Stirellus laetus ( Melichar, 1903 )

Duan, Yani, Zhang, Yating & Dietrich, Christopher H., 2019, Six new species of Stenometopiini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with redescription of additional species and new distributional records, Zootaxa 4603 (2), pp. 201-240 : 220

Stirellus laetus ( Melichar, 1903) n. rec.

( Figs 15–16 )

Deltocephalus laetus Melichar, 1903: 202 .

Stirellus laetus, Webb & Viraktamath, 2009: 30 .

Description. Length. Male: 2.8mm.

Coloration. General color usually stramineous with orange-red and dark brown markings ( Fig. 15A, B ). Crown with transverse preapical orange band, pronotum with anterior margin orange, mesonotum with basal triangle orange ( Fig. 15A ). Face with two black round markings on each side just below antennal sockets; frontoclypeus ochraceous with fuscous arcs ( Fig. 15C ). Forewing translucent without fuscous tint ( Fig. 15A, B ). Femora and tibiae with dark brown marks. Abdominal segments variably infused with dark brown ( Fig. 15B ).

Morphology. Head nearly as long as pronotum, subconical, anterior margin rounded to face, angled in dorsal and lateral view ( Fig. 15A, B ). Crown nearly as long as width between eyes ( Fig. 15A ). Anteclypeus parallel-sided, extending beyond normal curve of genae ( Fig. 15C ). Pronotum median length nearly as long as median length of crown. Mesonotum and scutellum together longer than pronotum ( Fig. 15A ). Forewing submacropterous, usually exposing apex of abdomen ( Fig. 15A, B ).

Male genitalia. Pygofer side with few macrosetae dorsally, steeply declivous posteriorly, apex narrow, posterior margin bluntly rounded ( Fig. 16A ). Subgenital plate slightly convex laterally, macrosetae uniseriate, well separated from lateral margin, not extended to apex ( Fig. 16C ). Style apophysis relatively long, digitate, nearlynearly straight, preapical lobe forming right angle ( Fig. 16D ). ConnectiveConnective H-shaped, stemstem broadbroad andand nearlynearly asas longlong asas armsarms ( Fig. 16E ). Aedeagal shaft strongly bent dorsad near base, long, sinuate, parallel to aedeagal base in lateral view, apex hooked and blunt; in posterior view abruptly constricted near apex, apex pointed ( Fig. 16F, G ).

Female. Hind margin of seventh sternum slightly concave.

Material examined. 1Ƌ, Thailand Loei Phu Ruea NP Pah Lo Noy, 17° 33′ 502" N 101° 20′ 868" E, 1343m, Pan trap, 5–6 ix 2006, Nukoonchai Jaroenchai, leg T817 ( INHS) .

Distribution. India; Sri Lanka; Thailand.

Remarks. This species is here recorded from Thailand for the first time.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Stirellus laetus A: habitus, dorsal view; B: habitus, lateral view; C: face.

FIGURE 16. Stirellus laetus A: male pygofer lobe, lateral view; B: male pygofer and segments X and XI, dorsal view; C: valve and subgenital plate, ventral view; D: style, dorsal view; E: connective, dorsal view; F: aedeagus, dorsal view; G: connective and aedeagus, lateral view.