Cleotyche (Cleotyche) francescoi, Constant & Semeraro & Moir, 2022

Constant, Jérôme, Semeraro, Linda & Moir, Melinda L., 2022, Australian Cleotychini planthoppers: review of the genus Cleotyche Emeljanov, 1997 with three new species (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Dictyopharidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 836, pp. 66-95 : 77-83

Cleotyche (Cleotyche) francescoi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B3A245D8-CC75-487F-9D4B-1F1E825FFC5D

Figs 6–10 , Table 1

Diagnosis

The species can be separated from the other Cleotyche (Cleotyche) species by the combination of the following characters:

1. Profemora very broad, only 2.55 × as long as broad, and slightly broader than protibiae ( Figs 7A , 8A ). 2. Vertex rather short, 1.71 × as long as broad ( Figs 7F , 8F ).

3. Vertex and anterior portion of pronotum pale brown ( Figs 7F , 8F ).

Differential diagnosis

This species differs from the three other species by its broad profemora (profemora 2.55 × as long as broad vs min. 2.91 × in the three other species).

The most similar species is C. (Cleotyche) mariae Emeljanov, 1997 which additionally differs by character 2 (vertex more elongate, 2.04 × as long as broad vs 1.71 × in C. (Cleotyche) francescoi sp. nov.).

Etymology

The species epithet refers to Dr Francesco “ Bacon ” Martoni (VAIC) in acknowledgement for all his help and enthusiasm during the field work in Queensland in December 2019.

Type material

Holotype AUSTRALIA • ♂; [Queensland]; Eurimbula N.P. , Ganoonga Noonga Lookout ; 24°12′05″ S, 151°48′11″ E; 9 Dec. 2019; sweeping [grasses]; J. Constant, F. Martoni, M. Moir and L. Semeraro leg.; “ Australia Qld, Eurimbula N.P. , Ganoonga Noonga Lookout , 24°12′05″S 151°48′11″E, 9.xii.2019, sweeping, leg. J. Constant, F. Martoni, M. Moir & L. Semeraro ”; QM.

Paratypes AUSTRALIA • 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; QM • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; DPIRD • 4 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; RBINS .

Description

MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. LT: ♂ (n = 2): 4.04 mm (3.94–4.14); ♀ (n = 1): 4.69. LTg/BTg = 1.12; LV/ BV = 1.71; LF/BF = 3.65; LPf/BPf = 2.55; LPt/BPt = 2.73.

HEAD ( Figs 7F–H , 8F–H ). Yellow-brown with clypeus glossy black; labium brown with terminal segment black. Vertex elongate, 1.71 × as long as broad, projected anteriorly, rounded to a blunt point apically, with median carina not reaching anterior margin and with lateral margins carinate and incurved; posterior margin roundly concave. Frons elongate, with sides subparallel, weakly narrowing along eyes, 3.65 × as long as broad, straight in lateral view, anteriorly rounded, projected to a blunt point in perpendicular view, with three complete carinae, one median and one along each lateral margin, all extending to apex of clypeus; two weak, short carinae between median and sublateral carinae extending from dorsal margin along 1 /5 of the way along the frons. Clypeus elongate and narrow, triangular. Eyes rather large, moderately protruding laterally. Antennae with scape short and cylindrical; pedicel short, inflated, barrel-shaped and with large sensory plates on ventral portion. Ocelli absent. Labium elongate and narrow, reaching posterior trochanters and with apical segment elongate, about half as long as penultimate one.

THORAX ( Figs 7E–H , 8E–H ). Pronotum yellow-brown with posterior half whitish extending in a whitish band along posterior margin of paranotal lobes; mesonotum dark brown, darker than anterior portion of pronotum, with apex of scutellum slightly paler; thoracic sternites glossy black. Pronotum smooth with anterior margin strongly bisinuate, roundly projecting anteriorly behind vertex and roundly emarginate behind eyes, and posterior margin weakly incurved; median longitudinal carina and two lateral carinae on disc merging anteriorly along anterior margin; lateral carina behind eye; paranotal lobe angularly rounded posteroventrally. Mesonotum very short, about ⅔ as long as pronotum, smooth with three weakly marked obsolete carinae prolongating pronotal ones. Tegulae absent.

TEGMINA ( Figs 7A, C, F, H , 8A, C, F, H ). Brown as mesonotum with rather broad white band along posterior margin, covering about ¼ of tegmina length; slightly elongate in dorsal view, 1.12 × as long as broad, slightly broadening from base to apex, truncate apically, slightly rounded, particularly along lateral apical margin, convex, smooth; no venation apparent.

