Empoascanara (Empoascanara) sonani (Matsumura, 1931)

Ohara, Naomichi, 2013, Taxonomic notes and redescriptions of some Japanese erythroneurine leafhoppers (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae), Zootaxa 3731 (2), pp. 243-254 : 251

Empoascanara (Empoascanara) sonani (Matsumura, 1931)

( Fig. 6 )

Zygina fumigata f. sonani Matsumura, 1931 , Ins. Mats., 6 (1): 66 [ Formosa].

Erythroneura fumigata f. sonani: Esaki & Ito 1954 , Jap. Soc. Prom. Sci. Tokyo: 215.

Empoascanara sonani: Dworakowska 1972 , Bull. Acad. polon. Sci. [II], 20: 769; Dworakowska 1979, Bull. Acad. polon. Sci. [II], 27: 371 [ Japan: Okinawa (Chizuka)].

Pantanarendra sonani: Ramakrishnan & Ghauri 1979 , Reichenbachia, 17: 200.

Distribution. Japan (Ryukyus: Okinawa, Ishigaki); Taiwan.

Remarks. This species was newly recorded from Okinawa Is., Ryukyus, Japan by Dworakowska (1979), and later found on Ishigaki Is., Ryukyus by Hayashi (2002). But additional Japanese specimens were not examined in this study. This leafhopper, included in the E. sonani species-group, is very similar to E. (E.) kotoshonis (Matsumura) , but is easily distinguished because the two patches on the head are not fused to each other, and the black basal triangles on the mesonotum are absent. Although the configuration of the male genitalia of the two species is hardly distinguishable, the taxonomic features distinguishing the species from E. (E.) kotoshonis are as follows, which are based on Dworakowska (1992b): in majority of specimens, apical part of dorsal pygofer process mostly rhomboid-like on outline (not fusiform); extension of aedeagus at atrium in caudal view narrower, with spines less and smaller. Moreover the shape of female 7th sternite is also similar in the two species, but its posterior part of this species is longer and narrower.

Bionomics. This species also prefers open habitats and feeding mostly on grasses, but it also utilizes various composite plants, and tolerates more arid conditions than E. (E.) kotoshonis (cf. Dworakowska 1992b). Furthermore, Ipomoea batatas L. (sweet potato) ( Convolvulaceae ) is also recorded as a host plant by Chiang & Knight (1990).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Male dorsal habitus. 1 – 2, Anufrievia akazu (Matsumura); 3, Anufrievia ciconia Dworakowska; 4, Empoascanara bisignatella (Matsumura) comb. nov.; 5, Empoascanara kotoshonis (Matsumura); 6, Empoascanara sonani (Matsumura) [specimen from Taiwan]; 7, Anzygina honiloa (Kirkaldy). Body length: 1, 3.1 mm; 2, 3.0 mm; 3, 3.0 mm; 4, 3.0 mm; 5, 2.7 mm; 6, 2.5 mm; 7, 2.4 mm.