Pythamus bispinosus, Viraktamath & Webb, 2007

Viraktamath, C. A. & Webb, M. D., 2007, Review of the leafhopper genus Pythamus Melichar (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Evacanthinae) in the Indian subcontinent, Zootaxa 1546 (1), pp. 51-61 : 56-57

Pythamus bispinosus sp. nov.

Figs 11, 14 , 17–22 , 40 .

Dussana quaerenda Distant : Datta 1972: 107–108 (in part), Plate 5E, misidentification; Datta 1988: 52, Fig. 95 (in part), misidentification.

Black. A large spot on median lamellate carina on vertex continued as narrow band along posterior part of carina, creamy white; lateral margin of apex of scutellum narrowly brown; forewing with elongate triangle on costal margin a short distance from humeral angle, hyaline to yellow and obscure spot on apex of clavus, fuscous; apical margin of forewing narrowly whitish. Legs, labium and antennae white or yellow; abdominal pleura yellow; most of sterna in female, basal two sterna in male and genital segments brown.

Pronotum with a pair of converging rugae on either side of median line at basal 0.25, rest transversely rugose and punctate. Head and scutellum as in P.biramosus .

Male genitalia: Process of ventro-cephalic angle of tenth segment short. Pygophore with rounded caudal margin, with a few setae on caudo-dorsal angle, ventral process bisinuate, distal 0.33 with prominent wavy ridge making margin of process serrate. Aedeagal shaft compressed, constricted at base then broadened before gradually narrowing to rounded apex in lateral view, with a pair of dorsally directed long slender basal processes not exceeding apex of shaft, but longer than maximum width of shaft.

Female genitalia: Hind margin of seventh sternum twice as wide as long with median convex lobe.

Measurements: Male 5.9–6.1 mm long, 1.1 mm wide across eyes and 1.3 mm wide across hind margin of pronotum. Female 6.5–6.9 mm long, 1.2–1.3 mm wide across eyes and 1.4–1.5 mm wide across hind margin of pronotum.

Material examined: Holotype ♂, INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Coonoor , 11.viii.1979, S. Viraktamath ( UAS) . Paratypes: INDIA: Tamil Nadu: 6 ♂, 2 ♀, data as for holotype , 1 ♂, data as for holotype but collected by I. Dworakowska ; 1 ♀, Wellington, 12.viii.1979, S. Viraktamath; 1 ♂, Valparai, 13.iv.1981, A.R.V. Kumar; 1 ♂, Cinchona, 15.iv.1981, AR.V.Kumar; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Cinchona, Anamalai Hills, 3500 ft, P.S. Nathan. Kerala: 3 ♂, 3 ♀, 12 Km N Munnar , C. A. Viraktamath (1 ♂, 1 ♀), B. Mallik (1 ♂, 1 ♀), S. Viraktamath (1 ♂) ; 1 ♂, Meppadi, 19.x.1975, C.A. Viraktamath; 1 ♂, Mananthoddy, 16.x.1975, C.A. Viraktamath ( BMNH, NPC, IRSNB, UASB, USNM, ZSI) . Other material: 1 nymph, INDIA: Kerala: Mananthoddy , 16.x.1975, C.A.Viraktamath ( UASB) .

Remarks: This species, which is widespread in peninsular India along the Western Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, can be distinguished by the long basal processes of the aedeagal shaft. Both P.montanus and P. bispinosus are closely related to each other compared to P. biramosus . The female seventh sternum illustrated by Datta (1972, Plate 5 E) belongs to this species as it has a fairly large median lobe on the hind margin of the female seventh sternite.

Figures

FIGURES 10–16. Species of Pythamus. heads (10–12) and forewings (13–16). 10, 13. Pythamus biramosus sp. nov.; 11, 14. P. bispinosus sp. nov.; 12, 15. P. montanus sp. nov.; 16. P. dealbatus Melichar.

FIGURES 17–22. Pythamus bispinosus sp. nov. 17. Head and thorax, profile; 18. Male subgenital plate; 19. Male pygophore, lateral view; 20. Connective and style, dorsal view; 21. Aedeagus, lateral view; 22. Same, caudal view.

FIGURES 33–42. Pythamus species. 33–39. Female P. biramosus sp. nov.: 33. Seventh sternite; 34. First gonapophysis; 35, 36, 37. Magnified view of first gonapophysis at a, b and c on fig. 34; 38, 39. Second gonapophysis. 40. Female seventh sternite of P. bispinosus; 41. Female seventh sternite of P. montanus; 42. Left fore femur of male P. montanus, anterior view.