Elginus minutulus, Stiller, M., 2009

Stiller, M., 2009, Revision of Elginus Theron (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with the description of two new genera and comments on the grassland leafhopper fauna in South Africa, Zootaxa 2135 (1), pp. 1-56 : 20-21

Elginus minutulus sp.n.

( Figs 26 , 67 , 94 , 121 , 146 , 171 , 196 , 222 , 248 , 267 )

Diagnosis. Aedeagal shaft with apex deflected left, perpendicular to shaft.

Etymology. Latin, small size, referring to this species being the smallest of all species of Elginus .

Colour. Male. As in Fig. 26 .

Dimensions. Male (n = 47). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.6–2.9 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.1–2.5 mm; vertex medially 0.3–0.4 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.2–0.3 mm; pronotum medially 0.3 mm; scutellum medially 0.2–0.3 mm. Maximum widths: head 0.8 mm; pronotum 0.6–0.7 mm; scutellum 0.3–0.4 mm. Ocellus: diameter 25–31 µm; ocellocular distance 36–50 µm.

Abdominal apodemes. Male. Fig. 267 .

Genital capsule. Male. Aedeagal shaft basally compressed, apically tubular, almost straight in dorsal view; apical fifth right-angled, directed exclusively left (dorsal view); in lateral view slightly curved ventrad; gonopore at apogee; shaft short, 1.3 times as long as dorsal apodeme ( Figs 67 , 94 ). Connective as in Fig. 121 . Plate apex rounded; medial margins separated by about 15°; 4–8 uniseriate macrosetae ( Fig. 146 ). Pygofer lobe broadly rounded ( Figs 171 , 196 ). Style apophysis wide, straight margins; almost reaching apex of plate; apophysis 0.5 times as long as median arm ( Fig. 222 ).

Dimensions. Female (n = 42). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 3.0– 3.4 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 3.1–3.5 mm; vertex medially 0.5–0.6 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.3–0.4 mm; pronotum medially 0.3–0.4 mm; scutellum medially 0.3–0.4 mm. Maximum widths: head 0.9–1.0 mm; pronotum 0.8–0.9 mm; scutellum 0.4–0.5 mm. Ocellus: diameter 26–32 µm; ocellocular distance 40–54 µm.

Genital capsule. Female. Sternite VII with rounded margin, with two circular sclerotized areas ( Fig. 248 ). Third valvula with one or three long setae (34.1–34.8 µm). Second valvula with irregular serration.

