Yelahanka, Viraktamath & Webb & Yeshwanth, 2021

Viraktamath, C. A., Webb, M. D. & Yeshwanth, H. M., 2021, Leafhopper subfamily Ledrinae of the Indian subcontinent: 1. Description of Yelahanka gen. nov. (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with seven new species and new combinations, Zootaxa 4915 (4), pp. 451-480 : 452-453

Yelahanka gen. nov.

Type species: Petalocephala granulosa Distant , here designated.

Diagnosis. Yelahanka gen. nov. differs from all other genera of Ledrini by the forewing abruptly flexed ventrally laterad of outer claval vein and the claval veins fused for most part with outer claval vein raised, either strongly carinate or keeled. The following combination of characters also separated the genus: head narrower than pronotum; pronotum with divergent lateral margins; hind femoral distal chaetotaxy 2+0; male pygofer process short, rarely attaining dorsal margin; style wide in middle and then narrowed distally with apex bent ventrally; aedeagal shaft cylindrical, dorsal apodeme well developed.

Description. Predominantly green or reddish brown with pale coloured markings, antennal cavities on face and lateral margins of pronotum and often outer claval vein dark brown or pale yellow,

Medium sized (5.0– 8.7 mm long), depressed and punctate leafhoppers. Head including eyes narrower than pronotum. Crown foliaceous, about half (0.4–0.6x) as long as wide between eyes, lateral margins straight for short distance in front of eyes then strongly convergent apically, slightly longer medially than next to eyes, median carina either prominent or effaced anteriorly. Ocelli closer to posterior margin of crown than to anterior, closer to each other than to adjacent eye. Eyes prominent with outer margin slightly projecting beyond lateral margins of crown. Face with antennal cavities shallow with mesal marginal carina; clypellus broad at base, lorum extending dorsad beyond transclypeal suture; labium short, at most reaching posterior margins of midcoxae. Pronotum about 2x as wide as median length, depressed along anterior margin, posterior half flat to convex, anterior margin slightly convex, posterior margin concavely curved in front of exposed mesonotum, surface uniformly punctate, without granules or ridges or crest-like processes. Exposed mesonotum flat, slightly longer than pronotum and with or without elevated crest-like projections. Forewing clavus mesad of outer claval vein flat and abruptly deflexed ventrally laterad, outer claval vein strongly carinate or keeled, inner claval vein approximated to in basal 1/3 and fused with outer claval vein either for entire length or separated near apex (in this case separated part of inner claval vein carinate or keeled), fused part of vein more prominently carinate or keeled; venation of corium raised and prominent with three anteapical cells with inner anteapical cell open behind, with 5–6 short apical cells, 3–4 short cross veins arising from outer apical cell and reaching costal margin in apical half, apical margin of forewing either obliquely rounded or obliquely truncate ( Fig. 8 E ). Fore femora with undifferentiated setae on anterior surface ( Fig. 7 A ). Hind femoral distal chaetotaxy 2+0 ( Fig. 7 C ), hind tibia with convex dorsal and flat ventral surface, setal row AV with series of setae with well defined bases, row PD with 2 ( Fig. 7 B ) to 4 ( Fig. 7 H ) macrosetae with prominent angular bases, hind tibial apical pecten with five cucullate stout setae; plantar surface of hind basitarsus with a few hair-like setae in distal 1/3 and with distal transverse row of 4 platellae (rarely 5) flanked on either side by one stout seta ( Figs 7 E, G ).

Male pygofer longer than height in lateral view, broad anteriorly ad narrowed posteriorly, with conically rounded posterior margin and process arising on ventroposterior margin, distally variously branched or ornamented; with an internal oblique ledge basolaterally, without long setae; anterior margin slightly to strongly angularly excavated in dorsal half. Subgenital plate exceeding pygofer in lateral view slightly broader in middle region, lamellate, either pointed or rounded distally with thin short setae. Style linear, anterior half shorter than posterior half, posterior half basally broad and narrowed distally, bent ventrally near apex and apex either pointed, rounded or truncate. Connective T-shaped, with or without median lobe, stem with dorsomedian prominent keel. Aedeagus articulated with connective, dorsal apodeme well developed, triangular; shaft tubular, not compressed, with subapical or apical processes, either symmetrical or asymmetrical, gonopore apical. Anal segment large, segment X with ventroposterior lobe-like extension

Female sternite VII half as long as wide, narrowed distally, posterior margin with median concavity, surface with short setae. Valvulae I and II shorter than valvulae III. Valvulae I slightly curved in basal half and then straighter, with sculpturing restricted to distal 1/3, extending to dorsal margin. Valvulae II slightly curved from base, without prominent teeth on dorsoapical margin but with ill defined 1–3 broad effaced teeth.

Etymology. The genus is named after the village Yelahanka , now part of Bengaluru city, wherein the type species breeds on the plant, Polyalthia longifolia Sonn. ; gender: feminine.

Remarks. The species of this genus run to Thlasia Germar in Linnavuori’s (1972) key to African genera and to the South African genus Hangklipia Linnavuori in the latest key to genera of the Ledrini by Jones & Deitz (2009). The genus also externally resembles Midoria Kato from China. It, however, differs from these genera in having posteriorly divergent lateral margins of the pronotum, forewing claval veins fused, outer claval vein either carinate or keel-like and aedeagal shaft cylindrical (compressed in Midoria ) and the ventral male pygofer processes placed more dorsally. The nymphs of species of this genus are flat, scale-like and sit closely appressed to the leaf surface ( Fig. 19 A–B) as in species of Petalocephala .

Figures

FIGURES 7 A–H. Species of Yelahanka gen. nov. leg chaetotaxy.A–E, Y. granulosa (Distant):A. Pro femur, anterior view; B, meta femur and tibia, anterior view; C, distal macrosetae on meta femur; D, chaetotaxy of distal part of meta tibia, ventral view; E, chaetotaxy of plantar surface of meta basitarsomere. F–H, Y. punctata (Walker): F, chaetotaxy of distal part of meta tibia, ventral view; G, chaetotaxy of plantar surface of meta basitarsomere; H, chaetotaxy of distal part of meta tibia, ventral view.

FIGURES 8 A–K. Species of Yelahanka gen. nov. females and wings. A–C, sternite VII: A, Y. canaraica sp. nov.; B, Y. kodaiensis sp. nov.; C, Y. punctata (Walker). D–K, Y. granulosa (Distant): D, sternite VII; E, Forewing; F, hind wing; G, pygofer and ovipositor, lateral view; H–I, valvula I; J–K, valvula II.

FIGURES 19 A–E. Nymphs, adults and habitat of Yelahanka granulosa (Distant):A, nymph on maize; B, nymph on Dodonaea viscosa; C–D, adults on Dodonaea viscosa leaf; E, ecological habitat of Y. granulosa and Dodonaea viscosa, near Bengaluru.