Haemopsalta georgina, Owen & Moulds, 2016

Owen, Christopher L. & Moulds, Max S., 2016, Systematics and Phylogeny of the Australian Cicada Genus Pauropsalta Goding and Froggatt, 1904 and Allied Genera (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettini), Records of the Australian Museum 68 (4), pp. 117-200 : 180-181

Haemopsalta georgina n.sp.

Fig. 36 , Pl. 5

Haemopsalta georgina Owen et al., 2015: 261 , 274, nomen nudum.

Types. Holotype male (molecular voucher 11.AU.TS.FTN.06, song recorded), NW of Fern Tree on Huon Rd, SW edge of Hobart , Tasmania, 201 m, 42°54.070'S 147°17.628'E, 21.i.2011, K. Hill, D. Marshall ( AM) . Paratypes — TASMANIA: 1♂, 1♀, “Hillside”, Church Rd, Broadmarsh , 42°40.982'S 147°7.253'E, 31.xii.2009, G.A.D. Davis ( AM) . 1♂, 1♀, “Hillside”, Church Rd, Broadmarsh , 42°40.982'S 147°7.253' E, 31.xii.2009, G.A.D. Davis ( ANIC) . 57♂♂, 42♀♀, “Hillside”, Church Rd, Broadmarsh , 42°40.982'S 147°7.253'E, 2.i.2000, 20.i.2002, 18.xii.2004, 23.xii.2004, 30.xii.2004, 31.xii.2007, 5.i.2008, 6.i.2008, 10.i.2008, 31.xii.2009, 13.i.2009, G.A.D. Davis ; 7♂♂, Cygnet, EN 5022178297260, Snug Falls Rd, 25.xi.1999, 27.xi.1999, G.A.D. Davis ( GAD) ; 1♂ (molecular voucher 11.AU.TS.POD.01, song recorded), 0.8 km SW of Poatina on Poatina Rd , 345 m, 41°48.167'S 146°56.979'E, 23.i.2011, K. Hill, D. Marshall ; 1♂ (molecular voucher 11.AU.TS.OUS.02, song recorded), NW of Hamilton , 6 km NW of Ouse on Lyell Hwy, 247 m, 42°26.508'S 146°39.810'E, 26.i.2011, K. Hill, D. Marshall ; 3♂♂ (1 molecular voucher 11.AU.TS.FTN.04, song recorded; 1 genitalia prep. 513, molecular voucher 11.AU.TS.FTN.02, song recorded; GenBank accessions: KM377194 , KM377260 , KM377397 , KM377576 , KM668274 ), NW of Fern Tree on Huon Rd, SW edge of Hobart , 201 m, 42°54.070' S 147°17.628'E, 21.i.2011, K. Hill, D. Marshall ; 1♂ (molecular voucher 11.AU.TS.SNG.02, song recorded), Snug Falls Rd, c. 4 km SW of Snug, 264 m, 43°05.119'S 147°13.260'E, 26.i.2011, K. Hill, D. Marshall ; 1♂, 1♀, “Hillside”, Church Rd, Broadmarsh , 42°40.982'S 147°7.253'E, 18.xii.2004, 31.xii.2009, G.A.D. Davis ( MSM) . 1♂, 1♀, “Hillside”, Church Rd, Broadmarsh , 42°40.982'S 147°7.253' E, 31.xii.2009, G.A.D. Davis ( MV) . 1♂, 1♀, “Hillside”, Church Rd, Broadmarsh , 42°40.982'S 147°7.253'E, 31.xii.2009, G.A.D. Davis ( NHM) . 1♂, 1♀, “Hillside”, Church Rd, Broadmarsh , 42°40.982'S 147°7.253' E, 31.xii.2007, 31.xii.2009, G.A.D. Davis ( QM) . 1♂, 1♀, “Hillside”, Church Rd, Broadmarsh , 42°40.982'S 147°7.253'E, 31.xii.2009, G.A.D. Davis ( SAM) . 1♂, 1♀, “Hillside”, Church Rd, Broadmarsh , 42°40.982'S 147°7.253'E, 31.xii.2009, G.A.D. Davis ( WAM) .

Distribution ( Fig. 36 ). Endemic to Tasmania where there are records from Poatina (345 m) in the central north of the island, near Ouse (247 m) northwest of Hobart, near around Hobart (200–280 m), and south to Snug (240–264 m). Adults have been taken from late November to late January and are sometimes locally common.

Habitat. Eucalypt forest where adults are sometimes quite low. Eucalypts common in the habitat include Silver Peppermint, Eucalyptus tenuiramis Stringybark , E. obliqua, Whitegum , E. viminalis, Black Peppermint , E. amygdalina and Mountain Whitegum, E. dalrympleana . Understory species are varied in density and variety but Silver Wattle , Acacia dealbata, Blackwood , Acacia melanoxylon, Native Cherry , Exocarpos cupressiformis, Dolly Bush , Cassinia aculeata and Bracken, Pterideum esculentum are present in nearly all situations.

Description

Male (Pl. 5). Head wider than lateral margins of pronotal collar; dominantly black usually with muddy yellow spot at posterior midline. Postclypeus black with light brownish red markings; usually a brownish red spot on midline around most anterior portion; posterior and lateral margins brownish red; transverse ridges and central groove distinct. Anteclypeus jet black. Rostrum black tending brown distally, reaching to or slightly beyond apices of mid coxae.Antennae black. Supra-antennal plates black.