LEGS ( Figs 7A–D, I , 8A–D, I ). Dark brown to black with pro- and mesocoxae and trochanters black; profemora slightly paler basally; apical pale yellowish interrupted ring on pro- and mesofemora; protibiae with basal pale yellow marking dorsally and ventrally; protarsi white; apex of metafemora and base of metatibiae darker; metatibiae turning yellowish from base to apex; metatarsomeres whitish except brown posterior portion of second one. Profemora and protibiae foliaceous, broad, 2.55 and 2.73 × as long as broad, respectively; protibiae 0.96 × as broad as profemora; profemora with anterior margin weakly curved and posterior margin broadly rounded, with 14–16 small teeth; protibiae with margins broadly rounded and external margin roundly truncate apically; median and posterior legs elongate and slender; metatibiae broadening towards apex, with one ventrolateral spine at distal 3 /5 and 6 apical spines; first and second metatarsomeres with strong spine at each side and apical row of 12 platellae ventrally. Metatibiotarsal formula: (2) 6 (2-4)/2/2.

ABDOMEN ( Figs 7A–D , 8A–D ). Glossy black with median yellowish marking on last segment in male, on two last segments in female; small yellowish marking on anal tube at base of anal column. Abdomen dorsoventrally flattened and smooth.

MALE TERMINALIA ( Fig. 9 ). Pygofer (Py) ( Fig. 9A–E ) narrow in lateral view, 2.9 × as high as long at midheight, suboval and about 1.25 × as wide as high in posterior view; anterior and posterior margins rounded in lateral view; posterior margin deeply notched in dorsal and ventral view, with roundly V-shaped notch dorsally and U-shaped notch ventrally. Gonostyli (G) ( Fig. 9A–E ) moderately elongate, 1.75 × as long as high in lateral view, 3.4 × as long as wide at base in ventral view, slightly surpassing anal tube; dorsal margin sinuate in lateral view; posteroventral margin regularly rounded in lateral view; strong basidorsal lateral hook (lh) curved lateroventrad, with dorsal margin strongly rounded in caudal view. Aedeagus (ae) ( Fig. 9F–J ) elongate and narrow in dorsal view, with 2 pairs of membranous processes, each bearing an anteapical lateral sclerotized spine (sp); phallobase (phb) with 2 elongate, narrow, straight, sclerotized dorsal processes (dpp); connective (cv) elongate and narrow. Anal tube (An) ( Fig. 9A–E ) in dorsal view obovate, 1.4 × as long as wide, widest at basal 2 /5, with apical margin rounded and with anal opening at basal ⅓ of length; ventral margin straight, abruptly rounded at straight angle before strong apicolateral teeth (alt); teeth with posterior margin weakly concave in lateral view, narrow and slightly diverging in caudal view; length of teeth along posterior margin in lateral view equals 0.47 × length of anal tube.

Biology

The specimens were collected by sweeping grass in and around the trail to Ganoonga Noonga Lookout, in relatively open Eucalyptus woodland ( Fig. 10 ).

Distribution

Australia, SE Queensland, Eurimbula National Park ( Fig. 6 ).

Figures

Fig. 6. The distribution of described species of Cleotychini in Australia.

Fig. 7. Cleotyche (Cleotyche) francescoi sp. nov., ♂, holotype (QM). A. Habitus dorsal view.B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Habitus, lateral view. D. Habitus, perpendicular view of frons. E. Habitus, anterolateral view. F. Head and thorax, dorsal view. G. Frons, perpendicular view. H. Head and thorax, lateral view. I. Distal portion of posterior leg, ventral view.

Fig. 8. Cleotyche (Cleotyche) francescoi sp. nov., ♀, paratype (QM). A. Habitus dorsal view.B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Habitus, lateral view. D. Habitus, perpendicular view of frons. E. Habitus, anterolateral view. F. Head and thorax, dorsal view. G. Frons, perpendicular view. H. Head and thorax, lateral view. I. Distal portion of posterior leg, ventral view.

Fig. 9. Cleotyche (Cleotyche) francescoi sp. nov., ♂, holotype (QM). A–E. Pygofer, anal tube and gonostyli. A. Left lateral view. B. Caudal view. C. Dorsal view. D. Ventral view. E. Laterocaudal view. F–J. Aedeagus. F. Left lateral view. G. Dorsolateral view. H. Caudal view. I. Dorsal view. J. Ventral view. Abbreviations: see Fig. 4.

Fig. 10. Habitat of Cleotyche (Cleotyche) francescoi sp. nov. in Eurimbula National Park, 9 Dec. 2019.