Mjolnirus Wang, Xu & Qin, 2021

Wang, Yi-Mei, Xu, Ye, Dmitriev, Dmitry A., Dietrich, Christopher H. & Qin, Dao-Zheng, 2021, Two new empoascine leafhopper genera, Thaioasca and Mjolnirus, from Thailand (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae), with a checklist of Empoascini in Thailand, Zootaxa 4915 (2), pp. 246-254 : 249-250

Mjolnirus Wang, Xu & Qin , gen. nov.

Type species: Mjolnirus mediolobus Wang, Xu & Qin , sp. nov.

Description. Head with eyes subequal in width to maximum width of pronotum. Eyes in dorsal view narrower than distance between basomedial angles ( Figs 18, 20 ). Coronal suture extended slightly beyond crown mid-length but not onto face ( Fig. 20 ). Ocelli on crown margin well separated from eyes. Lateral frontal sutures present and extended below ocelli ( Fig. 21 ). Anteclypeus narrowed and slightly convex basally ( Figs 19, 21 ). Forewing narrow, rounded apically, veins R2 and RM confluent at their bases, distal segments of both arising from m cell ( Fig. 22 ), vein MCu well separated with RM apically. Hind wing with vein MP and CuA completely confluent ( Fig. 23 ).

Fore femur with 1 enlarged AV seta on basal margin. Middle femur with 1 distinct dorsoapical macroseta. Hind femur setal formula 2+1+1, tibia with 6 macrosetae in row AV near apex.

Male 2S abdominal apodemes well developed, parallel-sided ( Fig. 24 ). Pygofer lobe with few microsetae along posterodorsal margin; ventral margin infolded; dorsal bridge well delimited, long, ventral appendage present, arising from internal ridge near ventral margin of pygofer lobe ( Figs 25–29 ). Subgenital plate surpassing pygofer lobe, well expanded basally with prominent basolateral projection, gradually narrowing apically; basal setae elongate and stout, arising from basolateral angle; marginal setae well defined, separated into medial and distal groups; macrosetae uniseriate, not reaching tip of plate; feeble microsetae undeveloped ( Figs 25 , 27, 30 ). Style slightly broadened basally, apophysis elongate, with short basolateral protrusion, dentifer short with few tiny teeth ( Figs 27, 31, 32 ). Aedeagus with preatrium longer than shaft, shaft with asymmetrical basal processes; dorsal apodeme absent ( Figs 25, 26 , 33–35 ). Connective, articulated with aedeagus, with narrow median lobe on anterior margin, caudal margin notched medially ( Fig. 36 ). Anal tube processes short, rounded ( Figs 25 , 37 ).

Distribution. Thailand.

Etymology. The new generic name is derived from Proto-Germanic: Mjölnir, the hammer of Thor, the Norse god of thunder, referring to the pygofer processes which resemble hammer handles ( Figs 25–29 ). Gender: masculine.

Notes. Mjolnirus is included in the Empoasca generic group based on hind wing veins MP and CuA being confluent, the subgenital plates free through their length, and the connective well separated from the aedeagus. It is similar to Empoasca Walsh , but differs in the unique structure of the pygofer and subgenital plate. Among other empoascine genera in the Oriental Region, Mjolnirus superficially resembles Sharoka Sohi & Mann, 1993 in having very similar head structure (head with eyes subequal to maximum width of pronotum, coronal suture not extended onto face); and the subgenital plate broadest at the base and tapering towards the apex, with marginal setae divided into two separate groups. It differs from Sharoka in the shape of the aedeagus which lacks a dorsal apodeme and has the atrium weakly expanded in caudoventral view (aedeagus with dorsal apodeme, and atrium greatly expanded in caudoventral view in Sharoka ). Furthermore, Mjolnirus differs from all other known genera of Empoasca genus group in having column-like processes arising from the ventral margin of the male pygofer.

Figures

FIGURES 18–26. Mjolnirus mediolobus Wang, Xu & Qin, sp. nov. 18. male adult (abdomen removed), dorsal view; 19. male adult (abdomen removed), left lateral view; 20. head and thorax, dorsal view; 21. face; 22. forewing; 23. hindwing; 24. abdominal apodemes; 25. male genitalia, left lateral view; 26. male genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.5 mm (Figs 18–26).

FIGURES 27–37. Mjolnirus mediolobus Wang, Xu & Qin, sp. nov. 27. male genitalia, left lateral view; 28. pygofer lobe with ventral process, left lateral view; 29. pygofer, dorsal view; 30. subgenital plate; 31, 32. style; 33, 34. aedeagus, left lateral view; 35. aedeagus, ventral view; 36. connective; 37. anal tube appendage, left lateral view.