Scaralina chapina Goemans

Yanega, Douglas, Goemans, Geert, Dam, Matthew Van, Gómez-Marco, Francesc & Hoddle, Mark, 2024, Description of a new genus of North and Central American planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) with fourteen new species, Zootaxa 5443 (1), pp. 1-53 : 33-34

Scaralina chapina Goemans & Yanega, sp. nov.

( Figs 14 , 28 , 43 , 58 , 74 , 83 )

Etymology. The species epithet “chapina ” is a colloquial name for a native of Guatemala, here treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The brightly colored pale frons, lower prothorax, and forewings immediately distinguish this from all other species. It is perhaps most similar to S. monzoni , sharing a few unique features: the lack of spotting on the lower frons, the lack of a distinct translucent area in the basal third of the forewing, and the blue-based hind wings of the females (the red hindwings of the males of chapina appear to be a unique form of sexual dimorphism in the genus; while the only known female is from Honduras, and all the males are from Guatemala, we consider it unlikely that there is a second related species in Honduras where both sexes have blue hindwings but are otherwise identical to chapina ). The blue hindwings in these two species are somewhat similar to the putative sister genus, Scaralis , which virtually always has blue coloration on the hindwings. Males of chapina also have distinct subacute subocular lobes, and the gonostylar hooks are short and thickened, both features unlike any other Scaralina but very similar to Scaralis s.s. The dorsal incurved portion of the gonostyle is also very weak in this species. The large female tergal plate also further enhances the resemblance to species of Scaralis .

Description. Head ( Figs 28 , 43 ). Anterior rim of vertex mostly dark, except broadly pale medially; supra-ocular lobes pale apically; posterior rim mostly pale, except darkened adjacent to supra-ocular lobes; dark spots of vertex posterior in position, obscured by large ring-like black markings. Subocular lobes present and subacute in male but poorly-defined in female. Frons entirely bright, pale green, in strong contrast to the almost entirely black clypeus. Lateral margin of frons slightly concave, lower lobes of frons slightly expanded. Rostrum almost entirely black.

Thorax ( Fig. 43 ). Pronotal ground color light greenish to olivaceous, dark markings black and mostly highly contrasting; anterior portion of dorsal face broadly dark, large black marks surrounding anteromedial spots, post-ocular spots small; lower portion of pronotum black above, bright green below. Central carina of mesonotum darker than ground color, flanked by large black marks; lateral carinae sinuate anteriorly, nearly straight posteriorly, often entirely pale; posterior spots very small; mesonotal lobe rounded, black at apex. Dorsal setae long. Legs mostly as in generic diagnosis, but procoxae with anterior face entirely dark, third tarsomeres of pro- and mesotarsi black, third metatarsomere pale-spotted dorsally, basal two metatarsomeres much darker than in other species.

Wings ( Figs 14 , 58 ). Forewings with dark markings on basal half of 1st claval vein distinctly interrupted by whitish opaque markings (only on dorsal surface of wing); dark transverse banding alternating with opaque rose/magenta nearly to the level of the claval vein juncture, no translucent basal area; veins and some crossveins contrasting, greenish; postcostal cell extensively black, with at least 3 distinct, wide, bright green bands; remainder of wing yellowish hyaline (lighter apically), with faint, irregular dark spotting. Costal crossveins very few, well-spaced, mostly straight or slightly arcuate but oblique, not contrasting, obscure or absent in basal half of cell; M with 4 main branches, crossveins between them mostly straight, well-spaced, making square to rectangular cells; at first branch of M, M is slightly closer to CuA than to Sc; CuA with 3–4 branches, rarely more than 1 of these coming directly off of CuA, and the first branch typically greatly precedes the claval vein juncture; greatest distance between Pcu and A 1 veins greatly exceeds greatest distance between A 1 and wing margin; fused vein posterior to juncture relatively short. Hind wing hyaline except base, which is pale blue in females, and red in males, with a small blackish infumated area posterior to the colored portion.

Abdomen ( Fig. 14 ). Dorsum and venter both almost entirely black, with only a few poorly-defined irregular pale spotted areas laterally on the middle and apical tergites, and narrow orange margins on the tergites, ventral pleurites, and sternites. The female tergal plate in this species is nearly twice as long as any of the preceding terga, and almost completely covers the genitalia.

