Taurotettix (Callistrophia) elegans subornata ( Mityaev, 1971 ) Tishechkin, 2021

Tishechkin, Dmitri Yu., 2021, Review of the genus Taurotettix Haupt, 1929 (Homoptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Cicadulini): morphology, acoustic signals, and geographical variability, Zootaxa 5082 (2), pp. 191-199 : 197-198

Taurotettix (Callistrophia) elegans subornata ( Mityaev, 1971) stat. nov.

Figs. 12–15 , 34–39

Callistrophia subornata Mityaev, 1971: 156 .

Description. Coloration as in C. elegans elegans , but usually paler; longitudinal stripes on forewings lighter, in specimens from Kazakhstan sometimes almost invisible ( Figs. 12–15 ).

Similar to nominotypical subspecies in genitalia shape, but differs in somewhat smaller apical lobe of aedeagus ( Figs. 34, 36, 38 ) and asymmetrically expanded and truncate style apophysis ( Figs. 35, 37, 39 ).

Body length (including tegmina): ♂, 5.0–5.5 mm; ♀, 5.6–6.2 mm.

Hosts. In steppes and deserts, usually dwells on riverbanks and in wet hollows, often on saline soils.Was collected in a meadow with Elytrigia sp. , Bromus inermis , and Stipa sp. (Poaceae) and from Carex sp. and Bolboschoenus sp. (Cyperaceae) in Eastern Kazakhstan and from Elymus sp. and other grasses under the canopy of a forest on the riverbank in Central Tien Shan.

Calling signal. Unknown.

Distribution. Southern and Eastern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan (North and Central Tien Shan Mts.).

Remarks. Originally described from Kazakhstan in a key ( Mityaev, 1971) as a valid species, this taxon only slightly differs from T. (C.) elegans in genitalia shape. Because these differences are obviously of a geographic nature, we consider this taxon to be a subspecies.

Recorded from Kyrgyzstan, Central Tien Shan Mts. (Ottuk, At-Bashy, and Aktal) by Dubovsky and Turgunov (1971) as “ Callistrophia sp. n. ”, but a formal description was never published elsewhere by these authors.Investigated material from Central Tien Shan belongs to T. (C.) elegans subornata ( Figs. 12–13 , 34–35 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1–15. Taurotettix spp., subgenital plates (1–2) and lateral view (3–15). 1, 3―T. (T.) beckeri, 4–7―T. (C.) modesta, 2, 8–11―T. (C.) elegans elegans, 12–15―T. (C.) elegans subornata. 3–8, 10–12, 14–15―males, 9, 13―females. Localities are given under the figures for taxa distributed in multiple regions.

FIGURES 16–39. Taurotettix spp., male genitalia. 16–17―T. (T.) beckeri, 18–27―T. (C.) modesta, 28–33―T. (C.) elegans elegans, 34–39―T. (C.) elegans subornata. 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38―penis, lateral view, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39―style, dorsal view. Localities are given under the figures for taxa distributed in multiple regions.