Chionomus bellicosus ( Muir & Giffard, 1924 ) Weglarz & Bartlett, 2020

Weglarz, Kathryn M. & Bartlett, Charles R, 2020, A revision of the planthopper genus Chionomus Fennah (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae), Zootaxa 4811 (1), pp. 1-63 : 16-18

Chionomus bellicosus ( Muir & Giffard, 1924) , new combination

( Figures 6 , 22 )

Delphacodes bellicosa Muir & Giffard, 1924: 34 .

Type Locality. USA, California, Tulare County, Three Rivers .

Diagnosis. Body brown to light brown, with ivory to cream markings. Vertex quadrate; foveae of frons and vertex dark, posterior compartments of vertex light with fuscous markings. Carinae distinct, off-white in color; antennae light brown. Pronotum light, white to cream in color, infuscate directly behind eyes, paranota white. Mesonotum brown, lateral and median carinae cream; wing with faint fuscate mark at apex of clavus. Armature of diaphragm bifurcate, hooked at apex; parameres sinuate, outer angles enlarged. Aedeagus tubular, directed dorsoposteriorly, large flange with teeth on apical ½ of left side, 2 subapical teeth on right.

Description. Color. Macropter. Body brown to light brown, matte, with cream or ivory markings. Carinae of head (including genal carinae) distinct, ochraceous to off-white in color; median carinae of vertex evident. Foveae of frons and vertex brown, posterior compartments of vertex light brown.Antennae cream to stramineous. Pronotum white to cream, fuscate markings directly posterior to eyes. Mesonotum dark brown to brown, median and lateral carinae light brown to cream. Legs stramineous to brown, with fuscous markings on anterior face of femora; apex of tarsi brown. Forewings hyaline, faint fuscous spot just before apex of clavus. Abdomen brown. Brachypter. Similar to above, tegmina infuscate, white stripe along apex, darkened spot near apex of clavus. Structure. Body. Length (in mm) [All specimens previously dissected]; width ♂ macropter 0.82±0.09 (n=3); ♂ brachypter 0.75 (n=1). Head. Vertex length 0.19±0.02 (n=4); vertex width 0.19±0.01 (n=4); frons length 0.47±0.02 (n=4); frons width 0.26±0.02 (n=4). Macropter. Carinae of vertex distinct, stem of Y-shaped carina faint but evident. In lateral view ( Figure 6c, d ), fastigium rounded; projecting in front of the eye about 1/6th eye length. Carinae of frons and clypeus distinct ( Figure 6f ), frons bowed, widest just below compound eyes. Antennal segments subequal in length, segment II wider; 2nd segment sparsely setaceous, bearing sensory pits arranged 3, 4, 4, 2–1, evenly spaced around segment. Sensory pits surrounded by small setae. Brachypter. Same as above.

Thorax. Macropter. Carinae of mesonotum evident, median carina ending at scutellum, lateral carinae faint, diverging posteriorly to reach hind margin. Legs with 2 rows of small setae on ventral margin of femora, mostly bare. Calcar bearing 17– 23 small teeth (holotype with 17). Brachypter. Same as above; tegmina apically rounded.

Abdomen. Brachypter. Compressed dorsoventrally, tapering caudad.

Genitalia. Pygofer in caudal view ( Figures 6i , 22a ), about as tall as wide, rounded; margins rounded. Opening to inner chamber triangular, pointed ventrad. Armature of diaphragm bifurcate, hooked apically, distinctly projecting caudad. Parameres, widest in basal half, basal angle strong, projecting, quadrate; dorsolaterally diverging to quadrate apices, lateral margins concave, inner angles weak, pointed; outer angles produced to rounded apices. Aedeagus circular in cross-section, slightly curved ventrad, directed dorsoposteriorly, widest near base, slightly tapering for most of length. Aedeagus bearing toothed flange on left distal half, to subapical teeth on right. Segment X quadrate; processes distinct, projected posteriorly. Segment XI produced, about 2/3rds length of segment X.

Plant associations. Paspalum distichum L. (knotgrass, Poaceae ) ( Wilson 1985).

Distribution. USA: CA.

GenBank accession number. Material for molecular work was unavailable at the time of this study.

Remarks. This species is uncommon in collections. It is closely allied with C. pacificus but can be distinguished by the shape of the aedeagus and the hook of the bifurcate armature of the diaphragm being only apical. This bifurcate armature is also mirrored in C. puellus but the processes are not hooked; additionally, the ventral edge of the parameres is distinctly S-shaped in C. puellus while they are nearly straight in C. bellicosus .

Type material examined. Holotype [ BPBM]: Brachypterous ♂, “ Delphacodes / bellicosa / ♂ M.G. [Handwrit- ten, white card with hole punch containing genitalia embedded in balsam] // Three Rivers / Cal. Clortson // Holotype [Red paper, vertically oriented, affixed to following label] // Delphacodes / bellicosa / M.G. / ♂ [Handwritten, label with black border] // 1074 [Handwritten]”

Figures

FIGURE 6. Habitus of Chionomus bellicosus (holotype; A, C, E-I; holotype terminalia in balsam); A. dorsal view, habitus brachypterous holotype; B. dorsal view, habitus macropter; C. lateral view, habitus brachypterous holotype; D. lateral view, habitus macropter; E. labels of holotype; F. front habitus of holotype; G. aedeagus and anal tube of holotype, left lateral view; H. parameres of holotype, caudal view; I. pygofer of holotype, caudal view, J. lateral view of male terminalia, left lateral view.

FIGURE 22. Line art of Chionomus bellicosus, terminalia, A. pygofer, caudal view, B. anal tube, left lateral view, C. aedeagus, left lateral view; D. left paramere, widest view.