Nirvana subsuturalis Meshram, 2017

Meshram, Naresh M. & Rai, Stuti, 2017, A new species of genus Nirvana (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Evacanthinae) with note on female genitalia from India, Zootaxa 4303 (2), pp. 264-272 : 265-267

Nirvana subsuturalis Meshram , sp. nov.

( Figs7 –8,38–43)

Yellow. Crown with median, longitudinal black band anteriorly with transverse black stripe, traversing crown, pronoutm, scutellum and continued along inner margin of clavus of forewing ( Fig. 7 ). Entire lateral margin of stripe borderby thick longitudinal red band till hind margin of scutellum. Second apical cell with two black spots. Ocelli margin reddish yellow, and eyes yellow (Figs.7,8).

Head angularly produced. Anterior margin of pronotum not extending beyond eyes.Ocelli near lateral margins of crown, distance between eye and ocellus 3X diameter of ocellus. Crown broadly concave and with irregular sculpturing anteriorly.Vertex 1.4x longer than width of the head including eyes. Scutellum 1.2x as long as pronotum. Pronotum 0.7x longer than broad and 0.5x longer than crown ( Fig. 7 ). Forewing without appendix ( Fig. 8 ).

Male genitalia. Pygofer lobe slightly oval, with several macrosetae posteriorly, ventral process, dorsally directed, long tapering at apex ( Fig. 38 ).Subgenital plate broader medially, narrowed caudally with bluntly conical apex with row of 7 stout macrosetae( Fig. 42 ). Style with short preapical lobe, apophysis short with small setae, apex with short, beaklike prolongation ( Fig 39 ). Connective Y-shaped with stem 3X as long as arms, apex expanded ( Fig. 39 ). Aedeagus with short preatrium, Shaft tubular, broad basally, narrowed subapically, widened apically with membranous emarginate apex, with two short spinelike subapical processes, arms of dorsal apodome short, spinelike. Gonopore subapical ( Figs. 40, 41 ).

Female genitalia. (Figs. 24,25,34,35,43) Hind margin of seventh sternite convex with caudal projection ( Fig. 43 ).Valvulae I, in lateral view, concave dorsally; apex acute; dorsal sculptured area extending from basal 1/3rd portion to apex of blade, formed mostly by rod-like scale processes arranged in linear fashion; ventral scale-like sculptured area restricted to apical portion of blade, below which hyaline membranous lobe arises, basal third of blade triangular, narrowing gradually apically (Figs. 24,25). Valvulae II, in lateral view, concave in dorsal basal area and ventral apical area, dorsal margin with 13 teeth, those located on basal portion of irregular form, those on median portion broadly triangular with flat posterior (descending) area and denticulate anterior (ascending) area, those on apical portion short irregular with flat surface on both the sides (Figs. 34,35).

Measurements. Male 4.9 mm long, 0.8 mm wide across eyes, 0.5 mm wide across hind margin of pronotum. Female 5.1 mm long, 0.9 mm wide across eyes, 0.6 mm wide across hind margin of pronotum.

Materials examined. HOLOTYPE ♂ INDIA: Meghalaya: Barapani (25° 39′11.52″ N, 91°53′3.48 E, 813 M), 1♂, 01.vi.2012, Mercury vapour lamp, Naresh Meshram”. Paratype 1♀ same data as Holotype.

Etymology. This new species is named so because of its resemblance to N. suturalis

Remarks. Nirvana subsuturalis sp.nov. resembles N. suturalis Melicher but can be distinguished by the (features of N. suturalis in parentheses): Median longitudinal black band traversing crown, pronotum and scutellum bordred with red longitiudinal band (longitudinal band without and nay margin). Pygofer lobe slightly oval, with several macrosetae posteriorly, ventral process, dorsally directed, long tapering at apex (bluntly conical caudally, with ventral, short notch, macrosetae confined to apical 0.33 area.). Style with short preapical lobe, apophysis short with small setae, apex with short, beaklike prolongation (preapical lobe of style rounded, relatively slender). Aedeagus with short preatrium, shaft tubular, broad basaly narrowed subapically widened apically with membranus emarginate apex, with two short spine like subapical process, arms of dorsal apodome short spine like (aedeagus with short preatrium, shaft tubular, slightly curved, each arm of dorsal apodeme wider in middle).

Figures

FIGURE 1 – 17. Nirvana species, 1 – 11 dorsal habitus 1, 2. Male & female N. pallida Melichar; 3, 4. Male & female N. pecularis Viraktamath & wesley; 5, 6. Male & female N. striata Viraktamath & wesley; 7, 8. Male & female N. subsuturalis sp. nov. 9 – 11. Male & female N. suturalis Melichar; 12 – 17 lateral habitus, 12. Male N. pallida Melichar; 13. Male N. pecularis Viraktamath & wesley; 14. Male N. striata Viraktamath & wesley; 15, 16. Male & female N. subsuturalis sp. nov. 17. Male N. suturalis Melichar.

FIGURE 38 – 43. Genitalia Nirvana subsuturalis sp. nov. 38. Pygofer; 39. Style with connective; 40. Aedeagus dorsal view; 41. Aedeagus, lateral view; 42. Subgenital plate; 43. Seventh sternite female.