Pyropsalta patula, Moulds & Marshall, 2022

Moulds, Max & Marshall, David C., 2022, New genera and new species of Western Australian cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae), Zootaxa 5174 (5), pp. 451-507 : 498-499

Pyropsalta patula sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F155D7BA-92A8-4FC8-9FC6-13D7F5FFC86D

( Figs 12 , 54, 55 )

Etymology. From the Latin adjective patulus meaning broad, wide open, and referring to the greatly enlarged timbal cavity of this species.

Types. Holotype male, Nannup, Western Australia, 13.i.1991, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ( WAME 113478 ) ( WAM) .

Paratypes as follows: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 2 males, 1 female, same data as holotype ( AMS). 3 males, Donnelly R., Vasse Hwy , NNW of Pemberton, 12.xii.1985, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 2 males, 1 female, same data as holotype (DE). 3 males, Donnelly R., Vasse Hwy , NNW of Pemberton, 12.xii.1985, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 2 males, 1 female, same data as holotype ( LP). 76 males, Donnelly R., Vasse Hwy , NNW of Pemberton, 12.xii.1985, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 12 males, 2 females, Chapman Pool , Blackwood River, 12.i.1991, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 58 males (one genitalia prep. PHY 15 ), 14 females, same data as holotype ; 3 males, 25 km SW of Nannup, 13.i.1991, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 10 males, Nannup, 23.xi, 12.x.1984, S. Lamond ; 4 males, 1 female, Karridale, 12.i.1991, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 9 males, Balingup, 13.xii.1985, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ( MSM). 3 males, Donnelly R., Vasse Hwy , NNW of Pemberton, 12.xii.1985, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 2 males, 1 female, same data as holotype ( PH). 3 males, Donnelly R., Vasse Hwy , NNW of Pemberton, 12.xii.1985, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ( WAME 113479-1134781 ) ; 2 males, 1 female, same data as holotype ( WAME 113482-113484 ) ( WAM).

Distribution and habitat ( Fig. 54 ). The far southwest corner of Western Australia where all records are from within 65 km of Nannup (type locality). It is at times a common species around Nannup, at the Donnelly River north-west of Pemberton, and at Chapman Pool on the Blackwood River. There are records from late November to mid January. Adults are usually found in grass.

Adult description. Male ( Figs 12a , 55 ). Head black, with supra-antennal plates partly or entirely yellowish and usually a spot of similar colour near posterior margin adjacent to eye and a partly yellowish midline. Postclypeus black with yellowish margin ventrally, a patch of similar colour on most anterior part and often also dorsally. Anteclypeus black, often with a small yellowish patch on anterior midline. Rostrum dark brown becoming black distally; reaching bases of hind coxae. Thorax with pronotum a mixture of brown and black suffusion; midline and anterior margin partly yellowish; pronotal collar yellowish brown tending black except for yellowish lateral margins. Mesonotum yellowish with bold black submedian and lateral sigilla; a large black patch encompassing anterior arms of cruciform elevation and extending along midline to submedian sigilla; midline of cruciform elevation also black; wing grooves tending blackish. Metanotum yellowish with black midline and tending black at lateral extremities. Forewings hyaline; without infuscations; venation brown tending black distally; basal cell hyaline; basal membrane blackish. Hindwings with venation brown becoming black distally, without infuscations; plaga light brown with a dark brown steak in jugum. Legs yellow with longitudinal black markings of variable extent but mostly absent on hind tibiae. Opercula pale yellow; unusually large, broad, almost meeting, extending distally a little beyond a large tympanal cavity. Abdomen with tergites a mixture of black and yellowish brown; tergite 1 dark brown with hints of yellowish brown, becoming black around perimeter of timbal cavity; tergite 2 with a narrow black perimeter, a black auditory capsule, and a black anterior pointed projection dorsally; tergite 3 yellowish brown with a black dorsal midline and black anterior lateral extremity; tergites 4–7 black with dark brown centre laterally; tergite 8 yellowish with black lateral extremity. Sternites I and II black; sternites III and IV orange except for a broad black patch on posterior midline of IV; sternites V–VII black; sternite VIII black on anterior half, yellow on distal half. Timbal cavity exceptionally large so that its length comprises about one-third of the abdominal length; its posterior margin sharply angled and weakly ridged. Timbals with three long ribs spanning the timbal membrane and joined dorsally, the most anterior one considerably widened on its lower half, a 4th rudimentary long rib on dorsal quarter, the anterior third of the timbal membrane devoid of ribs except for a 5th very thin rib tight against the most anterior part of timbal membrane; a large subtriangular sclerotised plate on lower timbal membrane that may be the fused basal portions of ribs 4 and 5.

