Revision of Vilargus Theron (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from South Africa
Stiller, M.
Zootaxa
2010
2010-11-11
2674
1
1
25
8RP5F
Stiller, 2010
Stiller
2010
[151,403,151,177]
Insecta
Cicadellidae
Vilargus
Animalia
Hemiptera
4
5
Arthropoda
species
bicornicans
sp. nov.
( Figs 1–3, 35–42).
Diagnosis.Aedeagus dorsally with transverse, ovoid dorsal apodeme, laterally with tapered process arising lateroventrally from basal part of shaft, and curved dorsad, shaft and process of similar length. Plate medial margin straight, posterior margin broadly rounded, lateral margin rounded, sometimes slightly sinuous. Pygofer and pygofer lobe extending well beyond apex of plate; posteromedial margin below pygofer lobe with medially curved sclerotized lobe. Female with sternite 7 posterior margin with narrow, parallel-sided notch.
Etymology.Latin, bi,two, cornus, horn, referring to the aedeagus appearing to have two horn-like structures. Colour. Male, female and nymph. Ochraceous ( Figs 1–3, specimens from Dordrecht, Eastern Cape Province). Male. Dimensions. (n=65) Length from apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.2–2.3 mm, length from apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.5–2.8 mm, median length of vertex 0.4 mm, length of vertex next to eye 0.3 mm, length of pronotum 0.3 mm, width of head 0.8 mm, width of pronotum 0.7–0.8 mm, diameter of ocellus 27–30 µm, ocellocular distance 28–41 µm. Genitalia.Aedeagus, dorsally, dorsal apodeme transverse, reniform; shaft tapered, with ventrolateral, tapered process ( Fig. 35); laterally, process basally widely merged with shaft, tapering towards apex; shaft tubular, both curved dorsad, of similar length; gonopore dorsal, apical ( Fig. 36). Connective symmetrical, stem slightly wider than width across arms ( Fig. 37). Style with anterior medial arm short, not extending beyond base of apophysis, acutely angled to base; apophysis elongate, apex truncate, with teeth ventrally on posterior margin, fine serration ventromedially ( Fig. 38). Plate in general roundly triangular; medial margin straight, posterior margin broadly rounded, lateral margin rounded, sometimes slightly sinuous ( Fig. 39); 2–5 marginal macrosetae. Pygofer, laterally, dorsal and basal ventral margins parallel, distal ventral margin angled dorsad, medially with sclerotized, rounded protrusion ( Fig. 41); dorsally as in Fig. 40. Pygofer lobe short, rounded ( Fig. 41); extending well beyond apex of plate. Female. Dimensions. (n=36) Length from apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.3–2.5 mm, length from apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 3.0– 3.4 mm, median length of vertex 0.5 mm, length of vertex next to eye 0.3 mm, length of pronotum 0.3 mm, width of head 0.9 mm, width of pronotum 0.7–0.9 mm, diameter of ocellus 26–31 µm, ocellocular distance 35–47 µm. Genitalia.Sternite 7 posteriorly with narrow, deep notch, narrower, and deeper than in any other species ( Fig. 42).
