Polydictya laotiana, Constant & Pham, 1843

Constant, Jérôme & Pham, Hong Thai, 1843, Polydictya lanternflies of the Indochinese region: Six new species and identification key (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoridae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 86, pp. 1-42 : 1-42

Polydictya laotiana sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D8EC96A2-7353-4D7E-82A8-749FFEDDDB4A

Figs 4 , 8–9

DIAGNOSIS. The species can be separated from all other Polydictya species by the following combination of characters: (1) tegmina with paler and darker areas forming cloudy effect ( Fig. 8 A ); (2) posterior wings with bright red basal area extending to half-length and distal part and broad band along anal margin translucent yellow-brown ( Fig. 8 A ); (3) frons with dorsal margin slightly projecting anterodorsally ( Fig. 8 B, D ), yellow-brown ( Fig. 8 D ); (4) protibiae slightly laminate, brown basally and black distally with pale yellowish ring in middle ( Fig. 8 A, C ); (5) abdomen red dorsally and brown ventrally. ( Fig. 8 A ); (6) genital segments orange.

The closest species are P. nigrifrons sp. nov. ( Vietnam – Fig. 12 ), P. thompsoni sp. nov. ( Thailand – Fig. 13 ) and P. pantherina Gerstaecker, 1895 ( Sri Lanka – Fig. 19 ), from which P. laotiana sp. nov. can be separated by character (2): the three other species show the brown part of the posterior wings entirely opaque. The species can also be separated from P. nigrifrons sp. nov. by its yellow-brown frons (largely black in P. nigrifons sp. nov.) and from P. pantherina by the broad brown band along the anal margin of posterior wings (in P. pantherina the red basal area extends to the anal margin).

ETYMOLOGY. The species epithet refers to the country of origin of this new species: Laos.

TYPE MATERIAL. LAOS: Holotype ♂ ( Fig. 8 – dissected): [Coll. R.I.Sc.N.B., Laos, Luang Prabang. Sept. 1917. R.V. de Salvaza] [R.I.Sc. N.B., I.G. 17.865] ( RBINS).

DESCRIPTION.

Measurements and ratios: LT: ♂ (n = 1): 21.2 mm; LTg/BTg = 3.0; BV/LV = 3.7; LF/BF = 0.80.

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19 Head: ( Fig. 8 B, D, F ) yellow-brown with clypeus slightly darker centrally and dark brown apically; vertex curved and deeply grooved transversely with lowest point in middle, and with all 4 margins carinate; frons weakly visible from above, convex, smooth, subquadrate with dorsal margin slightly protruding in middle in perpendicular view, with strong impression before eye and elongate oblique impression subparallel to lateral margin on ventral half of frons, impressions weakly wrinkled; widening in rounded lobes laterally near frontoclypeal joint; clypeus slightly narrower and shorter than frons; labium elongate, brown, darker apically and surpassing metacoxae; antennae yellow-brown with scape cylindrical, elongate and pedicel inflated, bulbous.

20 Thorax: ( Fig. 8 B, D, F ) pronotum yellow-brown dorsally and on lateral lobes; mesonotum brown, slightly darker anteriorly on each side and with yellowish markings at basal angles of scutellum; pro-, meso- and metasternites brown. Pronotum weakly rugulose with weak central transverse excavation with weak impressed point at each side; longitudinal carina absent. Mesonotum weakly rugulose centrally, smooth laterally to peridiscal carinae; median absent; peridiscal carinae obsolete; scutellum slightly impressed; tegulae yellow-brown; metanotum brown.

Tegmina: ( Fig. 8 A, C, E ) cells dark brown basally, progressively paler towards apex; dense venation yellow-brown basally, progressively paler towards apex; venation paler than background and irregularly distributed paler cells producing cloudy effect; 4 irregular blackish markings along costal margin; basal irregular black transverse band; pale yellowish area at cubital angle and at apex of clavus; costal and postclaval margins subparallel, apex obliquely rounded.

Posterior wings: ( Fig. 8 A, C ) transluscent yellow-brown on distal half and along sutural margin; basal half bright red; veins concolorous with ground colour, slightly darker on distal yellow-brown portion; broader than tegmina.