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal. Evatt Police Station, 30°02ʹS 29°21ʹE, 1790 m, 23.iv.2002, DVac heavily grazed grass M. Stiller, E. Breytenbach ( SANC). Paratypes (68♂, 55♀, 10 nymphs). Eastern Cape. 6♂, 8♀, road between Barkly East and Elliot, 31°12ʹS 27°58ʹE, 1962 m, 27.iv.2006, M., Stiller, DVac road reserve and grazed pasture; 3♂, Devilʹs Bellows Neck, 32°25ʹS 26°40ʹE, 1646 m, 19.iv.2006, M. Stiller, DVac grazed pasture; 1♀, Doon Farm Thomas River Cathcart, 32°28ʹS 27°17ʹE, 1115 m, 24.iv.2006, M. Stiller, DVac wet grassland on ridge with Aloes; 1♂, Rhodes, 30°51ʹS, 27°54ʹE, 1965 m, 27.iv.2006, M. Stiller, DVac grass and forbs in grazed pasture, with Eragrostis spp. (Poaceae) dominant. Free State. 2♂, Ficksburg, 28°53ʹS 27°53ʹE, 19.xii.1978; 2♂, Ficksburg, 28°53ʹS 27°53ʹE, 30.i.1981; 3♂, 2♀, Warden, 27°56ʹS 29°00ʹE, 30.i.1981; 2♂, 1♀, Golden Gate, 28°31ʹS 28°37ʹE, 20.xii.1982; 3♂, Golden Gate Park, 28°31ʹS 28°37ʹE, 8.i.1986; all J.G. Theron; 3♂, 2♀, Platberg on summit, E near masts, near Harrismith, 28°15ʹS 29°12ʹE, 2362 m, 11.i.2007, M. Stiller, sweeping grassland with Themeda triandra and Tristachya leucothrix (Poaceae) common; 2♂, 3♀, Platberg on summit W, near Harrismith, 28°10ʹS 29°12ʹE, 2319 m, 11.i.2007, M. Stiller, sweeping grassland with Themeda triandra and Tristachya leucothrix (Poaceae) common; 1♂, Muller’s Pass near summit 27°51ʹ39.68ʺS 29°41ʹ10.15ʺE 1878 m 25.xii.2008 M. Stiller, sweeping grass & forbs. KwaZulu-Natal. 1♂, Bergville, 28°44ʹS 29°21ʹE, 20.i.1981, J.G. Theron; 1♂, Pumula Farm & vicinity, 29°02ʹS 29°26ʹE, 16–20.x.2000, M. Stiller, sweeping unburned moribund grass; 1♂, Giant’s Castle, 29°15ʹS 29°32ʹE, 9.i.2002; 1♀, Giant’s Castle, 29°15ʹS 29°31ʹE, 9.iii.2002; 1♀, Giant’s Castle, 29°12ʹS 29°31ʹE, 9.iv.2002; 2♀, Giant’s Castle, 29°14ʹS 29°32ʹE, 15.iii–iv.2002; 3♂, Giant’s Castle, 29°13ʹS 29°32ʹE, 15.iii–iv.2002; 1♂, Giant’s Castle, 29°15ʹS 29°32ʹE, 16.xi.2002; all W. Bullock; 2♂, Witsieshoek Mountain Resort, 29°41ʹS 28°53ʹE, 2200 m, 15.iv.2002, DVac short grass and forbs; 3♂, 4♀, Mike’s Pass, 28°58ʹS 29°14ʹE, 1900 m, 16.iv.2002, DVac, grass & forbs, moribund grass; 4♀, wetland on Meander Hut road, 29°32ʹS 29°16ʹE, 2100 m, 18.iv.2002; 1♂, 4♀, 4 nymphs, Bushman’s Neck Hikers Hut, 29°12ʹS 28°49ʹE, 1933 m, 22.iv.2002, DVac shorter grass near hut, probably burned more often; DVac longer grass; 1♂, Mlambondja River Valley, 29°46ʹS 28°46ʹE, 1916 m, 22.iv.2002, DVac grass and forbs on hill above terrace next to river; 2♂, 4♀, Evatt Police Station, 30°02ʹS 29°21ʹE, 1790 m, 23.iv.2002, DVac heavily grazed grass; all M. Stiller, E. Breytenbach; 2♂, 2♀, road between Bulwer and Underberg, 29°51ʹS 29°42ʹE, 1651 m, 25.xii.2004, sweeping grass & forbs, Themeda triandra dominated grassland, disturbed, brambles present (grazed), regrowth after fire; 1♂, 1♀, Bulwer Mountain 29°49ʹS 29°45ʹE, 1802 m, 25.xii.2004, sweeping Heteropogon contortus (Poaceae) dominant in grassland; 6♂, 5♀, 2 nymphs, Impendhle NE, 29°34ʹS 29°52ʹE, 1796 m, 26.xii.2004, sweeping grass & forbs, Heteropogon contortus dominant, regrowth after fire; 4♂, Kamberg SE, 29°27ʹS 29°46ʹE, 1783 m, 26.xii.2004, sweeping heavily grazed field, mostly grass; 1♀, Lower Loteni, 29°33ʹS 29°44ʹE, 1492 m, 26.xii.2004, sweeping grass & forbs, regrowth after fire; 2♂, 1♀, Arthur’s Seat Mountain 28°54ʹS 29°26ʹE, 1583 m, 27.xii.2004, sweeping heavily grazed field, summit of hill; 3♂, 3♀, Oliviershoek Pass summit, 28°33ʹS 29°05ʹE, 1741 m, 27.xii.2004, sweeping Themeda triandra dominated grassland, grazed field, regrowth after fire; 6♂, 7♀, 3 nymphs, road between Barkly East and Elliot 31°11ʹ44.76ʺS 27°48ʹ30.78ʺE, 1962 m, 27.iv.2006; 2♂, 2♀, Mt Currie, 30°29ʹ8.28ʺS 29°22ʹ53.4ʺE, 1524 m, 30.iv.2006; 4♂, 2♀, Groenvlei 16.5 km SE Wakkerstroom, 27°29ʹS 30°14ʹE, 1907 m, 2.ii.2007, DVac grass and forbs in road verge/reserve; 2♂, sandstone hills in valley near Fika Patso Dam, 28°41ʹS 28°41ʹE, 2000 m, 8.iv.2007, sweeping, grass and forbs; 1♀, Muller’s Pass near base 27°51ʹ49.78ʺS 29°47ʹ41.81ʺE 1407 m 25.xii.2008, M. Stiller, sweeping grass & forbs. Mpumalanga. 1♂, 2♀, Chrissiesmeer, 26°19ʹS 30°12ʹE, 25.ii.2001, sweeping grass; 3♂, 4 nymphs, Belfast 1 km west, 25°41ʹS 29°58ʹE, 1900 m, 17.ii.2005, DVac grass & forbs, grazed field; all M. Stiller ( AMNH, BMNH, SANC).

