Pseudophacopteron magnum, 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 : 38-39

Pseudophacopteron magnum sp. nov.

( Figs. 57–58 , 213–214)

Description. Adult (known only from female, Fig. 57 ). Colour. Vertex brown, median ridge and posterior margin next to lateral ocelli lighter ochreous. Genae, frons and clypeus dark brown. Pronotum dark brown with midline and lateral tubercles ochreous. Mesopraescutum dark brown, midline narrowly and posterior margin ochreous. Mesoscutum with four broad dark brown longitudinal bands, midline and lateral corners ochreous. Mesoscutellum light ochreous. Lateral sclerites of thorax dark brown with yellow markings. Legs ochreous; metacoxa with dark brown markings; fore and mid femora with dark brown markings near apex and base; metafemur with an oblique dark brown streak subapically, tarsi dark brown. Fore wing membrane clear, transparent, with narrow, intensively dark brown infuscations along both sides of vein Cu 1b, around M+Cu 1 fork and touching point of veins Rs and M 1+2, less intensively infuscated brown also along veins Cu 1 and Cu 1a ( Fig. 57 ). Veins orange brown, except for C+Sc, a spot in middle of R+M+Cu 1, base and two spots on anal vein which are all dark brown. Hind wing membrane clear, transparent. Abdominal tergites uniformly dark brown. Sternites dark brown, ventrally lighter brown. Female terminalia ochreous to brown, apical extensions of proctiger and subgenital plate dark brown to black.

Morphology. Head and thorax with well distinct white pubescence. Head similar to P. zimmermanni , but more transverse; in frontal view, about 2.4 times wider than high ( Fig. 58 ). Antenna not examined (segments 3–10 missing in the holotype). Fore wing pyriform, apex more or less broadly rounded; surface spinulation indistinct. Mesotibia with subapical comb on outer margin consisting of seven densely arranged stout setae. Hind legs relatively long and slender; metatibia with 15 densely packed apical spurs and about 15 similar spurs laterally, arranged in two or three irregular rows and becoming less stout towards tibia base; metabasitarsus distinctly longer than broad. Female proctiger and subgenital plate with long apical extensions and covered with long setae; dorsal margin of proctiger slightly concave; circumanal pore ring consisting of two rows of pores, pores of outer row contiguous; subgenital plate, in lateral view, acute (Fig. 213); in ventral view, with apical extension narrowly rounded (Fig. 214). Dorsal and ventral valvulae with numerous distinct lateral teeth (Fig. 213). Measurements and ratios in Tabs. 2–4.

Male and larva unknown.

Host plant and biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Tanzania.

Material examined. Holotype, ♀, TANZANIA: Mbeya Mountain , 7000 ft, 8°48’S, 33°25’E, 5 August 1959, trees and herbage on grass slopes (Cambridge E. African Expedition). Dry-mounted, abdomen and one hind leg preserved in glycerol in a PE microvial pinned under the specimen [ BMNH].

Etymology. From the Latin adjective magnus = large, great, important, referring to its large size.

Comments. P. magnum can easily be separated from other Afrotropical species owing to its large size, distinct pubescence on the head and thorax, characteristic fore wing pattern and shape of the female terminalia. It is similar in size to the Oriental Phacopteron lentiginosum Buckton, 1894 , but otherwise it shows similarities with the Pseudophacopteron zimmermanni -group in the head (median ridge on vertex, reduced median epicranial suture, genae with tubercle below torulus small and acute) and hind legs (metatibia bearing lateral spurs similar to those at apex).

Figures

FIGURES 49–58. Pseudophacopteron spp. 49–55, fore wings; 56–57, habitus, lateral view; 58, head, frontal view. 49, P. stigmatum, male; 50, P.stigmatum, female; 51, P.kala; 52, P. nothospondiadis; 53, P. geminum; 54, 56, P. hankae; 55, P. bicolor; 57–58, P. magnum.