Thorax. Pronotum black, usually with brownish red or dull yellow markings; fascia along midline brownish red or dull yellow, extending from near head towards pronotal collar to varying degrees; pronotal collar between lateral angles black, posterior margin edged brownish red to varying degrees, lateral margin of pronotal collar not ampliate. Mesonotum primarily black with brownish red markings; usually a brownish red marking on either side following parapsidal suture variable in length, but usually extending near to anterior arms of the cruciform elevation; lower lateral area usually edged brownish red; cruciform elevation brownish red to dull yellow with black fascia along midline and black between arms to varying extent, anterior arms tending black distally, posterior arms sometimes partly black. Metanotum black at hind wing base, remainder dull yellow, brownish red or orange.

Legs. Fore legs black and brownish red; femora black except for brownish red fascia along interior and dorsal lengths, usually a brownish red band along distal anterior margin; femora with spines black, sometimes brown distally; tibiae and tarsi black; pretarsal claws black to dark brown. Mid and hind legs mostly black and brownish red; coxae and femora black, sometimes yellowish at distal end; tibiae black or brownish red with a proximal pale yellow band; tarsi reddish brown or black. Meracanthus mostly pale yellow with a black base.

Wings hyaline. Fore wing with fused stem of veins M and CuA complete, the veins fused as one; venation black; very small infuscation distally on clavus; basal membrane grey to black. Hind wing with 6 apical cells; venation black except for pale yellowish brown 2A and 3A; plaga muddy white to grey to pale brown; black infuscation on wing margin at distal end of vein 2A.

Opercula for the most part not reaching distal margin of tympanal cavity; widely separated; flat other than a low rounded swelling of epimeron 3; pale yellow to yellowish brown with black epimeron 3 swelling.

Timbals grey to muddy white in colour; four long ribs spanning the width of timbal membrane and sometimes one shorter anterior rib terminating a little before lower end of adjacent intercalary rib.

Abdomen. Tending triangular in cross section with epipleurites reflexed inwards from junction with tergites. Tergites black with brownish red or muddy yellow markings. Tergites 1 and 2 black, occasionally with posterior edged brownish red; tergites 3–7 black with posterior margin edged brownish red; tergite 8 black with posterior margin muddy yellow. Sternite I black; sternite II black with lateral posterior margin brownish red to varying extent; sternites III–VI black with posterior edged brownish red to varying degrees; sternite VII black with distal end muddy yellow and lateral posterior margin brownish red; sternite VIII muddy yellow with black basally to varying extent.

Genitalia ( Fig. 36 ). Pygofer upper lobe large, in later view slightly longer than wide, terminally slightly asymmetrically dilated, slightly more concave along the lower margin, somewhat hooked in general appearance. Pygofer basal lobe peg-like, knobbed, capitate. Pygofer secondary basal lobe barely projecting in lateral view, in ventral view broad and evenly rounded. Median lobe of uncus wider than long with a broad rounded apex, depressed on dorsal surface. Claspers claw-like; concave below; apices diverging in ventral view tending truncate in dorsal view. Aedeagus with pseudoparameres longer than endotheca, slender, flattened in cross section, lying immediately above endotheca in lateral view, in dorsal view gradually diverging but distally curved outwards. Endotheca gently curved, parallel sided, circular in cross-section, apex slightly sloping backwards ventrally, without ornamentation.

Female. Similar to male. Abdominal segment 9 black with lateral margins yellowish orange to varying degrees. Ovipositor sheath extending some 0.5–1.0 mm beyond apex of abdomen; dark brown to black.

Measurements. Range and mean (in mm) for 10♂♂ and 10♀♀; includes smallest and largest of available specimens. Length of body: male 18.0–20.3 (19.3); female 18.2–20.2 (19.3). Length of fore wing: male 20.2–23.2 (21.8); female 20.7–23.0 (22.0). Width of fore wing: male 7.4–8.7 (8.0); female 7.6–8.8 (8.2). Ratio length/width of fore wing: male 0.3–0.4 (0.4); female 0.3–0.4 (0.4). Width of head (including eyes): male 5.5–6.3 (5.9); female 5.6–6.2 (5.9). Width of pronotum (across lateral angles): male 5.6–6.7 (6.3); female 5.9–6.9 (6.4).

Distinguishing features

Similar to most other species of Atrapsalta but differs from all except A. vinea in having 6 cells in the hind wing (in both hind wings). Very similar to A. vinea although the distributions and habitats of the two species are very different. Differs from A. vinea in the muddy pale yellow or grey membranes at the wing bases and leg joints; those of Haemopsalta georgina are reddish orange.

The male genitalia have upper pygofer lobes that broaden distally, small knob-like basal lobes, small beak-like claspers, an aedeagus with pseudoparameres that lie a little above the endotheca, and a simple termination to the endotheca.

Etymology. Named after Georgina L. Davis B.Sc. Hons. in recognition of her contributions to botanical, ichthyological and entomological illustration; daughter of George Davis who first discovered the species and who has collected the majority of specimens.

Song ( Fig. 36 ). The song is composed of a series of phrases each with a click followed immediately by an echeme. Echemes can range in length from 1.5– 4.2 s. The frequency of the song ranges from 4–8 kHz.

Figures

Figure 36.Haemopsalta georgina n.sp. (A) male genitalia, lateralview (genitalia prep PAU 513);(B) male genitalia,ventral view (genitalia prep PAU 513); (C) waveform of male calling song recorded from northwest of Fern Tree (NW of road to Mt. Wellington) on B64, TAS; (D) spectrogram of male calling song; (E) species distribution map.