Amblysellus raygozai, Pinedo-Escatel & Becerra-Chiron & Torres-Moreno & Pérez-Valencia, 2020

Pinedo-Escatel, J. A., Becerra-Chiron, I. M., Torres-Moreno, R. & Pérez-Valencia, L. I., 2020, A new species of the grass-feeding leafhopper genus Amblysellus Sleesman (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from western Mexico, with a checklist and key to species, Zootaxa 4853 (2), pp. 292-300 : 294-298

Amblysellus raygozai sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–3 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BB5EE45A-A8FF-4C39-B052-172970D14860

Description. Overall coloration stramineous to olivaceous in sub-macropterous male and female ( Fig. 1 A–B, E–F) to dark-brown in macropterous female ( Fig. 1 C–D). Head wider than protonum; crown stramineous with two pairs of small black sports on anterior margin, inner pair next to midline and lateral near ocelli; longer than width between eyes; eye wider than distance between eyes; anterior margin forming acute angle in dorsal view. Face, yellowish with brown marks; frontoclypeus with many transverse arcuate dark-brown stripes, stripes wider on top than basally, midline with interrupted yellowish vertical band, broad basally; anteclypeus yellowish laterally, brownish centrally; gena yellowish, in some females brownish distally ( Fig. 1 G–I). Pronotum stramineous, wider than long; scutellum, flat in lateral view, short, fully yellowish in submacropterous individuals ( Fig. 1 A–B); forewing in males reaching posterior margin of tergite V or VII in repose, in females usually tergite VII and VII uncovered; venter and abdomen black preapically; genital capsule light stramineous with black or pale macrosetae ( Fig. 1 E–F).

Macropterous female with face darker, anteclypeus with a apical half black, gena with black band below eyes, pronotum with four longitudinal brownish lines, mesonotum with basolateral triangles black, venter and abdomen brown ( Fig. 1 C–D).

Male genitalia. Apodemes inconspicuous in dorsal view. Pygofer 2.3x longer than tall, conical, well–sclerotized dorsally; long and short macrosetae well distributed along more than 1/3 of lateral pygofer surface; basolaterad cleft longer than half pygofer length, posterior margin with small fine setae ( Fig. 2 A ). Anal tube in lateral view, same length as width, not elongate, thin and membranous. Valve in ventral view with posterior margin slightly notched medially, not produced posteromesad, 2.4x wider than long; anterior margin strongly rounded and projected anterad. Subgenital plate in ventral view, shorter than pygofer, triangular, slightly longer than wide, lateral margin convex; apex more or less angulate, forming less than 90º angle, strong stout uniseriate macrosetae arranged basally on lateral margin, fine setae intercalated between macrosetae row ( Fig. 2 B ). Style bilobed basad; medial lobe slightly produced dorsad, not elongate; preapical lobe absent; apophysis sinuate, short, surface smooth; apex curved mesad, blunt or pointed dorsad in lateral view ( Fig. 2 C ). Connective in ventral view 1.2x longer than aedaegus. Aedeagus in lateral view, evenly curved dorsad, shaft uniformly slender, lateroventral flanges near middle shaft ( Fig. 2 D ); in ventral view, flanges narrowing toward apex ( Fig. 2 E ), gonoduct poorly developed, gonopore preapically on ventral surface, as wide as shaft ( Fig. 2 F ).

Female genitalia. Pygofer in lateral view, 2.1x longer than tall, long stout macrosetae scattered over surface near posterior and caudal margin. Ovipositor not protruding beyond pygofer apex. First valvula ( Fig. 3 A ), ramus not strongly convex; dorsal sculpturing pattern imbricate ( Fig. 3B ), reaching dorsal margin and not restricted to apex ( Fig. 3 C ), sculpturing restricted to apical portion. Second valvula ( Fig. 3 D ), broadened apically, membranous and unpigmented medially; without dorsal tooth; dorsal teeth on apical portion, small, serrated and regularly shaped, ( Fig. 3 E ); ducts wide and not reaching dorsal margin. Third valvula ( Fig. 3 F ), without apical setae. Sternite VII ( Fig. 3 G ) in ventral view, wider than long; trilobed; ventral surface conspicuously punctate.

Nymphs. Overall coloration pale with two distinct minute black spots on anterior margin of crown.

