Pauropsalta kriki, 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 : 159-161

Pauropsalta kriki n.sp.

Fig. 26 , Pl. 3

Pauropsalta kriki Owen et al., 2015: 262 , nomen nudum.

Types. Holotype male (one genitalia prep. PAU211; one molecular voucher 04.NTR.EDT.10), Edith R. xing, Stuart Hwy, 118 m, 14°11.1'S 132°1.7'E, 21.i.2004, Cooley, Hill, Marshall, Moulds ( NTM) . Paratypes — NORTHERN TERRITORY: 3♂♂, 1♀, U.D.P. Falls, Waterfall Ck , ENE of Pine Creek, 1.i.1987, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ( AE) . 1♂ (one molecular voucher 04.AU.NT.EDT.11; GenBank accessions: KM377231 , KM377283 , KM377415 , KM668342 ), Edith R. xing, Stuart Hwy , 118 m, 14°11.1'S 132°1.7'E, 21.i.2004, Cooley, Hill, Marshall, Moulds ; 1♂, 1♀, Cullen R. x-ing, S of Pine Ck, 3.i.1992, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ( AM) . 1♂, U.D.P. Falls, Waterfall Ck , ENE of Pine Creek, 1.i.1987, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 1♀, Waterhouse River, Mataranka Hsd , 23.xii.1986, 24.xii.1986, 25.xii.1986, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ( ANIC) . 1♂, U.D.P. Falls, Waterfall Ck , ENE of Pine Creek, 1.i.1987, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 1♀, nr Obiri Rock , Kakadu Nat. Pk., 31.xii.1986, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ( DE) . 1♂, Australia NT, Litchfield NP, Buley Rockhole , 27.xi.2008, L. Popple, D. Emery, 13°05.845'S 130°47.031'E, 658-0001 ; 3♂♂, 1♀, Australia NT, Rapid Creek, Darwin , 24.xi.2008, L. Popple, D. Emery, 12°23' 55"S 130°52'26"E, 658-0002 to 658-0005 ; 2♂♂, 1♀, Australia NT, Wangi Tourist Park , 25–26.xi.2008, L. Popple, D. Emery, 13°07.577'S 130°39.312' E, 658-0006 to 658-0008 ( LP) . 1♂, Berry Springs , 31 x.1993, G.Husband ; 4♂♂ (genitalia prep.236), 2♀♀, Howard Springs, nr Darwin , 29.i.1977, 30.i.1977, 3.ii.1977, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 1♂, Howard Springs , 11.i.1993, D.N. Wilson ; 1♂, South Alligator Motor Inn, Arnhem Hwy , 28.xii.1986, M.S. & B.J.Moulds ; 1♂, Maningrida , 4.i.1976, J. Grigg ; 2♂♂, Springvale Stn. , 12 km W of Katherine, 8.xii.1982, A. Walford-Huggins ; 2♂♂, 4♀♀, Waterhouse River, Mataranka Hsd , 9.i.1986, 23.xii.1986, 24.xii.1986, 25.xii.1986, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 3♂♂, 2♀♀, Edith R. xing, Stuart Hwy , 118 m, 14°11.1'S 132°1.7'E, 21.i.2004, Cooley, Hill, Marshall, Moulds ; 6♂♂, 4♀♀, Cullen R. x-ing, S of Pine Ck, 3.i.1992, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 2 male, 4♀♀, nr Obiri Rock , Kakadu Nat. Pk., 31.xii.1986, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ; 11♂♂, 2♀♀, U.D.P. Falls, Waterfall Ck , ENE of Pine Creek, 1.i.1987, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ( MSM) . 1♂, U.D.P. Falls, Waterfall Ck , ENE of Pine Creek, 1.i.1987, M.S. & B.J. Moulds 1♀, nr Obiri Rock , Kakadu Nat. Pk., 31.xii.1986, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ( NHM) . 2♂♂, 1♀, U.D.P. Falls, Waterfall Ck , ENE of Pine Creek, 1.i.1987, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ( NTM) . 1♂, 1♀, U.D.P. Falls, Waterfall Ck , ENE of Pine Creek, 1.i.1987, M.S. & B.J. Moulds ( QM) .

Distribution ( Fig. 26 ). Top End of the Northern Territory from Berry Springs near Darwin south to Mataranka and east into Kakadu National Park. In Kakadu it is usually a common species around Waterfall Creek and Obiri Rock. Elsewhere there are records from Edith River and Cullen River (south of Pine Creek township) and from near Katherine. Adults have been taken from late October to the latter half of February but they most likely occur over a much longer period, especially into the later part of the wet season.

Habitat. The species is associated with riverine vegetation or trees growing in well-watered situations. Adults usually perch on trunks and branches beyond arm’s reach.

Description

Male (Pl. 3). Head equal to, or marginally wider than, width of lateral angles of pronotal collar; dominantly black. Postclypeus pale yellowish green; dorsal surface black; ventral midline with a jet black fascia variable in extent but never reaching posterior or anterior extremities, tapering towards posterior; transverse ridges distinct, central groove indistinct. Anteclypeus light yellowish green with a brown stripe down midline. Rostrum pale yellowish brown with a black apex, reaching to or just beyond apices of hind coxae. Antennae brown to dark brown. Supra-antennal plates pale yellowish green, usually glossy.

