Notolathrus Remes Lenicov, 1992

Santos, Júlio César Do Carmo Vaz, Iuri, Hernán Augusto, Hoch, Hannelore & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2024, The enigmatic Notolathrus sensitivus Remes Lenicov, 1992 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae): supplementary description and conservation status, Zootaxa 5474 (4), pp. 355-374 : 358-364

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5474.4.2
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12681127
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/211A878C-FFD2-FFE8-5C8A-FD33FE14F803
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Notolathrus Remes Lenicov, 1992
status

Treatment

Notolathrus Remes Lenicov, 1992 View in CoL

Type species. Notolathrus sensitivus Remes Lenicov, 1992

Type locality. ARG, NQN, Departamento Picunches , Sistema Cuchillo Cura, Caverna del Arenal.

Etymology. Remes Lenicov (1992) provided the etymology only for the generic name Notolathrus , which comes from the Greek notos = ‘South’ and lathrus = ‘Hidden’. The etymology of the epithet was not given, but it may have been referred to the Latin sensitivus = ‘sensitive’, possibly referring to the ‘sensitivity’ or low tolerance to environmental changes experienced by this species.

Original diagnosis ( Remes Lenicov 1992). The following text (in italics) is transcribed from the original description of the genus Notolathrus provided by Remes Lenicov, 1992 (pp 155–156). After each paragraph, we provide an English version.

Diagnosis: Vertex alrededor de 2 veces más ancho que largo, con una carena traversal muy próxima al margen posterior con el cual delimita un área deprimida dividida en dos por una carena longitudinal poco marcada. Frente casi tan ancha como larga, convexa en perfil; márgenes laterales foliáceos; carena mediana sólo marcada en la mitad basal, visualizada como un leve reborde en vista lateral; sutura frontoclipeal convexa, evanescente en su parte media; clípeo, en perfil, deprimido, más corto que la frente en la línea media. Ojos y ocelos ausentes. Antena, con el segmento 2 globular, tan largo como ancho, tercer antenito con una arista apical pequeña que supera ligeramente su longitud y que parte de la base del flagelo.

Vertex approximately 2 times wider than long, with a transverse carina located very close to the posterior margin, delimiting a depressed area divided into two by a faint longitudinal carina. Frontal area nearly as wide as long, convex in profile, with foliaceous lateral margins. Median carina only well-marked in the basal half, appearing as a slight ridge in lateral view. Frontoclypeal suture convex, becoming indistinct in the middle. Clypeus, in profile, depressed and shorter than the frons at the midline. Eyes and ocelli absent. Antenna with segment 2 (pedicel) globose, as long as it is wide and the third antennal segment featuring a small apical arista that slightly exceeds its length and originates from the base of the flagellum.

Pronoto corto; carenas laterales divergentes. Mesonoto poco más ancho que largo; disco mediano convexo y sin carenas. Postibia con 6 espinas apicales, inerme lateralmente; metatarsitos I y II con 3 espinas apicales, Uñas pretarsales delgadas y divergentes, arolio reducido.

Short pronotum; divergent lateral carinae. Mesonotum slightly wider than long; median disc convex and without carinae. Post-tibia with 6 apical spines, unarmed laterally; metatarsi I and II with 3 apical spines. Pretarsal claws thin and divergent, arolium reduced.

Braquíptero. Tegminas dispuestas horizontalmente sobrepasando el segundo segmento abdominal, con nervaduras longitudinales únicamente con débiles microtriquias implantadas en toda su longitud. Alas reducidas a escamas que no superan el largo del metanoto.

Brachypterous. Tegmina horizontally arranged, extending beyond the second abdominal segment, with longitudinal veins bearing only weak microtrichia throughout their length. Wings reduced to scales that do not exceed the length of the metanotum.

Genitalia: Pigofer expandido ventro-lateralmente, profundamente escotado en aspecto dorsal; proceso medio ventral amplio, de forma espatulada, cerrando en parte la cámara genital. Aedeagus y falobase tubular, con un flagelo espiniforme terminal dirigido oblicuamente cefalo-ventral, proyectado más allá de la falobase. Estilos convergentes, más anchos en la mitad basal; apice bífido. Segmento anal relativamente largo, convexo en vista lateral.

