Bananellodes davidi, Constant, 2015

Constant, Jérôme, 2015, A new species of Bananellodes Strand, 1928 from Namibia (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Tropiduchidae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 32, pp. 1-13 : 1-13

Bananellodes davidi sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6

ETYMOLOGY. The species epithet refers to my Polish colleague and friend David Schimrosczyk (Museum and Institute of Zoology, Warsaw, Poland) in memory of the two collecting trips we made together in Kuzikus.

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype ♂ (dissected, left hind wing mounted): Namibia: [Coll. I. R. Sc.N.B., Namibia, Kuzikus W. R., 23°14’17”S 18°23’29”E, 17.IX-5.X.2012 Malaise trap, leg. J. Constant, V. Sougnez & N. Maes, I.G.:32.223] ( RBINS).

Paratypes: 2♂, 3♀: same data as holotype ( RBINS) ; 1♂ (dissected, right hind wing mounted): [Coll. I. R. Sc.N.B., Namibia: Kuzikus W. R., 23°14’16”S 18°23’24”E, 19.X.2010, Hand Catch, Leg. Johanna Reinhardt, I.G.: 31.767] ( RBINS) .

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL.

1 nymph: same data as holotype ( RBINS).

DIAGNOSIS. The species is easily separated from B. rubrinervis by the characters given in the key. It is also different in colouration, being mottled grey and brown with black markings while B. rubrinervis is yellowish with reddish markings. However, it is possible that the colour of the single known female of B. rubrinervis is faded.

DESCRIPTION

Measurements and ratios ♂ (n = 3): LT = 3.53 mm (3.5-3.6); ♀ (n = 4): LT = 4.32 mm (4.0- 5.3). LTg/BTg = 2.5; LV/BV = 2.1; LF/BF = 1.97.

Head: ( Figs 1 A–B , 2 A, C–E ) laterally compressed, 0.6 times as broad as pronotum; strongly elevated with eyes above level of dorsum. Black-brown variegated with pale yellow; vertex black-brown with a few small pale yellow spots. Vertex elongate and narrow, slightly more than two times longer than broad, deeply grooved longitudinally and with median carina on basal 2/3; laminate on sides; anterior margin narrowly rounded in dorsal view; lateral margins subparallel in dorsal view; posterior margin concave and carinate; dorsal margin slightly rounded in lateral view. Frons elongate and narrow, about two times longer than broad, sinuate in lateral view with dorsal half concave and upper part slightly projecting anteriorly; 3 longitudinal carinae fused together before dorsal margin; median carina extending to apex of clypeus, lateral carinae stopped at fronto-clypeal suture. Clypeus subtriangular, slightly longer than broad, paler apically. Antennae short, black-brown with scape very short, ring-shaped and pedicel subcylindrical, about as long as broad. Labium elongate and narrow, reaching metacoxae; ocelli absent.

Thorax: ( Figs 1 A–B , 2 A, C–E ) pro- and mesonotum dark brown variegated with pale yellow and with broad black band in middle prolongating vertex; black area often margined with yellow laterally; tegulae variegated brown and yellow. Pronotum short and strongly elevated anteriorly; median and peridiscal carinae present; 4 small longitudinal carinae on lateral lobes; posterior margin broadly rounded; anterior margin strongly sinuated, and roundly produced and slightly carinate between eyes. Mesonotum about as long as pronotum with median carina and strongly oblique peridiscal carinae.

Tegmina: ( Figs 1 A–B , 2A, C ) brachypterous, variegated with black-brown and yellow brown with more or less visible pattern of pale and dark patches varying individually; slightly elongate and convex; costal and sutural margins parallel, apical margin broadly rounded with sides angularly rounded. Venation reduced to main longitudinal veins, all acutely elevated; only one subapical row of veinlets parallel to apical margin; Pc+CP absent; ScP+RA and RP diverging basally; MP straight; CuA not distinct basally; CuP (claval joint) visible only on basal 1/3; Pcu and A1 merging at mid length with Pcu+A1 reaching apex of tegmen, parallel to sutural margin.