Measurements. Body, length sub-brachypterous ♂ 2.58–3.00 mm, ♀ 3.24–3.35 mm, macropterous ♀ 3.37– 3.48 mm; width 0.96–1.08 mm. Head, width 0.87–0.97 mm; midlength 0.35–0.39 mm; eye width 0.39–0.46 mm; eye length 0.17–0.20 mm; corona mid width before eyes 0.484 –0.486 mm; corona posterior width between eyes 0.31–0.35 mm; distance between ocelli 0.40–0.42 mm; frontoclypeus width 0.39–0.42 mm; frontoclypeus length 0.57–0.66 mm; anteclypeus width 0.16–0.18 mm; anteclypeus length 0.21–0.23 mm; lorum width 0.09–0.10 mm; lorum length 0.21–0.23 mm; gena width 0.17–0.21 mm; gena length 0.32–0.36 mm. Pronotum, width 0.75–0.84 mm; length 0.33–0.35 mm. Scutellum, width 0.37–0.52 mm; length 0.18–0.24 mm. Forewing, length 1.43–2.26 mm. Male capsule, pygofer tall 0.48–0.51 mm; pygofer length 0.94–0.96 mm; valve width 0.37–0.39 mm; valve length 0.82–0.83 mm; valve width 0.37–0.39 mm; valve length 0.81–0.83 mm; subgenital plate width 0.35–0.37 mm; subgenital plate length 0.40–0.41 mm; style length 0.75–0.77 mm. Female capsule, pygofer tall 0.65–0.68 mm; pygofer length 1.59–1.68 mm.

Material type. Holotype ♂ ( INHS)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’49”N 103°30’48”W, 1,662 m, 31 Enero 2014, Pinedo-Escatel Col .; Paratypes, Total 18♂ and 17♀; 4♂, 5♀ ( INHS)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’N, 103°30’W; 1,662 m, 31 Enero 2014, Pinedo-Escatel Col.; 1♂, 1♀ ( USNM)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan , Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’N, 103°30’W; 1,662 m, 11 Junio 2014, Pinedo-Escatel Col.; 4♂, 2♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan , Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’N, 103°30’W; 1,662 m, 11 Junio 2014, Pinedo-Escatel Col.; 3♂, 3♀ ( CNIN)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan , Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’N, 103°30’W; 1,662 m, 19 Diciembre 2013, Pinedo-Escatel Col.; 3♂, 3♀ ( CEAM)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan , Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’N, 103°30’W; 1,662 m, 19 Diciembre 2013, Pinedo-Escatel Col.; 2♂, 3♀ ( CZUG)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan , Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’N, 103°30’W; 1,662 m, 19 Diciembre 2013, Pinedo-Escatel Col ; 1♂, 3♀ ( OSUC)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan , Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’N, 103°30’W; 1,662 m, 19 Diciembre 2013, Pinedo-Escatel Col .

Other material examined. Total 56♂ and 82♀; 1♂, 1♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas, CUCBA, 20°44’ 43.532”N 103°30’59.19”W, 1,662 m, 20 Noviembre 2013, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 1♂ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’ 43.532”N 103°30’59.19”W, 1,662 m, 19 Diciembre 2013, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 1♂, 1♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’ 43.532”N 103°30’59.19”W, 1,662 m, 03 Marzo 2014, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 1♂, 1♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’ 43.532”N 103°30’59.19”W, 1,662 m, 18 Marzo 2014, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 1♂ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’ 43.532”N 103°30’59.19”W, 1,662 m, 26 Mayo 2014, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 3♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’ 43.532”N 103°30’59.19”W, 1,662 m, 11 Junio 2014, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 2♂, 2♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA \ 20°44’ 43.532”N 103°30’59.19”W, 1,662 m, 10 Septiembre 2014 \ Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 1♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’ 43.532”N 103°30’59.19”W, 1,662 m, 09 Octubre 2014, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 3♂, 5♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20° 44ʹ34.52″ N 103° 30ʹ41.44″ W, 1,666 m, 20 Nov 2013, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 10♂, 15♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20° 44ʹ34.52″ N 103° 30ʹ41.44″ W, 1,666 m, 04 Dic 2013, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 12♂, 18♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’ 34.52”N 103°30’41.48”W, 1,666 m, 19 Diciembre 2013, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 5♂, 6♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’ 34.52”N 103°30’41.48”W, 1,666 m, 02 Enero 2014, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 1♂, 3♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’ 34.52”N 103°30’41.48”W, 1,666 m, 15 Febrero 2014, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 1♂, 1♀ (CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’ 34.52”N 103°30’41.48”W, 1,666 m, 01 Abril 2014, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 2♂, 6♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’ 34.52”N 103°30’41.48”W, 1,666 m, 09 Julio 2014, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 1♂, 8♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA \ 20°44’ 34.52”N 103°30’41.48”W, 1,666 m, 09 Agosto 2014 \ Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 1♂ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Cd Guzmán, Campos experimentales Driscoll´s , 19°40’54.18”N 103°31’29.32”W, 1,628 m, 18 Septiembre 2015, Pinedo-Escatel, J.A. Col .; 7♂, 11♀ ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’39.2”N 103°30’56.5”W; 1,662 m, Mayo 2014, Torres-Moreno Col .;