Genitalia: Pygofer expanded ventro-laterally, deeply notched dorsally; ventral median process broad, spatulateshaped, partially closing the genital chamber.Aedeagus and phallobase tubular, with a terminal spiniform flagellum directed obliquely cephalo-ventrally, projecting beyond the phallobase. Styles convergent, wider at the basal half; apex bifid. Anal segment relatively long, convex in lateral view.

Supplementary description

Type material. Holotype: Male, AGR, NQN. Picunches Department, Cueva del Arenal cave, (UTM 378551.57W, 5725338.53S, 19H), 04–06. i.1987 (MACN_En 41439) (Fig, 1A–C) . Holotype condition: as informed by Bachmann (2012). Paratypes. 2 ♂ same data as holotype (the specimens should be at MACN_En but could not be located).

Material examined. Templo cave, (UTM 379039.46W, 5725354.07S, 19H), 17.x.2022, (Iuri H.A.), 1♂ (MACN_En 41440) and 2♀, (MACN_En 41441–41442) and 1♀ ( ISLA 117714) . Material condition: Male with dissected genitalia, stored in an individual vial in ethanol 70%. Females (not dissected) stored in an individual vial in ethanol 70%.

Coloration (preserved specimen):As in figs. 2 A–D, predominantly Yellowish white (92) with some areas Light yellow (86) on thorax and Strong yellowish brown (74) on male and female terminalia as in Figs. 6–7 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 , tegmina hyaline with Light yellow (86) veins as in Figs. 4 A–D View FIGURE 4 .

Body length. Female. 3.46 mm (n = 1) ( Figs. 2 C, D View FIGURE 2 ); Male. 3.53 mm (n = 1) ( Figs. 2 A, B View FIGURE 2 ).

Head. Vertex ( Figs. 3 A, C View FIGURE 3 ): approx. 2.6 times wider (0.34) than long (0.13); in dorsal view, apical transverse carina evanescent and irregular medially; caudal border arched medially; in lateral view caudal border surpassing to apical transverse carina. Frons ( Fig. 3 B View FIGURE 3 ): in lateral view, totally curved ( Figs 3 D View FIGURE 3 ); in facial view slightly wider (0.50) than long (0.48), approx. 1.3 times wider at the height of the antennae than apically (0.36); anterior region of the frons (apically) large laterally and apically weakly depressed in the middle; median carina evanescent, most visible in lateral view ( Figs. 2 B, b View FIGURE 2 1 View FIGURE 1 , D). Frontoclypeal suture convex (bent up wards). Postclypeus ( Fig. 3 B View FIGURE 3 ): with median carina evanescent apically. Anteclypeus ( Fig. 3 B View FIGURE 3 ): median carina moderately developed distally, evanescent near of frontoclypeal suture. Rostrum not surpassing the hind coxae. Antennae ( Figs. 3 A–C, c View FIGURE 3 1 View FIGURE 1 ): Scape short, pedicel subglobose, flagellum as in other planthoppers reduced to a thin arista (see Wang et al 2018); basal flagellar swelling equipped with an additional elongate thin tubular process ressembling the arista in shape ( Figs. c1 View FIGURE 1 ).

Thorax. Pronotum ( Figs. 3 A, C View FIGURE 3 ): In dorsal view, short medially; submedian carinae weakly developed, occurs near of hind margin medially and distant laterally; hind margin curved; in lateral view, angulate in approx. 90° basally. Mesonotum ( Fig. 3 A View FIGURE 3 ): slightly wider (0.73) than long (0.66); median and lateral carina absent. Tegmina (fore wings) ( Figs. 4 A–D View FIGURE 4 ): Length (1.17): Vestigial, slightly surpassing the first segments of the abdomen; fork ScP+R present; MP present, distally forked; Pcu and A1 present sometimes not forked distally, with Pcu+A1 vein usually absent in one of the tegminae (asymmetry) or absent on all two of the tegminae (symmetry) (see taxonomic remarks); Rp vein evanescent. Hind wings: very reduced, no observable venation patterns. Hind legs ( Figs. 5 A, B View FIGURE 5 ): hind tibia with 6 apical teeth with approximately the same size, without lateral spines; 1 st tarsomere with 3 apical teeth with approx. the same size; 2 nd tarsomere with 2 apical teeth with approx. the same size (vs. 3 teeth on male), without thin setae or platellae; pretarsal claws rather long and well developed, arolia reduced.

