Flata taiwana, Peng, Ling-Fei, Fletcher, Murray J. & Zhang, Ya-Lin, 2012

Peng, Ling-Fei, Fletcher, Murray J. & Zhang, Ya-Lin, 2012, Review of the Oriental planthopper genus Flata Fabricius (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Flatidae) with the description of five new species, Zootaxa 3399, pp. 1-22 : 16-17

9. Flata taiwana sp. nov.

( Figs. 11 , 12 )

Color. Head and thorax green with stramineous, eyes dark brown; tegmina greenish or stramineous with many small black spots, legs stramineous ( Fig. 11 ).

Morphology. Body length: 17–18 mm.

Head: Vertex fully concealed beneath anterior margin of pronotum in dorsal view ( Fig. 11 A); frons as long as wide, or slightly longer than wide ( Fig. 11 B); frontoclypeal suture convex; rostrum extending to meso-trochanter ( Fig. 11 B).

Thorax: Pronotum anterior margin convex; central carina highly raised; lateral margins extending lateroventrally, articulated with postocular eminence ( Fig. 11 A). Mesonotum anterior margin angled about 105° ( Fig. 11 A). Metatibia with seven spines apically; basal segment of metatarsi with eight spines apically. Tegmina with costal margin elongate convex at base; apical margin elongate convex, sutural margin truncate; apical and sutural angles rounded; vein Cu once forked, branches joining postclaval margin ( Fig. 11 D).

Male genitalia: Pygofer ring-like, trapezoid in lateral view; anterior dorsal angle produced; dorsal margin slightly concave ( Fig. 12 A). Genital style ventral and apical margins convex; dorsal margin slightly concave ( Fig. 12 A). Anal tube arched in lateral view; apex inflated ( Fig. 12 A). Phallobase in lateral view tubular; dorsolateral lobe long ( Fig. 12 C); apex each side with two processes, inner one short, outer one long and cephalad ( Fig. 12 C); lateral emargination deeply concave; ventral lobe bipartite in ventral view, each side with one long process and three very short processes ( Figs. 12 C, D). Theca bearing a longitudinal ridge on each apical half portion of flank ( Fig. 12 B); a small tooth positioned at apical fourth of ventral margin ( Fig. 12 B); apex bipartite, each side with two processes, anterior one longer and heavily branched, posterior one slender and slightly circled ( Fig. 12 B).

Female genitalia: Anal tube rhomboid in lateral view ( Fig. 12 E). Abdominal segment VII with a central process in ventral view ( Fig. 12 F). Valvulae I dorsal margin convex, narrowed at base; apex acute with teeth ( Fig. 12 I). Valvulae II scythe-like with an acute apex ( Fig. 12 H). Valvulae III foot-like; ventral apical portion inflated, membranous; subapical inner surface armed with numerous tiny teeth ( Fig. 12 G).

Type material. Holotype, 3, Nanjinshan, Pingtung, Taiwan, 28.vi.1986, S. C. Tsaur ( ASCU); Paratype, Ƥ, Litao, Taitung, Taiwan, 13.viii.1987, S. C. Tsaur ( ASCU).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the name of the holotype locality, Taiwan.

Distribution. China ( Taiwan).

Remarks. This new species differs from other similar species of the genus by the dorsolateral lobe of the phallobase with two pairs of processes at the apex, outer long and recurved, inner short ( Fig. 12 C); apical lateral portion of theca with a long ridge ( Fig. 12 B), without teeth or processes.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Flata taiwana sp. nov.; A. head and thorax, dorsal view; B. face; C. head and thorax, left lateral view; D. tegmen.

FIGURE 12. Flata taiwana sp. nov.; A. male genitalia, left lateral view; B. phallus, left lateral view; C. phallobase, left lateral view; D. ventral lobe of phallobase, ventral view; E. female genitalia, left lateral view; F. female genitalia, ventral view; G. right valvular III, inner surface; H. valvular II, left lateral view; I. left valvular I, left lateral view. (a: outer process of phallobase; b: inner process of phallobase; c: lateral emargination of phallobase; d: ventral lobe; e: ridge of thecal flank; f: ventral tooth of thecal margin; g: anterior process of theca; h: posterior process of theca; i: anal tube; j: abdominal segment VII; k: ventral apical portion of Valvulae III).