Timbaltransversa, Sanborn, 2021

Sanborn, Allen F., 2021, The cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea: Cicadidae) of Madagascar including a new tribe, five new genera, twelve new species, four new species synonymies, five revised species status, ten new combinations, new tribal assignments for four genera, one new subtribe synonymy, a checklist and key to the species, Zootaxa 4937 (1), pp. 1-79 : 43-44

Timbaltransversa n. gen.

Type species.— Timbaltransversa pronotosigillata n. gen., n. sp. (3 km 41° NE Andranomay, 11.5 km 147° SSE Anjozorobe , 18° 28’ 24” S, 47° 57’ 36” E, elev 1300m, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar)

Species included.— Timbaltransversa pronotosigillata n. gen., n. sp.

Etymology.—The name is a combination of Timbal – for the male timbal organ and – transversa (L. transversus, crosswise, transverse) in reference to the transversely oriented timbal organs of the male. The genus is feminine.

Description

Small sized cicada (body length about 12.00– 12.55 mm, wingspan about 38–39 mm). Head wider as mesonotum, head and postclypeus smoothly rounded anteriorly, eyes elliptical, about as wide as lateral pronotum, not as wide as pronotal collar lateral angle, anterolateral vertex about as wide as supra-antennal plates, vertex at area of ocelli about as long as frons, lateral ocelli closer to each other than to eyes, higher than median ocellus in frontal view, lateral vertex not as wide as eye, supra-antennal plate meeting postclypeus at oblique anterior angle, dorsal postclypeus shorter than dorsal vertex, wider than long, postclypeus convex ventrally, centrally sulcate, rostrum reaching posterior trochanters. Pronotum shorter than mesonotum, dorsal pronotal collar width less than diameter of eye, lateral part of pronotal collar adpressed to lateral pronotum, lateral angles of pronotal collar dilated with smoothly curved apex. Mesonotum not covering dorsal metanotum, metanotum extends laterally beyond wing groove, cruciform elevation smoothly arched posteriorly, central dome wider than long. Fore femora with four spines, tarsi three-segmented, meracanthus elongated, triangular, curved mediad, not reaching anteromedial opercular margin. Male operculum completely encapsulating meracanthus, lateral, medial and posterior margins straight connected by rounded margins forming an approximate isosceles triangle with apex oriented posterolaterally, not covering tympanal cavity medially, reaching to anterior of abdominal sternite II, medial margins well separated. Fore wings and hind wing hyaline with eight and six apical cells respectively, fore wings 2.61–2.84X longer than broad, pterostigma present. Fore wing basal cell about three and a half times as long as broad, costal margin slightly wider at node than at base, fore wing cubitus anterior slightly arched, medial cell narrower proximally but wider distally than cubital cell, medial cell angled to ulnar cell 3, median and cubitus anterior veins arising separately from basal cell, radial and radiomedial crossveins perpendicular to apical cell veins, medial and mediocubital crossveins straight, mediocubital crossvein intersects cubitus anterior 1 so that distal portion is longest. Hind wing with infuscation in distal anal cells 2 and 3, base of median and radius posterior veins fused, width of distal cubital cell 1 much greater than width of distal cubital cell 2, anal cell 2 narrowed distally, anal cell 3 about one third length of anal cell 2, anal vein 3 curving to distal terminus. Abdomen length about as long as distance from anterior postclypeus to posterior cruciform elevation, male abdominal tergite 2 with timbal transversely oriented with the posterior timbal reaching the lateral cruciform elevation, abdominal tergite 3 longer than tergites 2 and 4–7, lateral margins narrowing posteriorly to genitalia beginning at tergite 5. Timbal cover absent, completely exposing timbal, timbal extending slightly below wing base, tympana not concealed completely by opercula. Male sternite VIII V-shaped when viewed from posterior with acutely angled posterior margin. Pygofer distal shoulder undeveloped, dorsal beak narrowly triangular longer than anal styles, pygofer upper lobe well-developed, pygofer basal lobe well-developed, short but broad, extending medially from lateral pygofer margin, uncus absent, claspers well-developed supporting aedeagus, male aedeagus tubular expanding distally with distal spine-like appendages.

Measurements (mm).—Length of body: 12.00–12.55; length of fore wing: 16.85–18.35; width of fore wing: 6.45; length of head: 2.50–2.55; width of head including eyes: 4.40–4.55; width of pronotum including suprahumeral plates: 4.80–4.90; width of mesonotum: 4.20–4.30.

Diagnosis.— Timbaltransversa n. gen. can be distinguished from other Madagascar Parnisiini by the nearly transverse orientation of the timbal, and the large upper pygofer lobes bent mediad. In addition, both Rhinopsaltra and Jafuna can be distinguished by the anteriorly extended postclypeus. Crassisternalna also has a dorsal abdominal carina but has a bulbous abdominal sternite I, inflated curving opercula, the lateral pronotal margins are angled anteromediad, and the timbals are angled posteromediad rather than transversely.

Distribution.—The only known species of the genus is endemic to Madagascar.