Limassolla (L.) rutila

Song, Yuehua & Li, Zizhong, 2011, Five new species of the leafhopper genus Limassolla Dlabola (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) from China, Zootaxa 3127, pp. 53-63 : 58

Limassolla (L.) rutila Song & Li sp. nov.

( Figs. 28–37)

Crown ( Fig. 28) brown yellow, with milky yellow symmetrical stripes at coronal suture and anterior margin. Eyes ( Fig. 28) blackish brown. Pronotum ( Fig. 28) milky yellow, with two black spots near anterior margin and posterior margin respectively; remaining patterns brown yellow, some parts with golden tint. Scutellum ( Fig. 28) brown yellow; basal triangles grey, but median area dark, about triangular. Forewing ( Fig. 29) narrow, with brown or nutbrown spots or stripes at apex; large orange red pattern around claval suture marked with short oblique dashes as in Fig. 29 and with other black markings near brochosome field.

Abdominal apodemes ( Fig. 31) strong, well developed, extending to posterior margin of 5 th segment.

Male genitalia: Pygofer ventral appendage long and slender ( Fig. 32). Pygofer lobe ( Fig. 32) with numerous microtrichia and microsetae scattered on lateral surface. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 33) slender, with single long macrosetae subbasally. Style ( Fig. 34) with few fine setae on caudal part. Aedeagus ( Figs. 35, 36) with paired apical processes nearly triangular; preatrium distinctly longer than dorsal apodeme; gonopore preapical on posterior surface. Connective ( Fig. 37) Y-shaped, stem weakly bifid.

Specimen examined. Holotype, 3, China, Guizhou Prov., Qianxi county, Bailidujuan, 15 Oct. 2007, coll. Qiongzhang Song and Yujian Li. Paratypes: 253, 24 Ƥ, same data as holotype; 233, 2 Ƥ, China, Guizhou Prov., Mayanghe Nature Reserve, at light, 03 Oct. 2007, coll. Yuehua Song; 63, China, Guizhou Prov., Mt. Leigong, 15 Sep. 2005, coll. Yuehua Song; 23, 2 Ƥ, China, Guizhou Prov., Hongfeng Lake, 16 Aug. 2010, coll. Yuehua Song and Can Li.

Measurement. Body length males 3.1–3.2 mm, females 3.4–3.5 mm (including wing).

Remarks. The new species can be distinguished from other species of the genus by the unique paired apical processes of the aedeagus, which are approximately triangular.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin word “ rutila ”, which refers to the forewing with a prominent orange red pattern (marked with short oblique dashes as in Fig. 29) around the claval suture.