Cornutalis andinum

Flórez-V, Camilo, 2017, A new species of Cornutalis Sakakibara (Membracidae: Smiliinae: Acutalini) from Colombia, Zootaxa 4272 (3), pp. 439-445 : 440-445

Cornutalis andinum Flórez-V sp. nov.

( Figs. 2A, 2C, 2 D, 3A, 3C – E)

Diagnosis. Overall body coloration ochre; suprahumeral horns conical and robust, in a lateral view obliquely antero-dorsally directed, and in frontal view dorso-laterally directed, antero-dorsally reddish and apically yellow; pronotal median carina red posterior to humeral angles; dorsal contour of pronotum widely arched.

Description. Holotype female. General color: Ochre with black pronotal pits. Head: Smooth, coronal suture and eyes black. Vertex triangular, slightly convex, approximately 2x as wide as long, with diagonal striae; ocelli closer to each other than to eyes; supra-antennal ledges slightly curved anteriorly; frontoclypeus ovoid, extending 1/ 2x of its length below supra-antennal ledges, with longitudinal striae, acute in lateral view; rostrum apex reaching mesocoxae at rest. Pronotum: Median carina red posterior to metopidium; suprahumeral horns reddish along antero-dorsal surface, tips yellow; posterior margin of posterior process black. Metopidium convex, dorso-medial carina sharp, elevated, tectiform. Suprahumeral horns dorso-laterally directed in frontal view, antero-laterally directed in lateral and dorsal view, length approximately 3x longer than basal width, dorsal margin widely arched; in dorsal view, triangular, anteriorly directed; lateral margins widely arched, converging to posterior margin of posterior process (3A). Wings ( Fig. 2C ): Forewing membrane yellowish hyaline throughout, opaque brownish at apex, veins ochre, apically darker (e.g., R4+5, M1+2, R4+5+M1+2, M3+4, m-cu 2, apex of R2+3, and claval suture); two m-cu crossveins delimiting one M discoidal cell. Left hindwing with four apical cells, one r-m crossvein and vein A branched (see Remarks). Legs: Metafemur dorsal surface with cucullate setae apicad ( Fig. 2C, 2 E); metatibia with three rows of cucullate setae. Abdomen: Female genitalia: Gonoplac with setae along ventral margin. First valvulae blade-shaped, narrow throughout, margins parallel until apical 1/6, dorsal margin tapering towards apex; apex sharp; dorsal sculptured area on apical 1/5 and along dorsal margin, and ventral sculptured area restricted to apex, both areas with linear tegumental processes. Second valvulae fused at basal 4/5, dorsal and ventral margins parallel until 4/5, then broadened, then margins converging to apex; dorsal margin of apex with many quadrangular small teeth; ducts present on apical 1/5, extended towards teeth, opened on pores; ventral margin with linear tegumental processes.

Observations on the female paratype: Pronotal medial carina ochre; suprahumeral horns more slightly directed laterad than dorsad compared to holotype; both forewings anomalous, with an additional r-m crossvein, delimiting a second discoidal cell (see Remarks).

Male and nymphs unknown.

Measurements. Holotype female (mm). Body length: 10.57; pronotal length: 9.15; maximum height of pronotum: 2.99; distance between tips of suprahumeral horns: 6.19; distance between humeral angles: 3.64; length of forewings: 9.38; head width: 2.50.

Examined material. Holotype female. ‘ COLOMBIA. Risaralda, Pereira, Vereda El \ Bosque , Zona con función amortiguadora PNN \ Los Nevados , 4°43'58.94"N, 75°27'29.97"W, \ 3100 msnm, en Baccharis sp. ( Asteraceae ) cerca \ de agrupaciones de Alchisme bos \ (Hoplophorionini), borde de bosque, 8-ene-2015, \ leg. C. Bota, C. Flórez, S. Moncada, E. Santa, W. \ Valencia \ CBUCES-F 269’. Repository: CBUCES. Condition: Well preserved. Abdomen and entire left posterior leg dissected.

Paratype female. ‘SFF Galeras, Corregimiento Mapachico, Vda. San Cayetano, 3300 m, bosque-potrero, malaise, 17.III.1998, C.H. Erazo, IAvH-87087’. Repository: IAvH. Condition: Well preserved, except by a small hole between vertex and frontoclypeus.

Biology. A single female was found at the border of the Los Nevados National Park, at the edge of the forest at 3100 masl, feeding on a shrub of Baccharis sp. ( Asteraceae ). This is the first host plant record for the genus. Adult aggregations of Alchisme bos (Fairmaire, 1846; Membracinae: Holophorionini) were also found on the same host (even females guarding their eggs, see Fig. 4 A, 4B, 4D). Alchime bos , shows convergent pronotal shape and colour ( Fig. 4 A – D) to such an extent that its representatives were difficult to distinguish from Cornutalis in the field. Both species have the pronotal horns directed laterally, dorsally, and anteriorly (depending on the aspect), and both are ochreous green in live specimens; however, A. bos has a triangular dorsal process ( Fig. 4 C, 4D) while C. andinum has a dorsal elevation without a distinct process ( Fig. 2A, 2C ). Indeed, the paratype of C. andinum was misidentified as Alchisme at IAvH.

Etymology. From the Latin: andinum , pertaining to the Andes, where all the species of the genus have been collected.

Distribution. C. andinum : COLOMBIA. Risaralda (Pereira—buffer zone PNN Los Nevados); Nariño (Pasto—SFF Galeras) ( Fig. 1). Cornutalis cauca was described from the PNN Puracé in Cauca , Colombia ( Fig. 1) at 3700 masl, while C. valida was described from Papallacta in Napo, and between Santo Domingo and Quito, both localities from Ecuador ( Fig. 1) at 2700 and 4100 masl, respectively ( Sakakibara 1997).

Remarks. C. andinum closely resembles C. valida in head shape; both species have an ovoid frontoclypeus, which is extended half of its length below the supra-antennal ledges. In contrast, C. cauca specimens have an almost circular frontoclypeus. C. andinum can be distinguished from C. valida and C. cauca in having much longer and robust suprahumeral horns, which are directed anteriorly, dorsally and laterally (depending on the aspect), and a widely arched pronotal dorsum in lateral view. The holotype of C. andinum shows an additional r-m crossvein in the right hindwing (the extra r-m crossvein delimiting an additional apical cell), while the left hindwing venation is identical to those of other Cornutalis species. The paratype of C. andinum shows an additional r-m crossvein on both forewings, delimiting an additional discoidal cell. However, these discoidal cells are different in shape in each wing, and the location of the additional r-m crossvein also differs, an indication that the venation in this specimen is anomalous. This specimen corresponds to the examined specimen of Cornutalis in Flórez-V et al. (2015).

Additionally, one paratype of C. valida was revised, currently on loan in DZUP but belonging to Lund Universitets ( Sweden) ( Fig. 2A, 2 D, 3B) . Holotypes of C. cauca and C. valida were not found on DZUP.

Photographs of these holotypes, taken by Dr. Albino Sakakibara, can be accessed on the Treehopper Web Site ( Deitz and Wallace, 2010: http://treehoppers.insectmuseum.org).

Figures

FIGURE 2. A, C, E. Cornutalis andinum sp. nov., female holotype: A. Frontal view, C. Lateral view, E. Fronto-lateral view. B, D: Cornutalis valida Sakakibara (female paratype): B. Frontal view, D. Lateral view.

FIGURE 4. Alchisme bos in Baccharis sp. (Asteraceae). A, B. dorsal view of females guarding their eggs (female of B with a mite); C. frontal view, male, D. lateral view, female.