Oniella albula (Cai et Shen)

Min, Gao & Zhang, Yalin, 2013, Review of the leafhopper genus Oniella Matsumura (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), with description of a new species from China, Zootaxa 3693 (1) : -

3. Oniella albula (Cai et Shen) , n. comb.

(Figs. 3, 8, 13, 18, 62–67)

Sophonia albula Cai et Shen, 1999: 46 .

Description. Crown white with brown diamond-shaped spot at apex; pronotum white and semitransparent, anterior margin white, other parts indistinctly brown; scutellum pale yellow, basal triangles on scutum brown; face yellowish white, frontoclypeal area broad, anteclypeus somewhat pentagonal, lorum narrow; forewing sordid white without distinct dark markings preapically, margin of apical angle brown (Figs. 3, 8, 13, 18).

Pygofer caudally broadly rounded, with 8–11 dorso-apical macrosetae, ventral appendage well developed ( Fig. 62 ). Subgenital plate long, tapering apicad, with row of 3–4 macrosetae as single row, numerous fine setae sparsely distributed over surface laterad of macrosetae ( Fig. 63 ). Style narrowing apicad ( Fig. 67 ). Connective Y-shaped, arms short, 1/3 as long as stem ( Fig. 66 ). Aedeagus broad and short, aedeagal shaft curved dorsad, with a pair of long, slender curved appendages arising from ventral part of expanded atrium and slightly surpassing shaft apex ( Figs. 64–65 ).

Measurements. Male body length 5.1 & 5.3mm, female body length 5.8 & 5.9mm (including wing).

Material examined. 13, China: Shaanxi Prov., Nanzheng, Yuanba, 22-July-2004, light trap, coll: Lv Lin; 13, China: Shaanxi Prov., Zhuque, 22-July-2007, coll: Dai Wu; 13, China: Sichuan Prov., Emeishan, Linggongli, 14- July-2011, light trap, coll: Dong Aiping; 63,4Ƥ, China: Shanxi Prov., Lishan, Dahecun, 18-July-2012, light trap, coll: Yang Liyuan.

Distribution. China (Sichuan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan).

Remarks. Among the species of Oniella this species is the palest, with the forewing lacking dark patches; this may be the reason Cai & Shen (1998) placed it in the genus Sophonia . However, this species has a long and narrow subgenital plate and the frontoclypeal area broad. These features are not present in the genus Sophonia . Therefore, this species is transferred to Oniella .

Figures

FIGURES 62 – 67. Oniella albula (Cai & Shen), n. comb.: 62, male pygofer, lateral view; 63, subgenital plate, lateral view; 64, aedeagus, posteroventral view; 65, aedeagus, lateral view; 66, connective dorsal view; 67, style, dorsal view.