Bennarella rafaeli, Viegas & Ale-Rocha, 2022

Viegas, Eduarda Fernanda Gomes & Ale-Rocha, Rosaly, 2022, Study of the Neotropical genus Bennarella Muir, 1930 with description of six new species (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae), Zootaxa 5124 (2), pp. 155-187 : 175-176

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5124.2.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:778D8679-B88F-414F-A45E-4357DD389383
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6405065
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A25F87F3-FF89-F41F-FF0C-FC5CFAF4F812
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Bennarella rafaeli
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Bennarella rafaeli sp. nov.

( Figs 84–94 View FIGURES 84–87 View FIGURES 88–94 , 135 View FIGURE 135 , 131 View FIGURES 126–133 )

Type material. Holotype male ( INPA). Brasil, Roraima, Alto Alegre, ESEC Maracá , 3˚21’59”N–61˚26’04” W, 1–15.iii.2017, Malaise grande, R. Boldrini & J.A. Rafael — Rede BIA.

Condition of the holotype: Left hindwing torn near the apex and right hindwing lost.

Measurements: Body length: male 2.9 mm (5.3 mm including wings) (N=1). Forewing length: male 4.5 mm (N=1).

Diagnosis. Frons with median carina present and strongly marked. Pedicel with apical 2/3 yellow. Forewing with basal half dark brown and apical half light yellow with dark brown small areas. Periandrium bearing three preapical spines and aedeagus without spines.

Description: Coloration. General body color light brown ( Fig. 84 View FIGURES 84–87 ). Lateral carinae of the frons above lateral ocelli, median region of the frons, median region of the clypeus, apical 2/3 of pedicel, vertex, median region of pronotum and mesonotum and epimeron and episternum yellow. Forewing: basal half dark brown and apical half light yellow with dark brown small areas: diffuse dark brown transverse strip in the median region extending from the middle of the pterostigma to the CuA1 vein; 1/3 final of subcostal cell dark brown; ir, r-m, r-m, m-cu cross-vein dark brown; diffuse dark brown transverse band in the apical region that extends from the C1’ cell to the MP3 vein; diffuse dark brown transverse band in the apical region that extends from cell C3’ to cell C4’; narrow brown bands covering in MP1, MP2, MP3 and MP4 veins in wing apex; C5 cell predominantly dark brown ( Fig. 131 View FIGURES 126–133 ). Pterostigma yellow. Hindwing hyaline, yellowish with dark brown banner transverse rectangular in the median region of the apex. Legs yellow, except fore coxa and mid coxa dark brown ( Fig. 84 View FIGURES 84–87 ). Abdomen dark brown, except upper half of sternite III, dorsal region of sternite IV, 2/3 of sternite V, posterior margin of sternite VI yellow ( Figs 84, 87 View FIGURES 84–87 ).

Head: frons with median carina present and strongly marked; lateral carina of frons strongly directed obliquely laterally ( Fig. 85 View FIGURES 84–87 ); vertex length approximately half the median length of the pronotum in dorsal view ( Fig. 86 View FIGURES 84–87 ); pedicel approximately 4 times longer than wide and scape conspicuous ( Fig. 85 View FIGURES 84–87 ). Thorax: pronotum and mesonotum with median longitudinal carina present but weakly marked; mesonotum with lateral longitudinal carina present and strongly marked ( Fig. 86 View FIGURES 84–87 ). Forewing: m-cu cross-vein present ( Fig. 131 View FIGURES 126–133 ). Legs: hind tibia with 6 apical spines; hind tarsus with 7+7 apical spines.

Male terminalia ( Figs 88–94 View FIGURES 88–94 ). Pygofer subtriangular in lateral view, posterior margin with a rounded protuberance on each side in the middle region ( Fig. 88 View FIGURES 88–94 ); medioventral process of pygofer conspicuous in lateral view, with posterior margin triangular in ventral view ( Fig. 88 View FIGURES 88–94 ). Gonostyli robust, wider in the apical half, with somewhat truncate apex in lateral view ( Fig. 91 View FIGURES 88–94 ); inner margin slightly concave in the middle, rounded and divergent distally in dorsal and posterior view ( Figs 90, 92 View FIGURES 88–94 ). Phallic complex ( Figs 93–94 View FIGURES 88–94 ): periandrium almost straight bearing three preapical spines: one slender, elongate, rather straight spine, ventrally directed, inserted near apex with one short triangular lateral protuberance near base (S1), one slender, elongate, sinuous spine anteroventrally directed, inserted at apex (S2), and one shorter, slender, straight apical spine near apex (S3); aedeagus without spines, narrow at the base, enlarged in the median region and tapered at the apex. Anal tube concave ventrally; base of the anal tube subequal in length to anal tube extension in lateral view; anal tube extension abruptly curved ventrally at apex; apex rounded in posterior view ( Figs 88–90 View FIGURES 88–94 ).

Etymology. The species is named to honor Dr. José Albertino Rafael from the National Institute of Amazonian Research - INPA, Manaus, Brazil, for his immense contribution to the knowledge to the Brazilian invertebrate fauna, and for collecting several specimens used in this work, including the holotype of this species.

Distribution. Brazil (Roraima) ( Fig.135 View FIGURE 135 ).

Taxonomic notes. Bennarella rafaeli sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other species of Bennarella by pedicel yellow in the apical 2/3, forewing light yellow with dark brown small areas in the apical half, dorsal region of sternite IV and 2/3 of sternite V yellow, periandrium bearing three spines and aedeagus without spines.