Hind wings: ( Fig. 1 D ) pale grey-brown, elongate and narrow, nearly reaching apex of tegmen at rest. Venation reduced with 4 longitudinal veins, ScP+R, MP, CuA and CuP, subparallel and roundly merging together subapically; C merging with ScP+R before basal ¼ of wing. Apical margin rounded; sutural margin broadly rounded; costal margin slightly concave.

Legs: ( Figs 1 A–B , 2 A–E ) elongate, narrow, variegated black-brown and pale yellowbrown; pro- and mesofemora and all tibiae covered with long, pale erected hairs. Metatibiae with 3 (rarely 4) lateral spines and 8 apical spines; spines black apically. First metatarsomere elongate, ventrally with 7-8 apical spines black at apex; second metatarsomere with 2 lateral spine. Metatibiotarsal formula: (3-4) 8/7-8/2.

Abdomen: ( Figs 1 C , 2 B ) short and broad, dorso-ventrally compressed; 2 rows of sensory pits along apical margin of sternite 3.

Male genitalia: ( Fig. 4 ) pygofer very narrow, strongly reflexed dorsally and with posterior margin slightly curved in lateral view ( Fig. 4 A ). Anal tube short and broad, narrowing towards apex in dorsal view ( Fig. 4B ); apical margin slightly emarginate in dorsal view ( Fig. 4 B ). Gonostyli elongate with apex rounded; left gonostylus broadening from base to 3/ 4 in lateral view ( Fig. 4 A ), right gonostylus broadening from base to 2/ 3 in lateral view ( Fig. 4 C ); left gonostylus narrower than right one basally in lateral view. Gonostyli elongate in ventral view ( Fig. 4 D ), narrowing from base to apex; left gonostylus more developed than right one in ventral view. Aedeagus elongate and strongly reflexed anteroventrally ( Figs 4 E, F ); sinuate in ventral view ( Fig. 4 G ). Periandrium strongly asymmetrical with elongate laminate process on left side rounded apically and showing in middle a rounded process projecting anterodorsally ( Fig. 4 E ); on right side ( Fig. 4 F ), one process ended in a curved fine hook projecting dorsally and another, spatulate apically and narrowing in middle, projecting ventrally.

BIOLOGY. Most of the specimens were collected with a Malaise trap in the dry savannah, under a Prosopis glandulosa bush ( Fabaceae ; Fig. 5 ), ca. 1000 m asl.

DISTRIBUTION. Recorded from the Kalahari Desert in Namibia ( Fig. 6 ).

Figures

Fig. 1 A–E. Bananellodes davidi sp. nov. A-D, holotype ♂, total length: 3.6 mm. A, habitus, dorsal view. B, habitus, lateral view. C, abdomen, ventral view. D, right posterior wing. E-F, Nymph. E habitus, dorsal view. F, habitus, lateral view.

Fig. 2 A–E. Bananellodes davidi sp. nov., paratype ♀, total length: 5.3 mm. A, habitus, dorsal view. B, habitus, ventral view. C, habitus, lateral view. D, head and thorax, normal view of frons. E, habitus, frontal view.

Fig. 4 A–G. Bananellodes davidi sp. nov, holotype, male genitalia. A, pygofer, anal tube and gonostylus, left lateral view. B, anal tube and pygofer, dorsal view. C, pygofer, anal tube and gonostylus. D, Pygofer and gonostyli, ventral view. E, aedeagus, left lateral view. F, aedeagus, right lateral view. G, aedeagus, ventral view. An: anal tube; G: gonostyli; Py: pygofer.

Fig. 5. Bananellodes davidi sp. nov, habitat (photograph J. Reinhard).

Fig. 6. Distribution map of the species of Bananellodes.