Bhatia radhamaniae, Murthy, Shankara, 2009

Murthy, Shankara, 2009, Two new species of the genus Bhatia (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from south India with new locality records of other species, Zootaxa 2245, pp. 47-53 : 48-50

Bhatia radhamaniae sp. nov.

Figs 1–13

Pale brown with green tinge. Head olivaceous; ocelli margined by brown to dark brown; spot between inner margin of eye and ecdysial line on vertex brown; lower marginal area of face light brown. Few irregular spots on anterior margin of pronotum and scutellum pale brown. Forewing venation brown, few apical cross veins, apices of claval veins and claval apex dark brown. Pro and meso-thoracic legs with brown patches on coxae, trochanter, femur and tibiae especially on lower surface; tarsi pale greenish yellow; bases of hind tibial spines dark brown.

Vertex medially transversely impressed, longer medially than next to eyes, about 4 times as broad between eyes as median length; anterior margin with 4 transverse carinae dorsad of ocelli, stem of ecdysial line well-developed. Face in profile flat, with 2 transverse carinae ventrad of ocelli, rest shagreen. Ocelli placed 2 times own diameter away from adjacent eye. Pronotum in profile slightly convex, anterior margin convex. Scutellum, flat. Hind basitarsus with 3 platellae on apical transverse row.

Male genitalia: Male pygophore conically rounded caudo-dorsally, with several stout setae in caudal half, without appendages or oblique ridge. Subgenital plate triangular with caudal appendage, with few marginal slender short setae, inner margin straight in proximal half. Style stout, without subapical lobe, caudally truncate, inner angle bluntly mesally produced, surface with transverse and oblique rugae. Aedeagus with well-developed broad plate at base preceding dorsal apodeme, latter bearing lateral sinuate, blade-like process with serrated distal margin in ventral view (arrowed in Figs 9 and 10 ); shaft cylindrical, half as long as posterior processes, with large gonopore opening on posterior surface apically; with pair of posterior long caudally diverging slender processes arising near base of shaft.

Female genitalia: Seventh sternum broader than long, medially produced into bilobed projection. Second pair of valvulae with anterior tubercle, cutting edge 0.4 as long as total length, teeth prominent with crenulations.

Measurements: Male 6.1–6.7 mm long and 2.0– 2.1 mm wide across eyes. Female 8.2–8.3 mm long and 2.3 mm wide across eyes.

Material examined: Holotype male, INDIA: Karnataka: Sirsi, Nilkunda, 3.vi.2005, at light, Radhamani, T. R. ( UASB). Paratypes: 1 male, 1 female same data as holotype; 1 female same data as holotype but collected on 17.i.2006 ( BMNH, IARI, UASB).

Remarks: Bhatia radhamainae sp. nov. resembles B. distanti Zhang & Webb externally, but differs in the presence of a pair of basal lateral processes on the aedeagal basal apodeme in addition to paired posterior processes on the cylindrical aedeagal shaft.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 13. Bhatia radhamaniae sp. nov. 1. Head and thorax, dorsal view; 2. Head and thorax, profile; 3. Face; 4. Forewing, 5. Male pygophore, lateral view; 6. Subgenital plate; 7. Male style; 8. Connective; 9. Aedeagus, lateral view; 10. Aedeagus, ventral view; 11. Female seventh sternite, ventral view; 12. Second pair of valvula, left lateral view; 13. Magnified view of teeth on second pair of valvula, left lateral view.