Remarks. The sternite VII of E. minutulus is the most uniformly rounded of all Elginus species , with that of E. furcillatus having slightly deeper indentations ( Fig. 244 ). All examined specimens have the apex of the aedeagal shaft defected to the same side.

Figures

FIGURES 25–32. Elginus species, habitus views. Fig. 25, E. matarei, male; Fig. 26, E. minutulus, male; Fig. 27, E. oriens, male; Fig. 28, E. oriens, female; Fig. 29, E. saltus (Naudé), male; Fig. 30, E. saltus (Naudé), female; Fig. 31, E. semialatus, male; Fig. 32, E. semialatus, nymph.

FIGURES 51–77. Elginus species, male, aedeagus, dorsal or ventral view. Fig. 51, E. acutus, ventral view; Fig. 52, E. bispinus, dorsal view; Fig. 53, E. cavatus, dorsal view; Fig. 54, E. contradens, dorsal view; Fig. 55, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus, dorsal view; Fig. 56, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus, dorsal view; Fig. 57, E. denticulatus, dorsal view; Fig. 58, E. dexteruncus, dorsal view; Fig. 59, E. eccentricus, dorsal view; Fig. 60, E. extrinsecus, ventral view; Fig. 61, E. falcatus, dorsal view; Fig. 62, E. furcillatus, dorsal view; Fig. 63, E. latus, dorsal view; Fig. 64, E. levilobus, ventral view; Fig. 65, E. malotiensis, dorsal view; Fig. 66, E. matarei, ventral view; Fig. 67, E. minutulus, dorsal view; Fig. 68, E. oriens, dorsal view; Fig. 69, E. recavus, dorsal view; Fig. 70, E. saltus (Naudé), dorsal view; Fig. 71, E. semialatus, with paired process, ventral view; Fig. 72, E. semialatus, single process, ventral view; Fig. 73, E. theroni, dorsal view; Fig. 74, E. tortuosus, dorsal view; Fig. 75, E. tubulus, dorsal view; Fig. 76, E. unispinus, ventral view; Fig. 77, E. vulgaris, dorsal view.

