Alocoelidia maurae, Zahniser & Nielson, 2012

Zahniser, J. N. & Nielson, M. W., 2012, An extraordinary new genus and three new species of Acostemmini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from Madagascar with comments on the morphology and classification of the tribe, Zootaxa 3209 (1), pp. 28-52 : 38-40

Alocoelidia maurae sp.n.

( Figs. 22–31 )

Description. Length of male 5.6–5.7mm.

Color yellowish or ochraceous to dark orange with dark brown or black markings (Figs. 22,23).

Head. Frontoclypeus dark orange, black laterally below antennae, with black arched markings; laterofrontal sutures extending beyond ocelli onto crown ( Fig. 26 ).

Wings. Forewing corium dark orange, clavus ochraceous (Figs. 22,23).

Legs. Profemur row AV with short stout setae extending most of length of femur; AV1 distinct; intercalary row with 7–9 relatively thick long well-separated setae extending past mid-length of femur; row AM with AM1 distinct and with several more proximal setae near base of intercalary row. Metatibia row PD setae not alternating much in length; row AD macrosetae with 2–4 small intercalary setae; apical pecten macrosetae of equal length. Metatarsomere I plantar surface with 2 poorly defined rows of small setae; apex with 5 platellae.

Male. Pygofer more than 3x long as tall; ventral margin undulate; sclerotized dorsally nearly to midlength; with a pair of dorsal recurved spines; apex slightly expanded, terminating in upturned spine ( Fig. 29 ). Valve fused to pygofer anteriorly, articulated posteriorly; produced medially to a point, excavated laterad of median point, and produced laterally, thus producing pair of arch shaped excavations; with distinct delimitation from subgenital plates laterally, but fused medially (Figs. 29,30,31). Subgenital plates fused basally, separated apically; subquadrate in shape; apices broad, blunt; without macrosetae ( Fig. 31 ). Style preapical lobe large, expanded dorsally, with denticulate texture; apophysis recurved, thick basally, sharply pointed apically, interior margin of apical part serrate on one side ( Fig. 27 ). Aedeagus with two shafts diverging from ventral part of base; shafts somewhat thick, narrowing abruptly to pointed apices; gonopores subapical on median surface (Figs. 25,28). Segment X sclerotized dorsally on apical half; broadly sclerotized laterally; lightly sclerotized ventrally at apex ( Fig. 29 ).

Material examined. Holotype ♂ ( CAS): MADAGASCAR: Province Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana, Belle Vue at Talatakely , elev 1020 m., 15–22 November 2001, 21°15.99’S 47° 25.21’E, collector: R. Harin’Hala , California Acad of Sciences , malaise, secondary tropical forest, MA-02-09C-03.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of the first author’s niece, Maura M.Wiggers.

Remarks. It is notable that the valve is partially fused to the pygofer in this species. In the other species of the genus and in other closely related genera (e.g. Caelidioides, Iturnoria ) the valve is completely articulated with the pygofer. The partially fused state in this species suggests that the completely fused condition present in the crown group Acostemmini shows some variability in the earlier lineages of the tribe.

Figures

FIGURES 22–31. Alocoelidia maurae sp.n., male holotype. 22. dorsal habitus; 23. lateral habitus; 24. detail of head, laterally; 25. aedeagus, laterally; 26. face; 27. connective and style, ventrally; 28. aedeagus, caudally; 29. pygofer, laterally; 30. valve, ventrally; 31. subgenital plates, ventrally.