Tenucephalus parana, Zahniser, 2021

Zahniser, James N., 2021, Revision of the New World leafhopper tribe Faltalini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) and the evolution of brachyptery, Zootaxa 4954 (1), pp. 1-160 : 121-122

Tenucephalus parana n. sp.

( Figs. 77 , 85 )

Diagnosis. T. parana can be distinguished from other species of the genus by a combination of the typical color pattern, male pygofer process thick and turned downward from dorsal margin of pygofer toward ventral margin and not reaching pygofer apex, style median arm not produced and apophysis without fine setae, basal processes of connective-aedeagus reaching well beyond midlength of aedeagus and curved medially and slightly flared at apex, and aedeagus extremely long and thin.

Body. Male, 4.8 mm. Female, 5.0 mm to wing apex.

Color. With the typical color pattern.

Male. Pygofer length slightly more than 2x height at midlength; ventral margin incised near base; apex rounded ventrally to squared dorsoapical corner; with pair of dorsal processes thick at base, bases reaching deep into pygofer, falcate, curving ventrad and nearly reaching ventral margin; with numerous short to medium-length fine setae dorsad of membranous cleft and several continuing near ventral margin toward apex; with ~25 long macrosetae on posterodorsal 1/4; in dorsal view, incised past midlength. Valve width less than 2x median length; anterior margin broadly produced medially. Subgenital plates long, triangular; with single row of ~10 macrosetae near lateral margin; with many long fine setae laterally; apex acute. Style median arm not produced; preapical lobe distinct, more or less quadrate; apophysis robust, base thick distinctly bent near base, apical shaft relatively straight and somewhat tapering in width. Connective-aedeagus with symmetrical pair of processes fused near aedeagal base, processes thin, reaching well beyond midlength of aedeagus, curving medially, and slightly flared at apex; at base of aedeagus, a large globular sclerotized structure sits over bases of basal processes. Aedeagus extremely long and thin; curved throughout its length; from base of shaft, directed obliquely to the left side. Phragma lightly sclerotized, with many fine setae throughout; wrapping around globular sclerotized structure at base of aedeagus. Segment X membranous.

Female. Segment VII large; width distinctly less than 2x median length; posteriorly with lateral lobes, median 1/3 strongly produced with small apical cleft. Sternite VIII partly sclerotized; with irregular folds extending anteriorly, slightly exceeding anterior margin of stVII.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: 1♂, ARGENTINA: Misiones , Loreto, 18-XII-1931, A.A. Ogloblin [ USNM] . PARATYPES: 1♂, same data except 10-XII-1931 . 1♀, same data except 6-XII-1931. [ USNM]

Etymology. The name is a noun, and the species is named after the Paraná River which is near the type local- ity.

Distribution. T. parana is known only from the type locality in Misiones, Argentina.

Remarks. This species is apparently closely related to T. nielsoni based on the similar long and thin aedeagus and other aspects of the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGUIRE 77. Tenucephalus parana n. sp. (A–B, D–H, J) standard views; A & B, female; G & H, aedeagus broken. (Q) male genital capsule including internal genitalia, aedeagus intact. aed = aedeagus.

FIGUIRE 85. Distribution of Tenucephalus spp. in eastern South America.