Nesocerus fasika, Krishnankutty & Dietrich, 2011

Krishnankutty, Sindhu M. & Dietrich, Christopher H., 2011, Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of an endemic leafhopper genus Nesocerus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Idiocerinae) from Madagascar, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 162 (3), pp. 499-543 : 527

NESOCERUS FASIKA SP. NOV. ( FIGS 3Q, R , 8A–G )

Diagnosis: This species may be distinguished by the following unique combination of characters: frontoclypeus with pair of tiny circular ivory spots near ocelli and remainder covered with dark brown mottled markings, pygofer process forked in posterior view; style abruptly curved anterodorsad beyond middle with broad laterally compressed apex; connective with dorsal margin shallowly concave and aedeagal shaft slender, sinuate near apex with laterally directed short apical process.

Description: Length of male, 4.3–4.4 mm.

Coloration: Crown mottled with light brown markings. Antennae with scape and flagellum yellow, pedicel light brown towards base. Frontoclypeus mottled with black or brown markings varying in darkness from crown to base of clypellus, two oval or circular yellow spots below ocelli. Gena with black marking. Clypellus completely black or with central small yellow spot. Pronotum with irregular black marking, lighter in posterior half. Mesonotum with basal black triangle without any border, median irregular pattern not extending beyond scutellar suture. Scutellum with light brown longitudinal lines. Forewing with claval vein white with alternate brown coloration. Legs yellow, fore and hind femur with black stripe near base and apex, hind femur with black stripe along dorsal margin.

Structure: Clypellus with sides concave, apex as wide as base, in profile flat. Rostrum extending beyond mid coxae. Forewing with r-m1 crossvein present. Metatibial setal rows PD, AD, and AV with 13–14, nine, and 11 macrosetae, respectively.

Male genitalia: Pygofer broad with acute posterodorsal process; posterolateral margin with short setae. Subgenital plate in lateral view depressed basally, broadened near apex, with short fine setae restricted to dorsum of apex; in ventral view with lateral margin strongly convex towards base, evenly narrowed toward apex, with submarginal row of macrosetae along apical half. Style in lateral view with broad apodeme; apophysis gradually narrowed along middle, then abruptly curved anterodorsad with broad laterally compressed apex. Connective in dorsal view semicircular, broadly flattened, fused to preatrium of aedeagus. Aedeagus in lateral view with atrium narrow; socle well developed; shaft in lateral view slender, S-shaped, tapered towards apex; apex in posterior view narrow, rounded, with pair of laterally directed short processes; gonopore apical.

Material examined: Holotype male, MADAGASCAR: Province Tulear , Ifaty, near Hotel Paradisia, in coastal dunes, 9 m, 23°10′46″S, 43°37′00″E, 13.x.– 12.xi.2001, M. E. Irwin, F. D. Parker, R. Harin’Hala, malaise trap, vegetation in sandy area, MA-02-16-01 ( CAS) . Paratype: one male, MADAGASCAR: Tulear Province , Beza Mahafaly Reserve, Parcelle I near research station, 165 m, 23°41′19″S, 44°35′27″E, 18.– 25.i.2002, R . Harin’Hala, malaise trap in dry deciduous forest, MA-02-14A-12 ( INHS) .

Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the Malagasy word fasika meaning sandy area, referring to the sandy type locality.

Figures

Figure 3. Nesocerus spp. nov., dorsal habitus and face of holotype male. A, B, Nesocerus trilineatus.; C, D, Nesocerus ranomafanaensis; E, F, Nesocerus angulatus; G, H, Nesocerus orbiculatus; I, J, Nesocerus affinis; K, L, Nesocerus sclerophyllus; M, N, Nesocerus bifurcatus; O, P, Nesocerus littoralis; Q, R, Nesocerus fasika; S, T, Nesocerus tulearensis.

Figure 8. Nesocerus spp. nov. Male pygofer in lateral view (A, H, O), male subgenital plate in ventral (B, I, P) and lateral views (C, J, Q), aedeagus in lateral (D, K, R) and caudal views (E, L, S), style in lateral view (F, M, T), style and connective in dorsal view (G, N, U). A–G, Nesocerus fasika; H–N, Nesocerus tulearensis; O–U, Nesocerus recurvus.