Stirellus neospeciosus, Duan, Yani, Webb, M. D. & Zhang, Yalin, 2016

Duan, Yani, Webb, M. D. & Zhang, Yalin, 2016, Review of the leafhopper tribe Stenometopiini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from China with description of four new species, Zootaxa 4171 (1), pp. 101-138 : 121-123

Stirellus neospeciosus sp. nov.

( Figs. 17–19 )

Length. Male: 3.8–4.0mm; female: 4.1–4.4mm.

Color. General color ochraceous ( Fig. 17 ). Vertex with two orange-red longitudinal bands ( Fig. 17 A–C). Face ochraceous ( Fig. 17 E). Pronotum, mesonotum and scutellum with 3 orange-red bands ( Fig. 17 A–C). Forewing usually with brown hue ( Fig. 17 A–D).

Body. Head narrower than pronotum, anterior acutely angled. Vertex longer than width between eyes ( Fig. 17 A–C). Ocellus next to eye on anterior margin ( Fig. 17 D). Eye relatively large ( Fig. 17 A–C). Anteclypeus parallel-sided, extending slightly beyond normal curve of genae ( Fig. 17 E). Pronotum median length slightly nearly as long as median length of crown. Mesonotum and scutellum shorter than pronotum ( Fig. 17 A–C). Forewing macropterous, usually exposing apex of abdomen in female ( Fig. 17 A–D).

Male. Pygofer side with few macrosetae dorsally, apex truncate ( Fig. 18 A). Subgenital plate concave laterally, macrosetae nearly uniseriate laterally ( Fig. 18 C). Style apophysis digitate, slender, laterally curved ( Fig. 18 D–E). Connective stem shorter than arms ( Fig. 18 F). Aedeagal shaft in lateral view variable, usually relatively straight, diverging from basal apodeme ( Figs. 18 G–H, 19).

Female. Hind margin of seventh sternum slightly concave in the middle ( Fig. 17 F).

Material examined. Holotype: China, Yunnan Prov., Ruili , 1200m, 2 July 2007, coll. Wei Cong . Paratypes: China, Yunnan Prov.: 2Ƌ, Jinghong City , 30 May 1991, coll. Liu Guanchun & Cai Wanzhi ( BMNH) ; Guangdong Prov.: 1♀, Guangzhou City, Conghua , 28 April 2006, coll. Lu Jianwen & Feng Yongjun ( GDEI) ; Guangxi Prov.: 4♀, Fangchenggang City, Tongzhong , 3 December 2001, coll. He Zhiqiang ; Hainan Prov.: 1♀, Mt. Jianfeng , 25 May 1983, coll. Zhang Yalin ; 2Ƌ, 1♀, Yacheng , 9 June 1983, coll. Zhang Yalin ( NWAFU, BMNH); 1Ƌ , 1♀, Mt. Bawang , 27 June 1983, coll. Zhang Yalin .

Remarks. This species is similar in appearance to S. rufolineatus (Melichar) and S. speciosus ( Distant, 1918: 75, Fig. 42; Pruthi, 1934: 91, plate VII, Figs. 6 & 6 a, text-fig. 109), all having orange-red longitudinal bands on the vertex and pronotum. However, the identity of the former female type is uncertain as the structure of the male genitalia is needed to identify species in this genus and the latter has a longer head and differently shaped male genitalia (specimens examined, BMNH). The aedeagus of this species shows considerable variation in the specimens examined see Fig. 19 .

Etymology. This species is named for its similarity to S. speciosus (Distant) .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Stirellus capitatus. A, C: male pygofer and segment X – XI, lateral and dorsal view, respectively; B: male pygofer side, lateral view; D: valve and subgenital plate, ventral view; E – F: style, dorsal view; G: connective, dorsal view; H: aedeagus, dorsal view; I: connective and aedeagus, lateral view; J: aedeagus, lateral view.

FIGURE 17. Stirellus neospeciosus sp. nov. A: male; B – F: female. A – C: habitus, dorsal view; D: habitus, lateral view; E: face; F: the end of female abdomen, ventral view.

FIGURE 18. Stirellus neospeciosus sp. nov. A: male pygofer side, lateral view; B: male pygofer and segment X – XI, dorsal view; C: valve, subgenital plates and styles, ventral view; D – E: style, dorsal view; F: connective, dorsal view; G: aedeagus, dorsal view; H: connective and aedeagus, lateral view.

FIGURE 19. Stirellus neospeciosus sp. nov. A – D: aedeagus, lateral view.