Ruppeliana signiceps ( Stål, 1862 )

Mejdalani, Gabriel, 2017, The Neotropical sharpshooter genus Ruppeliana Young (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae): four new species, key to males, and new synonyms, Zootaxa 4329 (5), pp. 436-448 : 446

Ruppeliana signiceps ( Stål, 1862)

( Figures 28–35 )

Tettigonia signiceps Stål, 1862: 39

Female holotype from Rio de Janeiro (NHRS) ( Fig. 28 ). Tettigonia coronulifera Stål, 1862: 39 , syn. nov. Male holotype from Rio de Janeiro (NHRS) ( Fig. 29 ). Tettigonia taschenbergi Berg, 1899: 160 , syn. nov. Male holotype from Brazil (MLUH) ( Fig. 30 ).

Taxonomic notes. Tettigonia signiceps ( Fig. 28 ) and T. coronulifera ( Fig. 29 ) were described by Stål (1862) on page 39 of his important work on the Hemiptera from Rio de Janeiro (Southeastern Brazil), the first based on a female and the second on a male (as only one specimen was cited by Stål for each species, we believe that they are the holotypes). Taschenberg (1884: 442) described T. hieroglyphica based on a male from Brazil; as this specific name was preoccupied (viz., T. hieroglyphica Say, 1830 ), Berg (1899: 160) proposed the replacement name taschenbergi ( Fig. 30 ) (see Metcalf 1965 and McKamey 2007). Young (1977) provided illustrations of the female holotype of T. signiceps (anterior dorsum), male holotype of T. coronulifera (anterior dorsum and genitalia) and male holotype of T. taschenbergi (anterior dorsum only, the abdomen was missing); he also designated T. signiceps as the type species of Ruppeliana . We believe that specimens previously associated with these three nomina ( signiceps , coronulifera , and taschenbergi ) belong to a single species that has a somewhat variable color pattern ( Figs. 28–33 ). All females have a similar sternite VII ( Fig. 34 , see also Young 1977: 748, fig. 609i) and males have the aedeagus as illustrated by Young (1977) for T. coronulifera ( Fig. 35 ); sternite VII has a posteromedian lobe and the aedeagus has very elongate and slender atrial processes. In order to prevent further confusion, we believe that T. coronulifera and T. taschenbergi should be considered as synonyms of R. signiceps .

Material examined. Southeastern Brazil. Espírito Santo State: one female, Santa Teresa ( MNRJ). Minas Gerais State: one male, Catas Altas, RPPN [Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural] Santuário do Caraça [ Fig. 33 ], S20°6’1.9’’, W43°29’28.6’’ ( MNRJ). Rio de Janeiro State: one male, Teresópolis [ Fig. 32 ], Vale da Revolta ( MNRJ); four females, Rio de Janeiro, Corcovado ( DZUP). Paraná State: two females, São José dos Pinhais ( DZUP); one male and one female, Marumbi, Morretes ( DZUP); one female, Morretes ( DZUP).

Figures

FIGURES 28 – 35. Ruppeliana signiceps (Stål, 1862). 28 – 33, body, dorsal view: 28, female holotype (total length 9.5 mm) of Tettigonia signiceps from Rio de Janeiro State (NHRS); 29, male holotype (t. l. 8.7 mm) of T. coronulifera Stål, 1862 syn. nov. from Rio de Janeiro State (NHRS); 30, male holotype (t. l. 8.7 mm) of T. taschenbergi Berg, 1899 syn. nov. from Brazil (MLUH); 31, female (t. l. 9.2 mm) from Minas Gerais State previously identified by D. A. Young as R. coronulifera (MHNP); 32, male (t. l. 8.4 mm) from Rio de Janeiro State previously identified by G. Mejdalani as R. coronulifera (MNRJ); 33, male (t. l. 8.5 mm) from Minas Gerais State (MNRJ). 34, sternite VII of the holotype of T. signiceps, lateral view. 35, aedeagus of the holotype of T. coronulifera, lateral view (modified from Young 1977, fig. 611 f). Figs. 29 – 31 modified from Wilson et al. (2009); antennae and legs not depicted.