Male genitalia ( Figs 55a–b ). Pygofer yellow with a large black patch dominating lateral surface and a black posterior margin that sometimes extends across much of dorsal surface. Claspers in lateral view broadly rounded distally, in ventral view very slightly turned outwards with apex minutely toothed on inner margin. Aedeagus with pseudoparameres in dorsal view wide apart and barely diverging throughout their length, in lateral view directed upwards compared to thecal shaft with proximal half or so diverging from ventral support.

Female ( Fig. 12b ). Different to male in colour and markings. Head light brown with a green tinge; black around lateral ocelli extending anteriorly towards supra-antennal plates; black around median ocellus extending to postclypeus. Postclypeus light brown with a black band either side from anterior of dorsal surface but fading before anteclypeus. Anteclypeus light brown with a small black spot on midline. Rostrum light brown becoming black distally. Thorax with pronotum dull green with brown tinges; black along furrows and either side of a green midline; pronotal collar dull green, sometimes with a little black mainly on lateral angles. Mesonotum dull green with black submedian and lateral sigilla, the latter often with green infiltrating their inner margins; scutal depressions black, and sometimes a black edging against anterior arms of green cruciform elevation. Metanotum dull green tending partly black laterally. Wings and legs as in male. Opercula as in male except for much smaller size. Abdomen with tergites brown with green tinges; tergites 1 and 2 largely without black markings; tergites 3–7 with black anterior margins widest around dorsal midline and adjacent to epipleurites. Sternites orange with an irregular black midline, variable in extent between individuals and sometimes ill-defined.

Abdominal segment 9 in dorsal view a little longer than wide; dull green tending brown dorsally; with a subdorsal black fascia on basal two thirds that is widest at its base but otherwise slender, and usually an irregular black anterior margin and a black spot laterally near apex; in some individuals the black much reduced or partially absent except for the sublateral fasciae. Ovipositor sheath black, projecting a little beyond anal styles no more than 1 mm.

Measurements. Range and mean (in mm) for 10 males, 10 females (includes smallest and largest available specimens). Length of body (including head): male 14.3–17.8 (16.1); female (including ovipositor) 16.2–20.9 (18.8). Length of forewing: male 17.3–21.9 (19.7); female 18.7–22.6 (21.4). Width of head (including eyes): male 4.6–5.8 (5.2); female 4.9–6.1 (5.7). Width of pronotum (across lateral angles): male 5.1–6.6 (5.8); female 5.5–7.0 (6.5).

Distinguishing features. Males are readily distinguished by their unusually large timbals and large opercula. The length of the timbal cavity comprises about one-third of the abdominal length, far more than in any other Australian cicada species and perhaps more so than in any other cicada worldwide. Females are more difficult to distinguish. They are most likely to be confused with species of Physeema (tick-tock cicadas), but are easily distinguished by their orange sternites. While most specimens of Pyropsalta patula sp. n. have some degree of fusion of forewing veins M and CuA on meeting the basal cell, some specimens have these veins only abutted at the basal cell, a feature not widely found within the Cicadettini .

The male genitalia have close similarities with those of Physeema . In particular the trifid aedeagus of both has an unsclerotised hinge, pseudoparameres that rise high above the theca and a long ventral support that is longer than half the length of the pseudoparameres.

Song. This species’ song has not been recorded.

Figures

FIGURES 8–14. (8) Erempsalta hermannsburgensis (Distant, 1907), male; (9) Calipsalta fumosa gen. et sp. n., male; (10) Calipsalta viridans gen. et sp. n., female; (11) Calipsalta brunnea gen. et sp. n., male; (12a) Pyropsalta patula sp. n., male; (12b) Pyropsalta patula sp. n., female; (13a) Pyropsalta amnica sp. n., male; (13b) Pyropsalta amnica sp. n., female; (14a) Pyropsalta rhythmica sp. n., male (14b) Pyropsalta rhythmica sp. n., female.

FIGURES 54–55. Pyropsalta patula sp. n. (54) distribution; (55a) male genitalia in lateral view; (55b) same in ventral view.