Cixius madeirensis China, 1938

Freitas, Énio & Aguín-Pombo, Dora, 2021, Taxonomy of the Cixiidae (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha) from the Madeira archipelago, European Journal of Taxonomy 744, pp. 1-37 : 16-20

Cixius madeirensis China, 1938

Figs 3A–B , 5A , 8A–B , 9A–N

Cixius madeirensis China, 1938: 50–51 , fig. 21 (description, illustrations, records).

Cixius madeirensis – Lindberg 1961: 55 (records, habitat).

Diagnosis

This species is easily recognizable by its size, smaller to C. wollastoni sp. nov. and C. verticalis , and brown colouration. It differs from the other Madeira Cixius in the following characters: (1) the basal half of the vellum is hump-shaped but is much narrower on the outer margin than in C. verticalis ; the apex is blunt, not scythe-shaped as in C. wollastoni sp. nov. and C. verticalis ; (2) the medioventral expansion of the theca is digitiform and more conspicuous and longer.

Material examined

MADEIRA ISLANDS – Porto Moniz • 2 ♀♀; Chão da Ribeira ; 500 m a.s.l.; 30 Apr. 2002; Énio Freitas leg.; on Diplazium caudatum ; UMACI • 5 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 21 May 2002; Énio Freitas leg.; UMACI • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 11 Apr. 2003; Dora Pombo leg.; DAPC • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 28 Jul. 1997; I. Silva leg.; UMACI • 1 ♀; Ribeira da Janela ; 800 m a.s.l.; 12 Sep. 2001; Énio Freitas leg.; on Pteridium aquilinum ; UMACI • 13 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; Vereda do Paul da Serra , Chão da Ribeira; 1200 m a.s.l.; 23 Jul. 2002; Rúben Gouveia leg.; on P. aquilinum ; UMACI. – São Vicente • 1 ♀; Chão Louros ; 710 m a.s.l.; 9 May 2000; Joana Barreto leg.; UMACI. – Santana • 1 ♂; Levada Ribeiro Frio , Portela; 1000 m a.s.l.; 9 Aug. 2001; Énio Freitas leg.; on Clethra arborea ; UMACI • 1 ♂; Pico das Pedras , Queimadas ; 800 m a.s.l.; 7 Sep. 2001; Énio Freitas leg.; on Hydrangea macrophylla ; UMACI • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; Fábio Reis leg.; on P. aquilinum ; UMACI • 1 ♀; Ribeiro Frio ; 1000 m a.s.l.; 12 Jun. 2002; Énio Freitas leg.; on C. arborea ; UMACI .

Redescription

BODY MEASUREMENTS (mm). See Table 1.

COLOURATION. General light golden brown coloration ( Fig. 3A–B ). Vertex light brown, most specimens have two small paler spots that fade to the level of the anterior margin of the eyes ( Fig. 9B ). Areolar carinae dark brown. Lateral pits on the frons, clypeus, carinae, genae, lora and the 2 nd segment of the antenna, yellowish to light brown, often darker in females. Lateral ocelli glowing yellow. Reddish-brown eyes. Pronotum and tegula as in C. wollastoni sp. nov. Mesonotum brownish-black; lateral carinae, posterior margins and posterolateral margins close to tegula fulvous; in lighter individuals, the area between the lateral carinae is light brown and, in females, it is almost entirely brown. Tegmina yellowish and translucent; pale veins with brown setiferous tubercles; stigma yellowish to dark brown ( Figs 3A–B , 5A ). Some males and females have three narrow faint brown oblique stripes ( Fig. 3B ). The band on the first third is larger, wider and bifurcates from the middle, giving rise a short oblique band towards ⅓ of clavus base, and another reaching the clavus lateromedially. The last band forms a dark brown spot below the claval vein fork. The other two strips are short, reaching the subcostal vein. The females are darker than the males and the setiferous tubercles and markings are also more distinctive ( Fig. 3A–B ); legs, abdomen, and tegmina as in C. wollastoni sp. nov. but, in darker specimens, the brown marks of the tegmina are more intense and extensive.

HEAD. Vertex apex from round to slightly angular ( Fig. 9B ); posterior margin roundish and about 1.8 times as wide as in the anterior margin of eyes as long. The medial carina of the frons ridged, tapering along clypeus. Epistomal suture wave-shaped, the crest is lower than in C. wollastoni sp. nov. and C. verticalis ( Fig. 9A ). Medial ocellus reduced or obsolete.

THORAX. Pronotum, mesonotum, tegula, setiferous tubercles along the veins and lateral spines of the metatibiae and the first metatarsus as in C. wollastoni sp. nov., but the tegmina is almost 2 times as long as wide ( Fig. 5A ).

MALE GENITALIA. Lateral lobes of the pygofer roundish with distal end more or less truncated, similar to a trapezium ( Fig. 9F, H ). The caudoventral margin of the anal tube concave ( Fig. 9G ), lateral lobes arc-shaped, wider distally and bent rostrally ( Fig. 9J ). Lamella of the parameres subtriangular, gradually expanding ventrodistally; proximal margin almost straight and distal margin convex ( Fig. 9I ). The vellum of aedeagus and basal thorns as in C. verticalis but the smallest spine longer and more curved; expansion of vellum hump-shaped in its basal half; apex blunt. The proximal margin of theca ends in a solid ventral spine like a finger of variable size, while the ventromedial projection is large and digitiform ( Fig. 9K–N ).

