Hemiptera from Mount Crosby and Gayndah.

Figures

FIGURE 28. Tennentsia evansi sp. nov., QM F 57828 (mirrored), protuberances arrowed.

FIGURES 20 – 22. Strigil in basal costal space: 20, Dysmorphoptiloides elongata Evans, ACC I. 104 (mirrored); 21, Tennentsia princeps sp. nov., holotype QM F 57824; 22, Tennentsia evansi sp nov., holotype QM F 57827.

FIGURES 26 – 27. Tennentsia evansi sp. nov.: 26, holotype QM F 57827 (mirrored); 27, composite of holotype and QM F 57830; pr, protuberance.