Legs: ( Fig. 8 A, C ) elongate and slender with pro- and mesofemora and tibiae dorsoventrally flattened; pro- and mesotibiae weakly narrowing basally and distally. All coxae and trochanters dark brown. Pro- and mesofemora brown, slightly paler on middle portion; pro- and mesotibiae dark brown with small yellowish basal ring, broad contrasting pale yellow ring slightly distally to mid-length and distal portion darker; pro- and mesotarsomeres black. Metafemora pale brown, paler distally and paler than pro- and mesofemora; metatibiae yellow-brown with slightly paler portion before apex; metatarsomeres yellow-brown. Metatibiotarsal formula: (6–7) 7/9/5.

Abdomen: ( Fig. 8 A, C ) bright red dorsally; brown ventrally.

Male genitalia: ( Fig. 9 ) pygofer, anal tube and gonostyli red; pygofer much higher than long in lateral view, with posterior margin curved in lateral view and with blunt dorsolateral process directed posteriorly and slightly laterally. Anal tube elongate, 1.69 times longer than broad in dorsal view, broader apically; dorsal margin weakly curved in lateral view and abruptly curved ventrally near apex; apicoventral angle rounded in lateral view; lateral margins weakly bisinuate in dorsal view, slightly emarginate on distal 1/3; apical margin excavate in dorsal view, apicolateral angles rounded in dorsal view; in posterior view higher than wide, dorsal margin rounded, lateral margins oblique, weakly tapering ventrally, ventral margin bisinuate; lateral lamina not visible. Gonostyli elongate, subrectangular with posterior half slightly wider and dorsal margin weakly excavate on basal half in lateral view; strong lateral tooth directed latero-ventrally at about half-length, bearing secondary small tooth at mid-length; apical margin nearly straight medially in lateral view. Aedeagus with endosomal process strongly incurved distally in dorsal view, sinuate and curved ventrally on distal portion in lateral view; in dorsal view, strongly widening laterally then progressively narrowing on distal 1/3 due to lateral lamina; lamina reaching apex and with 4 strong teeth laterally; inner margin regularly curved; in lateral view, dorsal margin humped at mid-length, laterodorsal lamina incurved and apex rounded; phallus at rest about 2.0 times longer than broad.

DISTRIBUTION. Laos: Luang Prabang Province ( Fig. 4 ).

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Figures

Fig. 4. Polydictya spp. nov. and P. chantrainei Nagai & Porion, 2004, distribution map.

Fig. 8. Polydictya laotiana sp. nov., holotype ♂ (RBINS). A, habitus, dorsal view; B, head, pro- and mesonotum, dorsal view. C, habitus, ventral view. D, frons, normal view. E, habitus, lateral view. F, head and prothorax, lateral view.

Fig. 9. Polydictya laotiana sp. nov., holotype ♂ (RBINS), genitalia. A, pygofer, anal tube and gonostylus, left lateral view. B, anal tube and pygofer, dorsal view. C, apex of anal tube, postero-dorsal view. D, aedeagus, lateral view. E, aedeagus, dorsal view. An, anal tube – EP, endosomal process of aedeagus – G, gonostylus – Py, pygofer.

Fig. 12. Polydictya nigrifrons sp. nov., holotype ♀ (RBINS). A, habitus, dorsal view; B, head, pro- and mesonotum, dorsal view. C, habitus, ventral view. D, frons, normal view. E, habitus, lateral view. F, head and prothorax, lateral view.

Fig. 13. Polydictya thompsoni sp. nov., holotype ♀ (RBINS). A, habitus, dorsal view; B, head, pro- and mesonotum, dorsal view. C, habitus, ventral view. D, frons, normal view. E, habitus, lateral view. F, head and prothorax, lateral view.

Fig. 19. Polydictya pantherina Gerstaecker, 1895. A–C, holotype ♀ (ZIMG – photographs © P. Michalik). A, habitus, dorsal view; B, habitus, ventral view. C, labels. D–G, holotype ♂ of synonym Polydictya krisna Kirkaldy, 1902 (BMNH). D, habitus, dorsal view. E, frons, normal view. F, labels. G, head, lateral view.