Pseudophacopteron serrifer, Malenovský & Burckhardt, 2009

Malenovský, Igor & Burckhardt, Daniel, 2009, A review of the Afrotropical jumping plant-lice of the Phacopteronidae (Hemiptera: Psylloidea), Zootaxa 2086 (1), pp. 1-74 : 42-44

Pseudophacopteron serrifer sp. nov.

(Figs. 15–16, 19–20, 62, 64, 166–168, 171, 222–223, 229)

Description. Adult. Colour (ethanol preserved specimens). Body ochreous with more or less distinct brown to dark brown markings ( Fig. 64 ). Vertex ochreous with pale midline bordered by two brown lines and narrowly dark brown above antennae; median epicranial suture black in anterior (frontal) part. Genae ochreous with transverse dark brown streak medially; frons ochreous. Pronotum ochreous with pale midline and brown markings on its sides, laterally dark brown, lateral tubercles pale ochreous. Mesopraescutum ochreous with pale midline, anteriorly bordered with two brown triangular patches. Mesoscutum ochreous with pale midline and three or four brown lines on either side. Mesoscutellum and metascutum ochreous with two dark brown lines on either side of midline. Lateral sclerites of thorax brown with pale ochreous patches. Antenna offwhite, segments 1–2 brown basally, segments 3–8 dark brown to black in apical halves and segments 9–10 entirely dark brown to black. Legs almost entirely ochreous, metacoxa with brown markings, femora with brown streak subapically, tarsi infuscated. Fore wing membrane clear, transparent, lacking dark patches ( Fig. 62 ). Veins off-white with contrasting brown to black spots or streaks (sometimes coalescent) on apices of veins R 1, Rs, M 1+2, M 3+4, Cu 1a and Cu 1b, forks of veins R+M+Cu 1, R, M+Cu 1, M and Cu 1, touching point of Rs and M 1+2, two spots medially on M 1+2, M 3+4, Cu 1a and anal vein and one spot medially on R+M+Cu 1 and apical portion of Rs. Hind wing clear, transparent, veins C+Sc and A light brown. Abdominal tergites ochreous, narrowly dark brown posteriorly. Sternites ochreous with brown margins. Male terminalia ochreous, dorsal margin of subgenital plate and paramere apex brown. Female terminalia ochreous, proctiger and subgenital plate narrowly dark brown basally, their apical extensions brown.

Morphology. Head, in frontal view, about 2.5 times wider than high. Vertex almost regularly rounded down in front, nearly flat dorsally, only slightly convex on both sides of weakly raised midline; triangular tubercles present laterally adjacent to eyes; lateral ocelli lying on tubercles above the plane of vertex (Figs. 15–16). Median epicranial suture distinct in basal and apical thirds. Genae below toruli swollen and slightly produced anterio-laterally, blunt apically (Figs. 15–16). Antenna long and slender, segments distinctly widening to apex (Fig. 171); two rhinaria (one very large, encompassing almost entire segment and bordered with wreath of cuticular spines; the other, adjacent and situated more basally, smaller and lacking cuticular spines) subapically on each of segments 4–6 ( Fig. 19 ), one large rhinarium subapically on each of segments 7–9, spanning nearly around whole segment ( Fig. 20 ); terminal setae subequal, about 1.3 times longer than segments 9 and 10 together ( Fig. 229 ). Fore wing membrane smooth, surface spinulation indistinct. Mesotibia with subapical comb on outer margin small and consisting of four densely arranged fine setae. Hind legs long and slender; metatibia with 16–18 tightly packed slender unsclerotised apical spurs; metabasitarsus long, cylindrical, apically bearing two lateral sclerotised spurs. Male subgenital plate, in lateral view, with dorsal margin nearly straight (Fig. 166). Male proctiger relatively short, in lateral view, broad basally, narrowing to apex. Paramere large, longer than proctiger, lamellar; in lateral view, almost parallel sided, apex truncate with a sclerotised tooth situated anteriorly; inner side with short fine setae (Fig. 167). Distal segment of aedeagus long and slender, slightly bent, apical dilation narrow (Fig. 168). Female proctiger and subgenital plate with long, slender and sharply pointed apical extensions; proctiger with dorsal margin strongly convex posterior to circumanal pore ring, apical extension turned upwards; subgenital plate with apical extension roughly serrate, bearing cuticular teeth ( Fig. 222 ); in ventral view, as in Fig. 223 . Lateral valvulae bilobed apically; dorsal and ventral valvulae lacking distinct teeth ( Fig. 222 ). Measurements and ratios in Tabs. 2–4.

Larva unknown.

Host plant. The type series was collected on Dacryodes edulis (Burseraceae) , a possible host plant.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Cameroon.

Material examined. Holotype, ♂, CAMEROON: Centre Province , Nkolhisson, 30 July 2006, Dacryodes edulis (J. L. Tamesse & W. Yana) . Dry-mounted [ NHMB] . Paratypes: CAMEROON: 2 ♂, 3 ♀, same data as holotype ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Centre Province , Minkoameyos, 30 December 2006, Dacryodes edulis (J. L. Tamesse & W. Yana) . Dry- and slide-mounted [ MMBC, NHMB] .

Etymology. The noun serrifer (used in apposition) is derived from the Latin serra = saw and fere = to bear, referring to the serrate apex of the female subgenital plate.

Comments. P. serrifer is probably closely related to P. tamessei with sharing similar head morphology, fore wing pattern, structure and distribution of antennal rhinaria. The male (paramere with anterior apical tooth, long slender distal segment of aedeagus) and female terminalia (long and sharp apical extensions of proctiger and subgenital plate, the latter bearing cuticular teeth) are also similar. Both species were collected in Cameroon on the same plant species. See also under P. tamessei .

Figures

FIGURES 59–66. Pseudophacopteron spp. 59–63, fore wings (arrow: costal break); 64, habitus, lateral view; 65–66, head, dorsal view (arrow: lateral tubercle on vertex). 59, 65, P. caffrariense; 60, 66, P. hollisi; 61, P. cuniculus; 62, 64, P. serrifer; 63, P.tamessei.

FIGURES 17–22. Pseudophacopteron spp., rhinaria. 17, antennal segments 6–8; 18–19, apex of antennal segment 5 (arrow: additional subapical rhinarium); 20, apex of antennal segment 7; 21–22, antennal segment 3. 17–18, P. zimmermanni; 19–20, P. serrifer; 21–22, P. cuniculus.

FIGURES 216–229. Pseudophacopteron spp. 216–217, 219, 221–222, female terminalia, lateral view, with details of circumanal pore ring structure, dorsal and ventral valvulae, and subgenital plate apex; 218, 220, 223–224, female subgenital plate, ventral view; 225, antennal segment 4; 226–229, antennal segments 9 and 10. 216, 225–226, P. caffrariense; 217–218, P.cuniculus; 219–220, 227, P. hollisi; 221, 224, 228, P. tamessei; 222–223, 229, P. serrifer (217–218 reproduced from Malenovský et al. 2007 with permission of Taylor and Francis, London).