Rubiparvus Xu, Dietrich & Qin

Xu, Ye, Wang, Yu-Ru, Lu, Si-Han, Dietrich, Christopher H. & Qin, Dao-Zheng, 2016, Rubiparvus bistigma, a new genus and species of Empoascini (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae), with a checklist of the Alebroides group in Chinese fauna, Zootaxa 4109 (5), pp. 583-589 : 584

Rubiparvus Xu, Dietrich & Qin , gen. nov.

Type species: Rubiparvus bistigma Xu, Dietrich & Qin , sp. nov. here designated.

Description. Small, fragile empoascines marked with red and brown pigment. Head including eyes slightly narrower than maximum width of pronotum ( Figs 1, 3 ). Vertex in dorsal view shorter than width between eyes, anterior margin slightly produced medially ( Figs 1–4 ), profile of transition to face rounded ( Fig. 2 ). Coronal suture distinct, not reaching anterior margin ( Figs 1, 3 ). Face broad, convex in profile, lateral frontal suture extended to ocelli but not continuing to midline ( Fig. 4 ). Ocelli on margin about equidistant between eye and midline ( Figs 3, 4 ). Pronotum large, more than twice as long as crown ( Figs 1, 3 ). Forewing narrow, rounded apically, apical cells occupying almost one-third of the total length, veins RP and MP’ confluent pre-apically for short distance, both arise from r cell and MP”+CuA’ from m cell; third apical cell broadened at base, slightly narrowed apically ( Fig. 9 ). Hindwing with CuA branched, point of branching distad of coalescence of CuA with MP” ( Fig. 10 ). Front femur with dorsoapical pair of macrosetae, AM1 enlarged and situated on ventral margin, intercalary row with 1 large basal seta and 6 smaller setae more distad. Hind femur macrosetae 2+1, row AV with 13 macrosetae near apex.

Male basal abdominal sternal apodemes well developed, parallel sided or slightly tapered ( Figs 7, 8 ). Male pygofer elongate, with several rigid microsetae along posterior margin, ventral appendage absent ( Figs 5 , 11–13 ), dorsal bridge long ( Figs 6 , 12 ). Sternite IX well developed ( Figs 5 , 11, 19 ). Subgenital plate robust, relatively short and broad, base articulated to sternite IX, without basolateral extension, apex extended slightly beyond pygofer side, A-group setae absent, D-group setae undifferentiated, B-group setae scattered in two to three rows in apical half, C-group reduced to single preapical macroseta ( Figs 5, 6 , 11, 17, 19 ). Paramere short and robust, apodeme as long as apophysis, apophysis broadened near base and strongly narrowed apicad, preapical setae and sensory pits distinct, apex without teeth ( Figs 5 , 11, 17, 18 ). Connective fused with the base of aedeagus ( Figs 15, 16 ). Aedeagal shaft tubular, preatrium and dorsal apodeme developed, apex with pair of processes ( Figs 5 , 15, 16 ). Anal tube appendage long and thin ( Figs 5 , 11, 14 ).

Etymology. The generic name, a masculine noun, is a combination of Latin “ rubidum ” meaning reddish, and “ parvus ”, referring to the small body.

Notes. The new genus superficially resembles Ishiharella in external coloration (especially the median apical spot on the head), in lacking a ventral pygofer appendage and in having the setae of group C on the subgenital plate reduced in number but differs in having the crown distinctly produced medially, vein CuA of the hind wing branched, the subgenital plates free (not fused), and the connective fused to the aedeagus. Rubiparvus differs from all other known genera of Empoascini in having only a single macroseta on each subgenital plate. Several genera of Typhlocybini also have a single macroseta on the subgenital plate but at the base rather than near the apex. The new genus is also unusual among Empoascini in having the male paramere with a broad preapical lobe; nearly all other Empoascini have the apophysis of the paramere slender throughout and lacking a preapical lobe. The relatively short, broad paramere of Rubiparvus resembles that found in some Dikraneurini . Dietrich (2013) and Qin et al. (2014) discussed characters separating Empoascini from other tribes of Typhlocybinae . Although the relatively broad paramere and reduced subgenital plate macrosetae of Rubiparvus are unusual among Empoascini and resemble features found in other typhlocybine tribes, placement of the new genus in Empoascini is strongly supported by the forewing venation and the presence of a well-developed anal tube process in the male.

The fusion of the aedeagus with the connective is not known in other members of the Alebroides generic group, to which Rubiparvus belongs based on its hind wing venation, but occurs in several genera of the Empoasca -generic group (characterized by the unbranched vein CuA in the hind wing), including Baguoidea Mahmood , Dayus Mahmood , Homa Distant , Goifa Dworakowska, T r eufalka Qin & Zhang, Usharia Dworakowska and Ifugoa Dworakowska & Pawar (Qin et al., 2014) . Most of these genera differ from Rubiparvus not only in hind wing venation but also in having the apodemes of male abdominal sternite II strongly reduced but the apodemes of tergite III enlarged and strongly divergent.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Rubiparvus bistigma Xu, Dietrich & Qin, sp. nov. 1. male adult, dorsal view; 2. same, left lateral view; 3. head and thorax, dorsal view; 4. face; 5. male genitalia, left lateral view; 6. same, dorsal view; 7. abdominal apodemes; 8. same, variant; 9. forewing; 10. hind wing. Scale bars = 0.2 mm (Figs 1 – 8); 1 mm (Figs 9, 10).

FIGURES 11 – 19. Rubiparvus bistigma Xu, Dietrich & Qin, sp. nov. 11. male genitalia, left lateral view; 12. pygofer side, left lateral view; 13. pygofer side, dorsal view; 14. anal tube appendage, left lateral view; 15. aedeagus, left lateral view; 16. same, dorsal view; 17. valve, subgenital plate, and paramere, ventral view; 18. paramere; 19. valve and subgenital plate, left lateral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm (Figs 11 – 14, 17, 19); 0.05 mm (Figs 15, 16, 18).