Erythrogonia phoenicea (Signoret, 1853)

Carvalho, Rachel A. & Mejdalani, Gabriel, 2014, Remarkable morphological features of taxonomic interest in the female genitalia of five Erythrogonia species (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha: Cicadellidae), Zootaxa 3872 (3), pp. 275-290 : 277-279

Erythrogonia phoenicea (Signoret, 1853)

( Figs 1–16 )

Length: female 8.6–8.7 mm (n = 2), male 8.0– 8.4 mm (n = 2).

Diagnosis. Anterior dorsum ( Fig. 1 ) dark brown to black with large white to ivory macula covering most of pronotum. Forewings ( Fig. 1 ) mostly red with large macula basally on clavus and corium and transverse band extending from claval apex to costal margin, white to bluish-white. Male genitalia with styles long, apical portion turned outwards; aedeagus directed posterodorsally and with pair of apicodorsal spiniform processes directed anteriorly; paraphyses with T-shaped base, rami paired, elongate, with acute apices, each one, in ventral view, with foot-shaped process basally. Female with deep triangular emargination medially on posterior margin of sternite VII ( Fig. 3 ); sternite VIII ( Fig. 2 ) with pair of distinct sclerotized areas; first valvifer ( Figs 5–8 , 10 ) large and with hooklike process; area between first valvifers ( Fig. 7 ) with broad triangular sclerite; first pair of valvulae ( Figs 8 , 10–12 ) with basiventral portion bearing small triangular projection; bases of second valvulae ( Fig. 9 ) with laterally expanded sclerite between rami.

Female genitalia. Sternite VII ( Fig. 3 ) with posterior margin convex or truncate on each side of median, deep triangular emargination, lateral portion slightly emarginated, forming small projection; lateral margins distinctly emarginate medially and serrated posteriorly; ventral surface irregularly striate, without setae, internally with narrow median area connected dorsally to sternite VIII. Sternite VIII ( Fig. 2 ), in dorsal view, with pair of large sclerotized areas above first valvifers and bases of first valvulae; with dorsal region (including the sclerotized areas and membranous parts linking these areas) well developed and connected lateroposteriorly with tergite VIII. Pygofer ( Fig. 4 ) moderately produced posteriorly; posterior margin narrowly rounded, macrosetae on posterior portion and extending anteriorly along ventral margin. First valvifers ( Figs 5–8 , 10 ), in lateral view, large, subquadrangular, anterior margin with hooklike process directed ventrally ( Fig. 8 , HPR); in caudal view, connected medially to each other by broad triangular sclerite ( Fig. 7 , TRS) with ventral margin crenulate. Basal portion of first pair of valvulae ( Figs 5–7 ), in lateral view, enlarged and subrectangular, forming angle with remainder of blade; basiventral portion bearing small triangular projection ( Fig. 6 , TRP); sculptured areas ( Figs 11 and 12 ) mostly scalelike and distributed along almost all dorsal margin and on apical portion of ventral margin (with more linear processes on basal portion of dorsal sculptured area and with more separated scales on ventral sculptured area); ventral margin convex except for small preapical concavity; apex acute; ventral interlocking device ( Fig. 8 , VID) located on basal half of blade, extending along ventral margin for most of its length, distal portion directed dorsally. Second pair of valvulae ( Fig. 13 ) broadened beyond basal curvature, narrowing gradually towards narrowly rounded apex; ventral margin approximately rectilinear; preapical prominence ( Fig. 16 , PPR) inconspicuous; with approximately 30 mostly triangular continuous teeth (basal teeth more rounded; Fig. 14 ), extending from expanded basal portion to apical portion of blade; most teeth ( Fig. 15 ) with steep, smaller ascending portion and gradually declivous, larger descending portion; denticles distributed on teeth and on apical portion ( Figs 14–16 ; except on apex) of blade (dorsal dentate apical portion smaller than ventral one); blade with ducts attaining teeth or terminating below them ( Fig. 15 ) and extending to apex ( Fig. 16 ); with ovoid and medially concave sclerite between bases of rami ( Fig. 9 , SCL). Gonoplacs with basal half distinctly narrow in comparison with apical half, abruptly expanded on median portion; apical half with few setae; apex rounded.

Distribution. Brazil (states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo).

Material examined. Brazil: state of Minas Gerais: one female ( MNRJ); state of Rio de Janeiro: three males and four females ( MNRJ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Erythrogonia phoenicea (Signoret). Female body (1) and genitalia (2 – 9): apex of abdomen in (2) dorsal and (3) ventral views; (4) pygofer, lateral view; base of first valvifers and valvulae in (5) dorsal, (6) anterior, and (7) caudal views; (8) first valvifer and valvula, lateral view; (9) base of second valvulae, anterodorsal view. HPR = hooklike process; RAM = ramus; SCL = sclerite; TRP = triangular projection; TRS = triangular sclerite; VFI = first valvifer; VID = ventral interlocking device; VLI = first valvula. Only clearly visible portions of structures were colored in figures 2 and 3.

FIGURES 10 – 16. Erythrogonia phoenicea (Signoret). Ovipositor first (10 – 12) and second valvulae (13 – 16): (10) valvifer and valvula, lateral view; (11) dorsal and (12) ventral sculptured areas in detail; (13) valvula, lateral view; teeth of (14) basal and (15) median portions in detail; (16) apical portion in detail. DEN = denticle; DSA = dorsal sculptured area; DUC = duct; PPR = preapical prominence; VSA = ventral sculptured area; TOO = tooth.