Thorax. Pronotum yellowish brown with dark brown markings primarily confined to paramedian and lateral fissures; two dark brown dots, sometimes fused, adjacent to pronotal collar on either side of midline; pronotal collar between lateral angles dominantly pale yellow; lateral margins of pronotal collar not ampliate. Mesonotum yellowish brown with dark brown to black markings; submedian sigilla dark brown to black with interior margins sometimes edged reddish brown; lateral sigilla dark brown to black fading to reddish brown in parts; a dark brown to black fascia along the midline from the cruciform elevation, but never reaching pronotum; scutal depressions marked as black spots; lower ridge of wing groove yellowish brown; cruciform elevation yellowish brown. Metanotum dark brown at hind wing base, remainder yellowish brown.

Legs. Fore legs mostly yellowish brown to brown; thin dark brown band outlining proximal edge of coxae; femora yellowish brown, occasionally with dark brown lateral exterior. Mid and hind legs yellowish brown, dark brown outline on the proximal edge of coxae; femora brown on interior and exterior lateral sides; tibiae tending brown on distal half; tarsi yellowish brown. Pretarsal claws yellowish brown on proximal third or so, otherwise dark brown. Meracanthus yellowish brown with base partly edged dark brown.

Wings. Hyaline. Fore wing with fused stem of veins M and CuA not complete, the veins abutted rather than fused as one; venation brown; without infuscations; basal membrane grey to black, sometimes with hints of brown. Hind wing with 5 apical cells; venation brown except for pale yellow 2A; light infuscation on wing margin at distal end of vein 2A and between 3A and plaga.

Opercula. Small, not tightly closing tympanal cavities; slightly concave below meracanthus, a low rounded swelling of epimeron 3; yellowish brown.

Timbals with ribs not heavily sclerotized; four long ribs spanning the width of timbal membrane and one shorter anterior rib terminating level with lower end of adjacent intercalary rib.

Abdomen. Tending triangular in cross section with epipleurites reflexed inwards from junction with tergites; yellowish brown. Tergite 1 yellowish brown with posterior edged dark brown; tergites 2–3 yellowish brown with an ill-defined dark brown patch either side of midline, darkest on its anterior half, extending laterally around anterior margin, fading on its posterior half and not reaching distal margins of tergites; tergites 4–6 yellowish brown with illdefined dark brown blotch either side of midline primarily on anterior half; tergite 7 dark brown to black except for partial break on dorsal midline and a narrow yellowish brown distal margin; tergite 8 dominantly dark brown to black with broad yellowish distal margin. Sternites I–VIII brown with posterior margins light brown.

Genitalia ( Fig. 26 ). Pygofer upper lobe long, in lateral view tending slender, tapering evenly to a narrow rounded apex. Basal pygofer lobe tending flat, broadly rounded in lateral view, distally rounded in ventral view. Secondary basal pygofer lobe small, in lateral view broadly rounded. Median lobe of uncus wider than long, triangular with a rounded apex. Claspers claw-like, concave below, narrow in dorsal profile. Aedeagus with pseudoparameres about as long as endotheca, slender, flattened in cross section with distal portion gradually tapering to a point, in lateral view positioned above endothecal shaft but parallel with it, in dorsal view parallel to each other but distally curved outwards; endotheca nearly parallel sided, circular in crosssection, apex ringed by delicate lip that is extended into a pair of flanges dorso-laterally that are microscopically spined along their margin.

Female (Pl. 3). Similar to male. Tergites VII–VIII mostly brown, with anterior margin of tergite VII edged black. Abdominal segment 9 brown, with a dark brown or black fascia on each side of midline extending from the anterior margin but not reaching posterior margin. Ovipositor sheath long, extending some 1.0– 1.5 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 13.4–18.2 (15.6); female 15.5–19.9 (17.9). Length of fore wing: male 18.6–23.3 (20.7); female 20.1–23.3 (21.5). Width of fore wing: male 5.8–7.6 (6.7); female 6.6–7.7 (7.1). Ratio length/width of fore wing: male 2.8–3.3 (3.1); female 2.9–3.2 (3.0). Width of head (including eyes): male 4.8–5.8 (5.3); female 5.2–5.9 (5.6). Width of pronotum (across lateral angles): male 4.8–6.1 (5.5); female 5.3–6.1 (5.7).

Distinguishing features

In outward appearance Pauropsalta kriki is very similar to that of Pau. elgneri from which it can be distinguished by having the anteclypeus dominantly yellow whereas that of Pau. elgneri is dominantly black. Within the distribution of Pau. kriki care should be taken not to confuse this species with Pau. melanopygia or Pau. borealis . Pau. kriki differs from both in having the basal membrane of the fore wing dark grey or blackish; that of the others is orange. Further, Pau. kriki usually differs from both in having a pair of small black spots on the midline of the pronotum adjacent to the pronotal collar; these spots are surrounded by pale yellow and absent from the other two species.

The male genitalia have a long narrow upper pygofer lobe and a pair if long pseudoparameres that lie close together but substantially diverge distally where they gradually taper to a sharp point apically.

Etymology. From the Greek kriko, meaning along a watercourse, referring to the affinity of this species to watercourses.

Song ( Fig. 26 ). The song is composed of a series of phrases, which contain a series of clicks and echemes. Usually, three clicks precede an echeme. Each echeme ranges in size between 0.05 s and 0.25 s. Occasionally, clicks will not separate two echemes. Phrases occur at a rate of <1 phrase per second. Dominant song frequency occurs between 6 kHz and 10 kHz.

Figures

Figure 26. Pauropsalta kriki n.sp. (A) male genitalia, lateral view (genitalia prep PAU 236); (B) male genitalia, ventral view (genitalia prep PAU 236);(C) waveform of male calling song recorded from Edith River, Stuart Hwy (Hwy 1), NT; (D) spectrogram of male calling song; (E) species distribution map.