Balclutha tricornis, Lu, Lin, Zhang, Yalin & Webb, M. D., 2013

Lu, Lin, Zhang, Yalin & Webb, M. D., 2013, Review of the Grass Feeding Leafhopper Genus Balclutha Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) in China, Zootaxa 3691 (5), pp. 501-537 : 530-531

Balclutha tricornis sp. nov.

( Fig. 24 ; Plate 2, J)

Description. Length (including tegmen). Male: 3.4–4.0 mm; female: 3.6–4.1 mm.

Pale green; near posterior margin of vertex and anterior margin of pronotum tinged greenish yellow; scutellum yellow; ocelli green; forewings greenish, transparent, base of claval region smoky brown; 3rd and 4th apical cells with slight brown markings. Head slightly narrower than pronotum, vertex rounded produced; ocelli 1.5 times own diameter from corresponding eyes; hind femur setal formula: 2.2.1.

Male genitalia. Pygophore broad, posterior margin broadly rounded, posteroventral margin produced as acute, lightly sclerotised projection. Valve broad, triangular. Subgenital plate longer than pygophore laterally; base broad, tapering to apex with short fingerlike process. Style slender, apical lobe long and preapical lobe developed with few setae. Stem of connective shorter than arms, apex slightly broadened and truncate. Aedeagus with dorsal apodeme strongly expanded and bifurcated in lateral view, its height equal to length of shaft, shaft slender, dorsally curved, gonopore apical.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: male, China, Zhejiang Prov., Mt. Fengyang, 10.viii.2003, 1250m, Coll. Dai Wu. PARATYPES: 10 males, 7 females, same data as holotype except 8.viii.2003; 4 males, 6 females, same as holotype (NWAFU); 1 male, same as holotype (BMNH).

Distribution. China (Zhejiang).

Remarks. This species resembles B. rubrinervis in color, external characters and shape, but can be distinguished from the latter by the dorsal apodeme of the aedeagus being strongly expanded and extended, and distinctly bifurcated apically.

Etymology. The word “ tricornis ” refers to the aedeagus with the basal apodeme strongly expanded dorsally and bifurcated on apex, hence the name B. tricornis .

Figures

FIGURE 24. Balclutha triconis Lu & Zhang, sp. nov. A. head and thorax, dorsal view; B. face; C. head, lateral view; D. pygophore, lateral view; E. pygophore, posterior view; F. forewing; G. valve, subgenital plates, style and connective, ventral (left) and dorsal (right) view; H. aedeagus, lateral view.