FEMALE GENITALIA. Seventh sternite with truncate inverted caudal margin ( Fig. 8B ). Gonoplac ensiform and curved upwards; long, about 5 times as long as wide, reaching almost the level of the dorsal margin of the anal tube and exceeding this in half of its length; the dorsal margin pubescent ( Fig. 8A ). Nineth tergite truncated caudally. Wax secreting field ellipse-shaped and shallowly excavated, approximately 1.5 times as wide as long; not separated medially by a distinctive ridge; scattered long hairs denser near the mediodorsal margin.

Distribution and ecology

Endemic to Madeira Island. Widespread in north and south Madeira; occurs in wet areas of laurel forest between 500 and 1200 m. Adult specimens were collected from April to September preferentially on Clethra arborea trees and on the fern Diplazium caudatum , an endemic species of Macaronesia, and were also found on Pteridium aquilinum ferns and Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) Ser. bushes. This species was reported by Lindberg exclusively from native vegetation ( Lindberg 1961).

Remarks

The distal margin of the anal tube, style, and aedeagus are very well shown by China (1938), except that the flagellum hump is more pronounced than in China’s description, possibly because this thin and almost transparent membrane is difficult to observe. In contrast, Lindberg’s drawings (1954), which he attributed to C. verticalis (see above), show the hump characteristic of the flagellum and that the ventral process is smoother than in China’s illustrations. The blunt apex of the aedeagus, the small curved right lateral spine and the ventral spine-like projection of the proximal margin of the base depicted by China and Lindberg are similar, but the parameres and the anal tube are different.

The values of BL, MW, ML and WL in males and females of C. madeirensis are smaller than in C. verticalis ( Table 1 ) including PW, the only measurement with some degree of overlap (Welch t-test, t (23.98) = 68.24, p <0.01).

Figures

Fig. 3. Habitus. A–B. Cixius madeirensis China, 1938. A. ♂ from Vereda Paul, 23 Jul. 2002, on Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn. B. ♀ from Corredor Verde, 16 Apr. 2002, on P. aquilinum. C. Cixius verticalis Noualhier, 1897, ♂ from Chão da Ribeira, 4 Sep. 1998. D. Cixius wollastoni sp. nov., ♂ from Ribeiro Frio, 24 May 2002, on Digitalis purpurea L. (the arrows indicate the brown stripes). E. Tachycixius chaoensis China, 1938, ♂ from Ponta de São Lourenço, 11 May 2001, on Suaeda vera Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel. F. Hyalesthes madeires Remane & Hoch, 1986, ♂ from Serra de Água, 9 Jul. 2001, on Globularia salicina Lam.

Fig. 5. Male forewings. A. Cixius madeirensis China, 1938 from Vereda Paul, 23 Jul. 2002, on Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn. B. Cixius verticalis Noualhier, 1897 from Chão da Ribeira, 30 Apr. 2002, on Diplazium caudatum (Cav.) Jermy. C. Cixius wollastoni sp. nov. from Ribeiro Frio, 24 Apr. 2002, on Digitalis purpurea L. D. Hyalesthes madeires Remane & Hoch, 1986 from Serra de Água, 9 Jul. 2001, on Globularia salicina Lam. E. Hyalesthes portonoves Remane & Hoch, 1986 from Porto Novo, 16 Apr. 2003, on G. salicina. F. Tachycixius chaoensis (China, 1938) from Ponta de São Lourenço, 11 May 2001, on Suaeda vera Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel.

Fig. 8. Female genitalia. A–B. Cixius madeirensis China, 1938 from Vereda do Paul da Serra, 23 Jul. 2002, onPeteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn. C–D. Cixius verticalis Noualhier, 1897 from Chão da Ribeira (500 m a.s.l.), 30 Apr. 2002, on Diplazium caudatum (Cav.) Jermy. E–F. Tachycixius chaoensis (China, 1938) from Ponta de São Lourenço, 11 May 2001, on Suaeda vera Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel. G–H. Hyalesthes portonoves Remane & Hoch, 1986. G. Specimen from Porto Novo, 25 Apr. 2003, on G. salicina Lam. H. Specimen from Cristo Rei, 26 Apr. 1998, on G. salicina.

Fig. 9. Cixius madeirensis China, 1938. A–G, I–N. Specimens from Vereda do Paul, 23 Jul. 2002, on Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn. H. Specimen from Chão da Ribeira, 28 Jul. 1997. A. Head (frontal view). B. Head, pronotum, and scutellum (dorsal view). C–D. Head (dorsal view). E. Anal tube (dorsal view). F. Pygofer (ventral view). G. Anal tube (caudal view). H. Pygofer (lateral view). I. Left paramere. J. Anal tube (left lateral view). K–N. Aedeagus (K–L, right and left lateral view; M–N, dorsal and ventral view).