Female terminalia. Segment X ( Figs. 6A–C View FIGURE 6 ): in lateral view very short, longer basally; epiproct and paraproct as on the male. Segment IX ( Figs. 6 A–B, D View FIGURE 6 ): in ventral view, truncated, smaller apically; in lateral view, lateral margins irregular. Ovipositor ( Figs. 6 A–D View FIGURE 6 ): sabre-shaped (curved upwards), not surpassing the segment X; gonapophysis VIII with small overlapping squama-like lines (similar as in Ferricixius Hoch & Ferreira, 2012 ).

Male terminalia.Pygofer ( Figs. 7A–C, G View FIGURE 7 ): bilaterally symmetrical;in lateral view without conspicuous processes, larger basally; dorsal margin straight/inclined; caudal margin concave; ventral margin convex; ventromedial process well developed, triangular, large, laterally at the same height as or slightly below the caudal margin; with moderately long bristles. Anal tube ( Figs. 7 A–C View FIGURE 7 ): bilaterally symmetrical; dorsally wider at the distal border than at the base; approx. 1.3 times longer (0.31) than wide (0.23); in caudal view, distal border with large notch medially; epiproct and paraproct flattened dorsoventrally; in dorsal view, paraproct weakly wide, almost triangular. Gonostyles ( Figs. 7 A–C, G View FIGURE 7 ): converging, in lateral view smaller than pygofer, wider at base than apically; bifid apically with 2 spine-like processes; dorsal margin sinuous, ventral margin convex; with moderately long bristles. Aedeagus ( Figs. 7 D, F View FIGURE 7 ): tubular, asymmetrical. Shaft of the aedeagus tubular, a single conspicuous spine of moderate length apically arising at the transition from the rod to the flagellum; flagellum short, in repose not surpassing midlength of aedeagal shaft.

Diagnosis. N. sensitivus can be distinguished from all other Cixiidae species by the unique combination of male genital characters: gonostyli bifid apically with 2 hook-shaped spine-like processes, and aedeagus shaft displaying a single conspicuous spine arising apically at the transition to the flagellum; flagellum very short, in repose not surpassing midlength of aedeagal shaft. The antenna, in addition to the main (long) arista, bears a short and thin tubular process arising from the basal flagellar swelling.

Distribution. ARG. NQN; Cuchillo Curá Cave system, Arenal cave (Type locality), El Templo cave (additional specimens).

Taxonomic remarks. In this supplementary description, the information provided regarding the characters of the head, thorax, and appendages (including measurements) was based on the female specimens. However, it is important to note that males and females exhibit considerable similarities, with the main differences lying on the terminalia naturally, number of teeth of the second tarsomere of the hind leg ( Figs. 3 A–D View FIGURE 3 ), and in parts, in veins of tegmina ( Figs. 4 A–D View FIGURE 4 ). In all two male specimens examined the Pcu+A1 vein was absent (symmetry) while in two of three female specimens examined, the absence of the Pcu+A1 vein was observed only one of the tegmina (asymmetry). Therefore, this aberration is regarded a variation (rather than sexual dimorphism), most likely due to the reduction of the tegmina.

Habitat and Ecology. Remes Lenicov (1992) did not provide details regarding the collection of specimens, as their specific location within the cave or the substrate from which they were obtained. The author merely suggested referring to Maury (1988) for information on the ecology, paleontology, and geology of the Cave CCCS. However, it is important to note that all specimens used in the original description originated from the Arenal cave, which is a component of the CCCS.