Material examined. Holotypemale. South Africa. Eastern Cape Province. Dordrecht, 31°32ʹS, 26°57ʹE, 1436 m, 26.iv.2006, M. Stiller, DVac, short grazed grass and forbs in road reserve ( SANC). Paratypes. 68♂, 41♀, 4 nymphs. Eastern Cape Province. 1♂, 3♀, Cathcart, 32°18ʹS, 27°12ʹE, 20.i.1984, J.G. Theron, sweeping; 1♂, Ongeluksnek, site #44, 30°20ʹS, 28°21ʹE, 1740 m, 5.xii.2005, MDTP survey, sweeping; 1♂, Ongeluksnek, site #39, 30°20ʹS, 28°19ʹE, 1824 m, 8.xii.2005, MDTP survey, sweeping; 1♂, Prentjiesberg, 31°07ʹS, 28°10ʹE, 1428 m, 11.xii.2005, MDTP survey, sweeping; 7♂, 3♀, Penhoek, between Aliwal Northand Queenstown, 31°26ʹS, 26°41ʹE, 1854 m, 19.iv.2006, DVac, grazed pasture; 13♂, 5♀, 1 nymph, Charlton Farm, N Somerset East, 32°40ʹS, 25°40ʹE, 1271 m, 23.iv.2006, DVac, pasture with tufted, ungrazed (unpalatable) grass; 23♂, 17♀, Doon Farm, Thomas River, Cathcart, 32°28ʹS, 27°17ʹE, 1115 m, 24.iv.2006, DVac, grass on rocky outcrop covered with aloes; 19♂, 12♀, 3 nymphs, ibid., holotype; 1♂, between Dordrechtand Rossouw, 31°48ʹS, 26°06ʹE, 1767 m, 26.iv.2006, DVac, road reserve; 2♂, 1♀, Groendal, Dordrecht, 31°09ʹS, 27°06ʹE, 1804 m, 26.iv.2006, DVac, road reserve; all collected by M. Stiller( BMNH, INHS, SANC).
Remarks.The plate of V. bicornicans( Fig. 39) resembles that of V. pumilicans( Figs 72, 73) and to a lesser extent with that of V. budenticans( Fig. 47). However, there are marked differences in the aedeagal configuration of these three species. Vilargus pumilicanshas an elongate ventral paraphysis and short aedeagal shaft ( Figs 68, 69), V. budenticanshas a short ventral paraphysis and long aedeagal shaft ( Figs 43, 44) and V. bicornicanshas a dorsally curved shaft and ventrolateral tapering process arising from the base of the shaft ( Figs 35, 36). The female sternite 7 of V. bicornicanshas a notch that is narrower, parallel-sided and deeper ( Fig. 42) than that of any other species of Vilargus.None of the dissections of 13 malesand 5 femalesshows deformities.
2006-04-26
SANC
M. Stiller
South Africa
1436
-31.533333
Dordrecht
1215
26.95
4
5
1
Eastern Cape
holotype
[151,823,1455,1482]
South Africa
Eastern Cape Province
4
5
109
41
68
Eastern Cape
paratype
1984-01-20
J. G. Theron
South Africa
-32.3
Cathcart
1211
27.2
4
5
4
3
1
Eastern Cape
paratype
2005-12-05
South Africa
1740
-30.333334
Ongeluksnek
1222
28.35
4
5
1
1
Eastern Cape
paratype
[280,1381,1530,1556]
2005-12-08
South Africa
1824
-30.333334
Ongeluksnek
1222
28.316668
4
5
1
1
Eastern Cape
paratype
2005-12-11
South Africa
1428
-31.116667
Prentjiesberg
1218
28.166666
4
5
1
1
Eastern Cape
paratype
2006-04-19
South Africa
Penhoek
1854
-31.433332
Queenstown
1216
26.683332
Aliwal North
4
5
10
3
7
Eastern Cape
paratype
2006-04-23
N Somerset East
South Africa
1271
-32.666668
Charlton Farm
1209
25.666666
4
5
18
5
13
Eastern Cape
paratype
2006-04-24
South Africa
Doon Farm
1115
-32.466667
Cathcart
1210
27.283333
Thomas River
4
5
40
17
23
Eastern Cape
paratype
[923,1379,1716,1743]
2006-04-24
South Africa
Doon Farm
1115
-32.466667
Cathcart
1210
27.283333
Thomas River
4
5
31
12
19
Eastern Cape
holotype
2006-04-26
South Africa
1767
-31.8
Rossouw
1214
26.1
Dordrecht
4
5
1
1
Eastern Cape
paratype
2006-04-26
BMNH, INHS, SANC
M. Stiller
South Africa
1804
-31.15
Dordrecht
1218
27.1
Groendal
4
5
3
1
2
Eastern Cape
paratype