Male genitalia ( Figs 74 , 83 ). Incurved dorsal portion of gonostyle very weakly sclerotized mesad of setose bulge, basal hooks short, thickened, and blunt at tip.

Type material. Holotype, male: GUATEMALA: Sacatepequez: “ San Lucas, Cima de Cerro Alux , 10.v.2001, 2200m, Trampa de luz mercurio,” G. Goemans & J. Monzón, 1M ( UVGC 1152 , at UVGC).

Paratypes (9 specimens) as follows; one male labeled exactly as holotype, but GGCB 0093 ( UVGC 1150 ) ; Chiquimula: Plan Arada , 1600m, vii.1999, J. Monzón, 1M ( GGCB 0088 ) ; Sacatepequez : “San Cristobal El Bajo Finca El Pilar, arriba 2010m,” 14°32’28”N, 90°42’04”W, 10.v.2018, J. Monzón, M. Dickman, 1M ( UVGC) ; “San Cristobal El Bajo Finca El Pilar, arriba 2175m,” 14.vii.2011, J. Monzón, F.R.Camposeco,1M ( UVGC) ; “San Cristobal El Bajo Finca El Pilar, Cerro Cucurucho , 2600m,” 14°31’06”N, 90°41’28”W, 22.iv.2017, Monzón, Naumann, 1M ( UVGC) ; San Marcos : “Camino Fraternidad a Bojonal, 1600m,” 14°56’45”N, 91°52’50”W, 3.v.2014, J. Monzón, F.R. Camposeco, 1M ( UVGC) ; Reserva Municipal Plan de la Gloria , 2440m, 14°58’49”N, 91°50’18”W, 24.v.2017 F.R. Camposeco, 1M ( UCRC ENT 516401 ) ; Suchitepéquez: Refugio del Quetzal, University del Valle, 1600m, 14°32’53”N, 91°11’36”W, 1.ix.2008, F.R. Camposeco, J. Monzón, 1M ( UVGC) ; HONDURAS: Olancho Dept.: La Muralla National Park , 1480m, 15°05’49”N 86°44’17”W, 4–7.vii.2002, D. Yanega , 1F ( UCRC ENT 71055 ) .

Distribution. Guatemala to Honduras, at elevations above 1400 meters.

Figures

FIGURES 13–20. Habitus photos of Scaralina species. (13) S. aethrinsula (male); (14) S. chapina (male); (15) S. cristata (male); (16) S. marmorata (female); (17) S. durango (type female); (18) S. gigantea (type female); (19) S. hawksi (female, crushed somewhat); (20) S. metcalfi (male).

FIGURES 27–35. Faces of Scaralina species. (27) S. aethrinsula; (28) S. chapina; (29) S. cristata; (30) S. durango; (31) S. gigantea; (32) S. hawksi; (33) S. marmorata; (34) S. metcalfi; (35) S. monzoni.

FIGURES 42–50. Heads and nota of Scaralina species. (42) S. aethrinsula; (43) S. chapina; (44) S. cristata; (45) S. durango; (46) S. gigantea; (47) S. hawksi; (48) S. marmorata; (49) S. metcalfi; (50) S. monzoni.

FIGURES 57–62. Forewings of Scaralina species. (57) S. aethrinsula; (58) S. chapina; (59) S. cristata; (60) S. durango; (61) S. gigantea; (62) S. hawksi.

FIGURES 73–81. Male genitalia of Scaralina species, dorsal view, anal tube removed. (73) S. aethrinsula; (74) S. chapina; (75) S. cristata; (76) S. marmorata; (77) S. metcalfi; (78) S. monzoni; (79) S. obrienae; (80) S. orientalis; (81) S. rileyi. NOTE: obfusca, sullivani not included.

FIGURES 82–90. Male genitalia of Scaralina species, lateral view. (82) S. aethrinsula; (83) S. chapina; (84) S. cristata; (85) S. marmorata; (86) S. metcalfi; (87) S. monzoni; (88) S. obrienae; (89) S. orientalis; (90) S. rileyi.