FIGURES 78–104. Elginus species, male, aedeagus, lateral view. Fig. 78, E. acutus; Fig. 79, E. bispinus; Fig. 80, E. cavatus; Fig. 81, E. contradens; Fig. 82, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 83, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 84, E. denticulatus; Fig. 85, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 86, E. eccentricus; Fig. 87, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 88, E. falcatus; Fig. 89, E. furcillatus; Fig. 90, E. latus; Fig. 91, E. levilobus; Fig. 92, E. malotiensis; Fig. 93, E. matarei; Fig. 94, E. minutulus; Fig. 95, E. oriens; Fig. 96, E. recavus; Fig. 97, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 98, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 99, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 100, E. theroni; Fig. 101, E. tortuosus; Fig. 102, E. tubulus; Fig. 103, E. unispinus; Fig. 104, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 105–130. Elginus species, male, connective, Fig. 105, E. acutus; Fig. 106, E. bispinus; Fig. 107, E. cavatus; Fig. 108, E. contradens; Fig. 109, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 110, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 111, E. denticulatus; Fig. 112, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 113, E. eccentricus; Fig. 114, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 115, E. falcatus; Fig. 116, E. furcillatus; Fig. 117, E. latus; Fig. 118, E. levilobus; Fig. 119, E. malotiensis; Fig. 120, E. matarei; Fig. 121, E. minutulus; Fig. 122, E. oriens; Fig. 123, E. recavus; Fig. 124, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 125, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 126, E. theroni; Fig. 127, E. tortuosus; Fig. 128, E. tubulus; Fig. 129, E. unispinus; Fig. 130, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 131–156. Elginus species, male, plate, Fig. 131, E. acutus; Fig. 132, E. bispinus; Fig. 133, E. cavatus; Fig. 134, E. contradens; Fig. 135, E. cultellus; Fig. 136, E. denticulatus; Fig. 137, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 138, E. eccentricus; Fig. 139, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 140, E. falcatus; Fig. 141, E. furcillatus; Fig. 142, E. latus; Fig. 143, E. levilobus; Fig. 144, E. malotiensis; Fig. 145, E. matarei; Fig. 146, E. minutulus; Fig. 147, E. oriens; Fig. 148, E. recavus; Fig. 149, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 150, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 151, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 152, E. theroni; Fig. 153, E. tortuosus; Fig. 154, E. tubulus; Fig. 155, E. unispinus; Fig. 156, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 157–179. Elginus species, male, pygofer, dorsal view. Fig. 157, E. acutus; Fig. 158, E. cavatus; Fig. 159, E. contradens; Fig. 160, E. cultellus; Fig. 161, E. denticulatus; Fig. 162, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 163, E. eccentricus; Fig. 164, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 165, E. falcatus; Fig. 166, E. furcillatus; Fig. 167, E. latus; Fig. 168, E. levilobus; Fig. 169, malotiensis; Fig. 170, E. matarei; Fig. 171, E. minutulus; Fig. 172, E. oriens; Fig. 173, E. recavus; Fig. 174, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 175, E. theroni; Fig. 176, E. tortuosus; Fig. 177, E. tubulus; Fig. 178, E. unispinus; Fig. 179, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 180–205. Elginus species, male, pygofer, lateral view. Fig. 180, E. acutus; Fig. 181, E. bispinus; Fig. 182, E. cavatus; Fig. 183, E. contradens; Fig. 184, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 185, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 186, E. denticulatus; Fig. 187, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 188, E. eccentricus; Fig. 189, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 190, E. falcatus; Fig. 191, E. furcillatus; Fig. 192, E. latus; Fig. 193, E. levilobus; Fig. 194, E. malotiensis; Fig. 195, E. matarei; Fig. 196, E. minutulus; Fig. 197, E. oriens; Fig. 198, E. recavus; Fig. 199, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 200, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 201, E. theroni; Fig. 202, E. tortuosus; Fig. 203, E. tubulus; Fig. 204, E. unispinus; Fig. 205, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 206–232. Elginus species, male, style, Fig. 206, E. acutus; Fig. 207, E. bispinus; Fig. 208, E. cavatus; Fig. 209, E. contradens; Fig. 210, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 211, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 212, E. denticulatus; Fig. 213, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 214, E. eccentricus; Fig. 215, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 216, E. falcatus; Fig. 217, E. furcillatus; Fig. 218, E. latus; Fig. 219, E. levilobus; Fig. 220, E. malotiensis; Fig. 221, E. matarei; Fig. 222, E. minutulus; Fig. 223, E. oriens; Fig. 224, E. recavus; Fig. 225, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 226, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 227, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 228, E. theroni; Fig. 229, E. tortuosus; Fig. 230, E. tubulus; Fig. 231, E. unispinus; Fig. 232, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 233–258. Elginus species, female, sternite VII. Fig. 233, E. bispinus; Fig. 234, E. cavatus; Fig. 235, E. contradens; Fig. 236, E. cultellus, associated males with curved aedeagus; Fig. 237, E. cultellus, associated males with straight aedeagus; Fig. 238, E. denticulatus; Fig. 239, E. dexteruncus variant; Fig. 240, E. dexteruncus variant; Fig. 241, E eccentricus; Fig. 242, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 243, E. falcatus; Fig. 244, E. furcillatus; Fig. 245, E. levilobus; Fig. 246, E. malotiensis; Fig. 247, E. matarei; Fig. 248, E. minutulus; Fig. 249, E. oriens; Fig. 250, E. oriens; Fig. 251, E. recavus; Fig. 252, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 253, E. semialatus; Fig. 254, E. theroni; Fig. 255, E. tortuosus; Fig. 256, E. tubulus; Fig. 257, E. unispinus; Fig. 258, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 259–273. Elginus species, male, abdominal apodemes, Fig. 259, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 260, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 261, E. denticulatus; Fig. 262, E. eccentricus; Fig. 263, E. falcatus; Fig. 264, E. furcillatus; Fig. 265, E. malotiensis; Fig. 266, E. matarei; Fig. 267, E. minutulus; Fig. 268, E. oriens; Fig. 269, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 270, E. theroni; Fig. 271, E. tortuosus; Fig. 272, E. tubulus; Fig. 273, E. vulgaris.