Chionomus herkos, 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 : 27-29

Chionomus herkos , new species

( Figures 12 , 18c & f , 27 )

Type Locality. USA, Louisiana, Baton Rouge.

Diagnosis. Body brown to dark brown, white and stramineous markings. Vertex quadrate, longer than wide, foveae concolorous with body. Carinae of frons distinct, noticeably contrasting with foveae, stramineous in color. Antennae yellow. Pronotum white, fuscous markings shadowing eyes, paranota dark, broad white band along margins. Mesonotum dark brown, shining; wings with dark mark at apex of clavus. Armature of diaphragm broad, rounded; apical edge of parameres sinuate. Pygofer with dorsolateral margins distinctly produced, quadrate. Aedeagus tubular, widest in base, flange with row of small teeth distal 2/3 rd of left side, one to two subapical spines on right; segment X with two long processes, sinuate, directed ventrad, following margin of segment X, hooked just dorsal to aedeagus.

Description. Color. Macropter. Body dark, brunneous, shining, with white or ivory markings. Carinae of head (sometimes including genal carinae) distinct, ochraceous to off-white in color, usually with a small amount brown at apex of carinae; median carinae of vertex obsolete. Foveae brown, antennae stramineous. Pronotum white, small amount of dark brown to brown anteriorly; paranota white to ivory, brown mark ventrad of eyes. Mesonotum dark, median and lateral carinae concolorous, inconspicuously lightened in some specimens. Legs yellow, apex of tarsi brown. Forewings hyaline, infuscate along anterior of clavus and nodal line, dark spot just before apex of clavus. Abdomen brown, caudal edge of each segment yellow or white, lateral projections of sternites yellow. Pygofer brown, dorsolateral projections and segment X stramineous in some specimens. Brachypter. Similar, tegmina darkly infuscate, hyaline along clavus, white stripe along apex, darkened spot near apex of clavus. Structure. Body. Length (in mm) macropter 1.65±0.12 (n=7); ♀ macropter 1.96±0.18 (n=6), ♂ brachypter 1.59±0.17 (n=4); ♀ brachypter 1.79±0.16 (n=10); width ♂ 0.64±0.07 (n=13); ♀ 0.71±0.10 (n=11). Head. Vertex length 0.21±0.04 (n=27); vertex width 0.14±0.02 (n=29); frons length 0.48±0.04 (n=23); frons width 0.21±0.02 (n=23). Macropter. Carinae of vertex distinct, stem of Y-shaped carinae obsolete. In lateral view ( Figure 12b, d ), fastigium rounded; projecting in front of the eye about 1/6th eye length. Carinae of frons and clypeus distinct ( Figure 12e ), frons converging apically, subparallel in basal half, widest in basal 1/4th. Antennal segments subequal in length, segment II wider than segment I; 2nd segment sparsely setaceous, bearing sensory pits arranged 3, 3, 2, 2, evenly spaced around segment. Sensory pits surrounded by small black setae. Brachypter. Same as above.

Thorax. Macropter. Carinae of mesonotum weak, median carina ending anterior to scutellum, lateral carinae faint, diverging posteriorly to reach hind margin. Legs with three rows of dark spines on femora (dorsal, ventral anterior face, ventral posterior face), evenly spaced. Calcar bearing 18–24 small teeth (holotype with 20). Brachypter. Same as above but with lateral carinae mesonotum evident, diverging posteriorly; tegmina apically rounded, reaching to apex of 7th abdominal segment.

Abdomen. Macropter. Compressed dorsoventrally, tapering caudad to truncate apex. Brachypter. Same as above.

Genitalia. Pygofer in lateral view ( Figure 12g ) nearly as long dorsally as ventrad, ventral margin sinuate; dorsolateral processes strongly produced caudad, quadrate. In caudal view ( Figure 12f , 27a ), just wider than tall, rounded; margins raised, produced dorsolaterally. Opening to inner chamber triangular, pointed ventrad. Armature of diaphragm broad, rounded, smooth, distinctly projecting caudad. Parameres widest in basal third, basal angle rounded; dorsolaterally diverging, lateral margins concave, dorsal margin sinuate, inner angles weak, acute; outer angles strong, produced dorsad. Aedeagus circular in cross-section, sinuate, widest near base, slightly tapering for most of length, subapical flange on right bearing small teeth, one to two subapical spines on left. Gonopore dorsal, subapical. Segment X quadrate, taller than wide, armed with two processes; processes arising from midsection of segment, thin, directed ventrad, touching caudal face of segment X, hooked around aedeagus. Segment XI produced, about 2/3rds length of segment X.

Plant associations. None reported.

Distribution. USA: FL, LA.

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

Etymology. The specific epithet herkos is the Greek noun, meaning fence or wall. This name was chosen because the dorsolateral processes of the pygofer are reminiscent of a wall. The noun is in the genitive singular.

Remarks. This species is easily distinguished from the rest of Chionomus by the dorsolateral projections of the pygofer. These projections combined with point of origin of the processes on segment X indicate that this species may be allied with C. dissipatus , C. gluciophilus , and C. quadripinosus . All three of these species have slight dorsolateral expansions of the pygofer however none are as prominently produced. Additionally, C. herkos differs from these species in having a rounded armature of the diaphragm as opposed to having it toothed and quadrate ( C. dissipatus , C. gluciophilus ) or U-shaped ( C. quadrispinosus ).

Type Material. Holotype [ USNM]: Macropterous ♂, “ ♂ // USA: LA: E. Baton Rouge Par. / BatonRouge, BluebonnetSwamp / 22-VII-03 CRBartlett, STDash / Beech-Magnolia-Cypress / 30 22.148N 91 06.304W // HO- LOTYPE / Chionomus / herkos / KMWeglarz 2012 [Red Paper]”.

Paratypes: United States: Florida. Highlands Co., Sebring: Highlands Hammock S.P., Cypress Swamp Trail, 22.IX.2007, V. Golia, Sweeping ( VGC, 4 ♂ b, 4 ♀ b); Baton Rouge, La. 7-4-72 ( LSAM, 1 ♂ b); Louisiana. same data as holotype ( UDCC, 8 ♂ m, 2 ♂ b, 5 ♀ m, 7 ♀ b); LA, E. Baton Rouge Par., Baton Rouge, LSU Campus, Life Sciences Building, At lights, 23-May-2003, STDash ( UDCC, 2 ♂ m) .

Figures

FIGURE 12. Habitus of Chionomus herkos n. sp. A. Dorsal view, habitus (holotype); B. lateral view, habitus (holotype); C. frontal habitus; D. pygofer, lateral view; E. pygofer, caudal view.

FIGURE 18. Dorsal and lateral habitus of brachypters of select Chionomus species, A,D. Chionomus havanae, B,E. Chionomus balboae, C,F. Chionomus herkos, G,J. Chionomus pacificus, H,K. Chionomus puellus, I,L. Chionomus quadrispinosus.

FIGURE 27. Line art of Chionomus herkos n. sp. terminalia, A. pygofer, caudal view, B. anal tube and aedeagus, left lateral view, C. left paramere, widest view.