Juvenile material examined. 1 nymph ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas , CUCBA, 20°44’49”N 103°30’48”W, 1,662 m, Mayo 2014, Becerra-Chiron I.M. Col.; 1 nymph ( CAJAPE)— MEXICO: Jalisco, Zapopan, Las Agujas, CUCBA, 20°44’49”N 103°30’48”W, 1,662 m, Abril 2015, Becerra-Chiron I.M. Col .

Phenology. Specimens collected throughout dry (October-March) and wet season (June-September) in Mexico, highest abundance was reported in December ( Moya-Raygoza & Becerra-Chiron 2014; Pinedo-Escatel & Moya-Raygoza 2015, 2018).

Biological notes. Not reported as vector of any plant pathogen (treated as Amblysellus sp. in Torres-Moreno et al. 2015, vouchers examined).

Natural enemies. Parasitized by dryinids, Gonatopus spp. ( Becerra-Chiron et al. 2017, considered as Amblysellus sp., vouchers examined).

Etymology. This is species is named in honor of Prof. Dr. Gustavo Moya Raygoza, University of Guadalajara.

Distribution. Mexico, restricted to Las Agujas and Cd. Guzmán, both localities from Jalisco state ( Fig. 4 ).

Host reported. Cynodon dactylon , C. plechtostachyus , Brachiaria plantaguinea , B. brizantha, Eulesine indica, Chloris gayana , Digitaria ciliaris , Melinis mutiflora, Eragrotis curvula, Panicum maximun , and Rhynchelytrum repens ( Moya-Raygoza & Becerra-Chiron 2014; Pinedo-Escatel & Moya-Raygoza 2015, 2018).

Remarks. The new species, A. raygozai , is similar in dorsal appearance to A. necopinus , but it can be recognized easily by the more angulate anterior head margin, presence of small (not large) spots on the crown, and the evenly curved aedeagus with blunt apex.

Notes. Many specimens of A. raygozai were observed feeding and mating on the same host-plants of the related species, A. necopinus .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of Amblysellus raygozai sp. nov.; A—sub-brachypterous male, dorsal view; B—sub-brachypterous female, dorsal view; C—macropterous female, dorsal view; D—macropterous female, lateral view; E—sub-brachypterous female, lateral view; F—sub-brachypterous male, lateral view; G—sub-brachypterous male, anterior view; H—sub-brachypterous female, anterior view; I—macropterous female, anterior view.

FIGURE 2. Male genitalia of Amblysellus raygozai sp. nov.; A—pygofer, lateral view; B—valve and plates, ventral view; C—style, ventral view; D—aedeagus and connective, lateral view; E—aedeagus and connective, ventral view; F—apex of aedeagus, caudal view.

FIGURE 3. Female genitalia of Amblysellus raygozai sp. nov.; A—first valvula, lateral view; B—dorsal and apical sculpturing of first valvula, lateral view; C—medial dorsal sculpturing of first valvula, lateral view; D—second valvula, lateral view; E—dorsal and apical sculpturing of second valvula, lateral view; F—third valvula, caudal view; G—female seventh sternite, ventral view.

FIGURE 4. Distributional map of the genus Amblysellus in Mexico.