Aka dobsonensis, Löcker, Birgit, 2015

Löcker, Birgit, 2015, Revision of the Australian species of Aka White, 1879 (Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae) with the description of a new genus, Zootaxa 3956 (2), pp. 199-223 : 209-210

Aka dobsonensis sp. nov

( Figs 2 D–F, 9)

Zoobank Registration: http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C5B732FF-807E-4E8A-9AA1-C1ACD42BC335

Types. Holotype, 1 ♂, AUSTRALIA, Tas: Lake Dobson, Mt Field N.P., 42° 40.9’S, 146° 35.2’E, 1080m, ex Nothofagus cunninghamii beats, 55GDN662743, Id4/Nc/HeAu3, 6.iii.2000 (PJK-W [J. Keble Williams]) (ASCU ASCTHE028621). Paratypes, Tas: 1 ♂ ,, Lake Fenton, Mt Field N.P., 42° 40.6’S, 146° 37.4’E, 1000m, ex Nothofagus cunninghamii beats, 55GDN692748, If12/Nc/HeAu3, 10.iv.2000 (PJK-W [J. Keble Williams]) (ASCU); 1 ♂, [Mount?] Pelion, malaise #1, 15.v.1990 (ANIC).

Etymology. Named after the type locality, Lake Dobson.

Diagnosis. Aka dobsonensis and A. sorellensis are the only Australian species of Aka with a deeply excavated apex of the anal tube. These two species differ in the number of apical teeth on the first tarsomere ( A. dobsonensis with 6, A. sorellensis with 7).

Colour. Vertex brown, carinae paler, with a whitish spot where subapical carinae meet lateral borders of vertex. Frons in most specimens with a rectangular, dark brown, central area; lateral parts and carinae mid brown; a paler spot where forked carinae meet vertex and a whitish spot at each lateral end of frontoclypeal suture; post- and anteclypeus mid brown with slightly paler carinae. Pro- and mesonotum brown with slightly paler carinae; pronotum paler than mesonotum. Forewings light brown to whitish, mottled with mid to dark brown spots; tubercles and veins concolorous with cells; pterostigma whitish. Abdominal sternites mid to dark brown. Legs light brown with a few darker marks.

Morphology. Body length: ♂ 3.9–4.3 mm.

Head: Vertex 1.3–1.4 x wider than long; median carina of vertex covering 1/2–2/3 of basal compartment of vertex. Frons 1.0–1.1 x as long as wide; maximum width no more than 2x apical width; position of maximum width slightly dorsad of centre of frontoclypeal suture; median carina forked in basal (near frontoclypeal suture) fourth of frons. Median ocellus present (distinct or indistinct). Anteclypeus lacking median carina. Subapical segment of rostrum 1.5 x longer than apical segment.

Thorax: Mesonotum without sublateral carinae. Forewing 2.8–3.6 x longer than wide; costal margin with or without a number of indistinct tubercles; tubercles never within cells; tubercles very small, concolorous with veins; some tubercles bearing setae; Sc+R+M near basal cell fused, forming a minute common stem Sc+R+M or Sc+R fused, M emerging separately from basal cell; fork of ScRA+ RP distinctly basad of fork CuA1+CuA2; distance tegula to ScR+M fork longer than distance between this fork and ScRA+ RP fork; position of r-m distinctly basad of fork MA+MP; fork MA+MP situated around apical 1/16 of forewing; icu distinctly distad of apex of clavus; RP apically unforked or bifid; MA unforked, MP unforked or sometimes M not forked into MA and MP; nodus of yvein distinctly distad of centre of clavus; y-vein with A1 moderately to highly elevated; 5–6 apical cells. Hind leg: 1st tarsomere with 6 apical teeth; 2nd tarsomere with 6 (rarely 5 or 7) apical teeth and 2–3 fine setae.

Male genitalia: Anal tube apically deeply excavated, forming two separate apical lobes as in Figs 9 C,D. Pygofer and genital styles as in Figs 9 E–G. Aedeagus ( Figs 9 A,B): Phallotheca ventrally with a long, slightly curved spine (b) covering about ¾ of length of aedeagus; left and right lateral with a shorter strongly curved spine (a,c) each. Flagellum unarmed.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Aka balma: A habitus; B, C head. Aka dobsonensis: D, E head; F habitus. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 9. Aka dobsonensis: A aedeagus ventral; B aedeagus right lateral; C – D anal tube; E pygofer; F – G genital styles.