Nesocerus bifurcatus, Krishnankutty & Dietrich, 2011

Krishnankutty, Sindhu M. & Dietrich, Christopher H., 2011, Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of an endemic leafhopper genus Nesocerus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Idiocerinae) from Madagascar, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 162 (3), pp. 499-543 : 526

NESOCERUS BIFURCATUS SP. NOV.

( FIGS 3M, N , 7H–O )

Diagnosis: This species has the following unique combination of characters: pygofer process forked in posterior view; subgenital plate with biseriate row of macrosetae along lateral submargin; style robust, almost straight throughout its length with short acute apical process and aedeagal shaft slender, with two pairs of symmetrical apical processes extending laterad.

Description: Length of male, 4.7 mm.

Coloration: Crown, pronotum with irregular black markings. Mesonotum with basal light brown triangle bordered by dark marking; median black lines extending to scutellum. Antennae with scape dull yellow; pedicel and flagellum light brown. Frontoclypeus with median stripe; with yellow demarcation along facial sutures. Gena with black marking. Clypellus with median yellow region bordered by black stripe. Forewing with claval vein white with alternate brown coloration. Legs with pale brown lines along dorsal and ventral margins.

Structure: Clypellus with sides concave, apex as wide as base, in profile flat. Rostrum extending beyond mid coxae. Forewing with r-m1 crossvein present. Metatibial setal rows PD, AD, and AV with 14–15, ten, and 11–12 macrosetae, respectively.

Male genitalia: Pygofer broad with falcate posterodorsal process, apex of process bifid; posterolateral margin with short setae. Subgenital plate in lateral view depressed basally, broadened near apex, with short fine setae confined to lateral margin and dorsum of apex; in ventral view lateral margin strongly convex towards base, evenly narrowed toward apex, with submarginal row of macrosetae along apical half. Style in lateral view with broad apodeme; apophysis slightly narrowed and curved dorsad, uniformly broad throughout its length with apical tooth. Connective in dorsal view semicircular, fused to preatrium of aedeagus. Aedeagus in lateral view with atrium narrow; socle poorly developed; shaft in lateral view slender, broadly curved near the base, narrowed towards apex; apex in posterior view narrow, bifurcated apically and subapically; gonopore situated posteriorly below the subapical process.

Material examined: Holotype male, MADAGASCAR: Province Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana , radio tower at forest edge, 1130 m, 22°15′3″S, 47°24′25″E, 26.–31.iii.2002, M. Irwin, R. Harin’Hala, malaise, mixed tropical forest, MA-02-09B-22 ( CAS) . Paratype: one male (genitalia damaged), MADAGAS- CAR: Province Fianarantsoa , Parc National Ranomafana, radio tower at forest edge, 1130 m, 22°15′3″S, 47°24′25″E, 21.–28.i.2002, M. Irwin, R . Harin’Hala, malaise, mixed tropical forest, MA-02-09B-13 (INHS).

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the twiceforked aedeagus.

Figures

Figure 3. Nesocerus spp. nov., dorsal habitus and face of holotype male. A, B, Nesocerus trilineatus.; C, D, Nesocerus ranomafanaensis; E, F, Nesocerus angulatus; G, H, Nesocerus orbiculatus; I, J, Nesocerus affinis; K, L, Nesocerus sclerophyllus; M, N, Nesocerus bifurcatus; O, P, Nesocerus littoralis; Q, R, Nesocerus fasika; S, T, Nesocerus tulearensis.

Figure 7. Nesocerus spp. nov. Male pygofer in lateral view (A, H, P), male subgenital plate in ventral (B, J, Q) and lateral views (C, K, R), aedeagus in lateral (D, L, S) and caudal views (E, M, T), style in lateral view (F, N, U), style and connective in dorsal view (G, O, V), apex of male pygofer in caudal view (I). A–G, Nesocerus orbiculatus; H–O, Nesocerus bifurcatus; P–V, Nesocerus littoralis.