Empoasca margaritae, Southern, Phillip Sterling, 2006

Southern, Phillip Sterling, 2006, Three new species of Empoasca (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae: Empoascini) from northern South America, Zootaxa 1314, pp. 41-51 : 46-48

Empoasca margaritae n. sp.

Body (male): Length: 4.3–5.2 mm; pronotal width: 0.91–1.03 mm; crown length: 0.23–0.30 mm; crown production: 0.10–0.13 mm; crown production ratio: 0.36–0.52; interocular width: 0.46–0.55 mm; face length: 1.03–1.13 mm; interantennal width: 0.40–0.49 mm. Dried specimens yellow­green to gold, with no distinctive markings, scutellum of some with yellow or cream markings. Forewings subhyaline in basal twothirds, hyaline apically; third apical cell stalked (3rd and 4th apical veins fused basally) arising from cell R. Hind wings characteristic for genus. Body (female): Length: 4.5–4.8 mm; pronotal width: 0.94–1.06 mm; crown length: 0.26–0.29 mm; crown production: 0.10–0.13 mm; crown production ratio: 0.36–0.46. Color, markings, and wings as in males.

Pygofer in lateral view ( Fig. 2 a) broadly rounded posteriorly, posterior margin rolled inward; stout macrosetae (15–18) grouped along posterodorsal margin; microsetae (5–6) spread across lower half. Plate in lateral view subparallel­sided, little or no basal dorsolateral expansion; apically weakly curved upward to near apex (not expanded). Agroup setae (3–4) only slightly longer than nearest B­group setae; B­group setae (22–26) uniseriate; C­group setae (16–21) roughly biseriate basally, becoming uniseriate apically; D­group setae (40–46) roughly 3­ranked over most of plate, separate line of 4–5 parallel the anterolateral margin of plate. Style long, extending beyond posterior margin of pygofer; in lateral view ( Fig. 2 c) body relatively straight and parallel­sided, dentifer bowed strongly upward, apex rounded; in ventral view ( Fig. 2 d) body angled towards midline, parallel sided to about basalmost seta, thence narrowed and curved outward to rounded tip; teeth reduced to 2­3 tightly grouped ridges apically; apex of style with clubbed appearance; setae (9–10) in long row along lateral margin of body and dentifer. Pygofer process in lateral view curved upward and extending just beyond pygofer, roughly parallel sided to near apex; in ventral aspect ( Fig. 2 f) bowed medially in midsection, thence curved sharply laterad; tip of process flattened or slightly concave on anterolateral surface. Pygofer process may be curved strongly dorsad or more laterad depending on degree to which ventral margin of pygofer is rolled inward. Anal hook in lateral aspect ( Fig. 2 g) broad and spatulate, in most specimens hook constricted slightly about 2/3 its length, thence expanded slightly, thence tapering rapidly to narrow rounded apex (nipplelike), otherwise subparallel­sided to near tip; in posteroventral aspect ( Fig. 2 i) simple, flattened, tapering near apex to rounded point. Aedeagus in lateral aspect ( Fig. 2 h) with relatively short preatrium, expanded posteriorly at atrium, shaft parallel­sided and narrow through most of length, curved upward near base, thence straight; distinct postatrium continuing to articulation with dorsal aedeagal support; horn or process arising from each side of atrium and extending dorsad of shaft, bowed anterodorsally, tapering to sharp apex. Aedeagus in posteroventral aspect ( Fig. 2 i) with preatrium relatively broad, shaft narrow at base, tapering slightly to near apex, expanded slightly around gonopore. Connective ( Fig. 2 j) roughly trapezoidal in ventral view, length greater than width, apical notch shallow, with strong basal sclerotization but little or no sclerotization along midline. Dorsum of genital capsule ( Fig. 2 k) with horns fused basally; bridge indistinct, not reaching transverse bar.

First sternal complex ( Fig. 2 m) with sclerotized sternal bar bowed ventrad, well sclerotized dorsal apodeme with broad, barrel­shaped medial notch reaching sternal bar. Second sternal apodemes ( Fig. 2 n) reaching abdominal segment 4–4 ½ (length: 0.21–0.29 mm, width: 0.40–0.45 mm), tapered slightly to rounded apices. Tergal apodemes not significantly developed.

Holotype male: COLOMBIA / Cundinamarca// Manjuy 3300m / 31.xii.58 / J.F.G. Clarke// PSS RESEARCH/ 05­305­8// Empoasca / margaritae n. sp. / P.S. Southern 2006 (USNM). Paratypes: 14 males, 30 females COLOMBIA / Cundinamarca// Manjuy 3300m / 31.xii.58 / J.F.G. Clarke (USNM, NCSU).

The specific name, margaritae , is a Latinized feminine noun in the genitive case. Empoasca margaritae is named for my daughter, Margaret Southern.

In the key to Empoasca of eastern Peru ( Southern, 1982), E. margaritae keys well to couplet 27, and, assuming the anal hook is considered broadly rounded, goes reasonably well to couplet 28. Couplet 28 separates E. aciculata Southern from certain members of the E. solana complex (now usually treated as Solanasca Ghauri 1974 ). In couplet 28, this species keys most closely to E. aciculata . E. margaritae differs from E. aciculata in the form of the pygofer process, which is not tapered evenly to an acute apex; in the form of the style, which is clubbed apically; in the shape of the aedeagus; and in the size of the second sternal apodemes, which barely reach the 4th abdominal segment.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Empoasca margaritae n. sp.