Birdantis goemansi, Constant, 2011

Constant, Jerome, 2011, The genus Birdantis Stål in Australia (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoridae), Zootaxa 2885 (1), pp. 44-54 : 48-49

Birdantis goemansi n. sp.

Figs. 1 A–F ; 3 A–C ; 7 A .

Etymology. The species is dedicated to my friend Geert Goemans who works on Neotropical lanternflies.

Material examined. Holotype ♂: [12.44S 143.17E QLD, 8 km E by N Mt. Tozer , 7.vii.1986, J.C. Cardale, at MV light] ( ANIC).

Paratypes: QUEENSLAND, 1 ♂: 1 mile NE Mt. Lamond, Iron Range ,, 26.xii.1971, D.K. McAlpine, G.A. Holloway, D.P. Sands. coordinates: 12°44’S 143°13’E ( AM) ; 1 ♂: West Claudie Riv., Iron Range ,, 16.ix.1974, G. Daniels, MV lamp, coordinates: 12’ 44°S 143°17’E ( QM) .

Description. LT: ♂ (n = 3): 18.3 mm (18.0–18.7).

Head: eyes included, slightly less broad than thorax; green; vertex concave, with all margins carinate, and anterior margin straight; frons visible from above, separated from vertex by narrow, black groove (fig. 1 B); frons smooth, convex, with slight, longitudinal, carina on each side and 3 longitudinal brown stripes on basal half (fig. 1 C); clypeus narrower and about as long as frons, with 2 longitudinal brown stripes (fig. 1 C); labium green elongate, surpassing hind coxae, with last segment brown and much shorter than penultimate (fig. 1 D); ocelli present; pedicel of antennae bulbous (fig. 1 F); ratio BV/LV = 3.0; BF/LF = 1.2.

Thorax: pronotum green, smooth, with brown marking on each side of disc; mesonotum brown slightly variegated with green, and with 3 green markings near base, along carinae; 3 slight carinae on disc (figs. 1 B); ratio BT/ LP+LM = 0.95.

Tegmina: infuscate with center of cells paler and some irregular brown markings on apical third; clavus, base and band along costal margin, green with irregular slightly marked brown markings; costal margin brown; veins green-brown, brown on apical third; costal and sutural margins subparallel, tegmina slightly broader near apex and with apical margin rounded (figs. 1 A, D, E); ratio LTg/BTg = 3.5.

Hind wings: infuscate with center of cells paler and baso-costal area blue; veins black; maximal breadth near base (figs. 1 A, D).

Legs: green with apex of tibiae and tarsi brown; tibiae III with 6–7 lateral and 6 apical spines (figs. 1 A, D).

Abdomen: green ventrally, dorsally red with base black (figs. 1 A, D).

Genitalia ♂: pygofer higher than long in lateral view; (fig. 3 A); anal tube elongate, with lateral margins bisinuate and subparallel (figs. 3 A, C); gonostyli slightly longer than high, with apical margin rounded (fig. 3 A); basodorsal process projecting latero-ventrally (fig. 3 B).

Biology. Nothing is known except that the species seems to be restricted to Cape York Peninsula, and that it is attracted to light traps.

Figures

FIGURES 1. A–F, Birdantis goemansi. A, habitus, dorsal view (LT: 18.7 mm). B, head and thorax, dorsal view. C, frons, normal view. D, habitus, ventral view. E, habitus, lateral view. F, head and thorax, lateral view. G–L, Birdantis mouldsi. G, habitus, dorsal view (LT: 21.9 mm). H, head and thorax, dorsal view. I, frons, normal view. J, habitus, ventral view. K, habitus, lateral view. L, head and thorax, lateral view.

FIGURES 3. A–C, Birdantis goemansi, male genitalia. A, pygofer, anal tube and gonostyli, lateral view. B, dorsolateral process of gonostylus, posteroventral view. C, anal tube, dorsal view. Scale 1 mm.

FIGURE 7. A–C, Distribution of the species of Birdantis in Australia. A, B. goemansi. B, B. mouldsi. C, B. virginiae.