Nesocerus tulearensis, 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 : 527-528

NESOCERUS TULEARENSIS SP. NOV.

( FIGS 3S, T , 8H–N , 16E, F )

Diagnosis: This species may be distinguished by the following combination of characters: pygofer with both dorsal and ventral process; subgenital plate with truncate apex and multiseriate submarginal macrosetae; style abruptly curved anterodorsad with broadly flattened, medially divided apex with single subapical tooth; connective with dorsal margin shallowly concave and aedeagal shaft slender with long, ventrally directed terminal processes. This species is similar to N. nigrum in the subgenital plate and shape of connective, style apex, and aedeagus, but can be distinguished by the presence of an elongate dorsal pygofer process and by the presence of light brown markings on the vertex and frontoclypeus.

Description: Length of male, 3.7–3.8 mm.

Coloration: Crown with irregular dull yellow markings. Antennae without any markings. Frontoclypeus with median irregular stripe sometimes with mottled dull yellow markings. Gena with dull yellow marking. Clypellus completely black or with central small yellow spot. Pronotum with irregular black marking, lighter in posterior half. Mesonotum usually with light orange with black border, median light brown diverging lines. Scutellum with a pair of light brown longitudinal lines. Forewing with claval vein white with alternate brown coloration. Legs yellow, without any markings along dorsal margin of femora.

Structure: Clypellus with sides concave, apex as wide as base, in profile flat. Rostrum extending beyond mid coxae. Forewing with r-m1 crossvein present or absent. Metatibial setal rows PD, AD,

and AV with 14–15, nine, and nine macrosetae, respectively.

Male genitalia: Pygofer broad with branched posterodorsal process; posterolateral margin with short setae. Subgenital plate in lateral view not depressed basally, uniformly wide throughout its length, with short fine setae restricted to dorsum of apex; in ventral view lateral margin broadly convex towards base, narrowed preapically with broadly rounded 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, apex broadly flattened, medially divided, with subapical tooth. Connective in dorsal view semicircular, flattened, with median inward curvature along anterior margin, fused to preatrium of aedeagus. Aedeagus in lateral view with atrium narrow; socle well developed; shaft in lateral view slender, uniformly wide throughout its length, strongly curved anterodorsad; apex in posterior view with pair of long ventrad processes extending almost half of the length of shaft; gonopore subapical, below apical processes on posterior surface of shaft.

Female genitalia: Second valvulae in lateral aspect thin, gradually narrowed to apex; apical third of dorsal margin with widely spaced, irregularly arranged teeth; ducts conspicuous.

Material examined: Holotype male, MADAGASCAR: Tulear Province , Beza Mahafaly Reserve, Parcelle I near research station, 165 m, 23°41′19″S, 44°35′27″E, 18.–25.iii.2002, R. Harin’Hala, malaise trap in dry deciduous forest, MA-02-14A-12 ( CAS) . Paratypes: one female, same data as holotype ( CAS) ; one male, two females, same data as holotype except 22.– 29.iii.2002, MA-02-14A-21 ( CAS, INHS) ; three males, same data as holotype, MA-02-14A-05 ( CAS, INHS) .

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the type locality, Tulear Province.

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.

Figure 16. Nesocerus spp. Second valvulae of female. left - lateral view, right - detail of sculpturing. A–B, Nesocerus trilineatus; C–D, Nesocerus sclerophyllus; E–F, Nesocerus tulearensis; G–H, Nesocerus dentatus; I–J, Nesocerus quinquespinosus; K–L, Nesocerus uniprocessus.