Paraidioscopus Maldonado-Capriles, 1964

Viraktamath, C. A. & H. M. Yeshwanth, 2022, Idiocerine leafhopper genus Paraidioscopus Maldonado-Capriles (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Eurymelinae) in the Indian subcontinent with description of one new species, Zootaxa 5222 (3), pp. 257-266 : 258

Paraidioscopus Maldonado-Capriles

Paraidioscopus Maldonado-Capriles 1964: 98 .

Type species: Idioscopus tagalicus Baker , by original designation.

Diagnosis. Crown and upper part of face dorsad of ocelli transversely striate. Clypeus and clypellus not swollen, clypellus slightly broader distally, lateral margins of genae straight. Ocelli closer to eyes than to median line. Labium reaching metacoxae. Mesonotum longer than median length of pronotum, but shorter than combined median length of pronotum and crown. Forewing with two subapical and four apical cells, outer apical cell largest. Metafemur with distal macrosetae 2+1, metabasitarsomere with 2 platellae ( Fig. 3A ). Male pygofer without ventral process, its height greater than width, anal collar fused to pygofer, produced posteriorly into either simple or bilobed process. Subgenital plate either as long as or shorter than pygofer in lateral view, with marginal setae long and setae on dorsal surface shorter. Style curved, apophysis rather flattish with ventral surface serrate, dorsal surface with row of longer setae sometimes restricted to apical 0.25 length. Connective T or Y-shaped, with median dorsal apodeme in posterior half with median anterior lobe. Aedeagus with well-developed dorsal apodeme, aedeagal shaft slender, in lateral view either slightly sinuate ( P. tagalicus and P. andamanicus ) or not ( P. harrisi and P. unimaculatus ), apex with small hook shaped anterodorsal extension, with one pair of long, slender, lateral, preapical processes extended basad; gonopore preapical. Ovipositor extending much beyond pygofer ( Fig. 2D ). Valvula I sculpturing with series of slightly curved almost vertical strigate ( Figs 2 FJN). Valvula II with effaced teeth ( Figs 2 HLP).

Remarks. Paraidioscopus is very similar to Idioscopus Baker as suggested by Maldonado-Capriles (1964), in general characters: striate crown and upper part of face, mesonotum longer than pronotum, forewings with 2 subapical cells, Metafemur distal macrosetae 2+1, male anal collar fused to pygofer and produced into a process, subgenital plate with marginal long setae, style with serrated ventral surface and dorsal marginal setae etc. Genus Idioscopus differs from Paraidioscopus in the following characters: male pygofer always with ventral process (absent in Paraidioscopus ), aedeagal shaft fairly stout and usually two (rarely one) pairs of processes (shaft narrow with one pair of processes in Paraidoscopus), ovipositor extending slightly beyond pygofer (much beyond pygofer in Paraidioscopus ). Two species for which the host plants are known, breed on plants of the family Anacardiaceae as in the case of most Idioscopus . Most species of Idioscopus utilize the species of the plant genus Mangifera L. for breeding and the species of Paraidioscopus use the species of plant genus Semecarpus L. f.

Figures

FIGURES 2A–P. Species of Paraidioscopus from Indian subcontinent, female sternite VII (ABC), female genital capsule, lateral view (D), valvulae I (EF, IJ, MN) and valvulae II (GH, KL, OP). A & D–H, P. andamanicus sp. nov.; B, I–L, P. harrisi Viraktamath; C, M–P. P. unimaculatus (Melichar).

FIGURES 3A–E. Paraidioscopus andamanicus sp. nov. A, apex of metabasitarsomere; B, male genital capsule, lateral view; C, connective, dorsal view; D, style, lateral view; E, aedeagus, lateral view.