Nelbroma, Sanborn, 2021

Sanborn, Allen F., 2021, The cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea: Cicadidae) of Madagascar including a new tribe, five new genera, twelve new species, four new species synonymies, five revised species status, ten new combinations, new tribal assignments for four genera, one new subtribe synonymy, a checklist and key to the species, Zootaxa 4937 (1), pp. 1-79 : 38-39

Nelbroma n. gen.

Type species.— Nelbroma betrokaensis n. gen., sp. (18km NNW Betroka, 825m, 23° 09’ 48” S, 45° 58’ 07” E, Tulear Province , Madagascar)

Species included.— Nelbroma betrokaensis n. gen., n. sp.

Remarks.—The genus has the general appearance of Abroma but the extended, tapering claspers and lack conjunctival claws on the aedeagus prohibit classifying it in the tribe Lamotialnini or Abroma . These structures are characteristic of Nelcyndanini and the new genus is placed in this tribe.

Etymology.—The name is a combination of Nel – and – broma reference to the genera Nelcyndana and Abroma with which it shows morphological similarities. The genus is feminine.

Description

Small sized cicada (body length less than 10 mm, wingspan about 26.5 mm). Head wider than mesonotum, postclypeus dorsally triangular, apex smoothly curved, eyes wider than pronotal collar lateral angles, vertex at area of ocelli much longer than frons, lateral ocelli closer to each other than to eyes, higher than median ocellus in frontal view, lateral vertex narrower than eye, supra-antennal plate reaching about half distance to eye, forming approximate right angle to lateral postclypeus margin, dorsal postclypeus longer than dorsal vertex, postclypeus convex on ventral side, inflated, medial transverse ridges separated, ventral surface weakly centrally sulcate, rostrum reaching posterior coxae. Pronotum shorter than but slightly wider than mesonotum, lateral angles of pronotal collar weakly ampliate, lateral part of pronotal collar narrowing anteriorly and angled ventrally from lateral angle reaching half distance to anterior pronotum. Mesonotum not covering dorsal metanotum, metanotum extends laterally beyond wing groove, cruciform elevation with transverse posterior. Fore femora with three spines, primary spine longest, angled to femur axis, secondary spine intermediate in length, slightly angled, and small tertiary spine, tarsi threesegmented, meracanthus broadly triangular, curved mediad, not reaching extending anterior of medial male operculum. Male operculum not encapsulating meracanthus, with straight lateral and margins, not covering tympanal cavity, only medially extending to anterior of abdominal sternite II, medial margins curved, well separated medially. Fore wings and hind wing hyaline distally, fore wings and hind wing with eight and five apical cells respectively, fore wings about 3.05X longer than broad. Fore wing basal cell longer than broad, fore wing cubitus anterior straight at base slightly arching distally, base of median and cubitus anterior veins arising separately from basal cell, radius anterior and radius posterior arise from same location on node, radial and radiomedial crossveins straight, radial crossvein perpendicular to adjoining veins, radiomedial crossvein slightly angled. Abdomen shorter than distance between apex of head and posterior of cruciform elevation, second abdominal segment proportionately shorter than other segments due to strongly angled timbal, segment 3 widest, posterior segments narrowing to genitalia. Timbal cover absent, completely exposing timbal, timbal extending below wing base, tympana not concealed by opercula. Epipleurites reflexed to ventral surface. Pygofer distal shoulder undeveloped, dorsal beak broadly triangular, pygofer upper lobe small, flattened, superimposed on distal basal pygofer lobe, pygofer basal lobe well-developed extending about half pygofer length, adpressed to pygofer margin, uncus absent, claspers flattened laterally, extending posteriorly to surround and support aedeagus, male aedeagus tubular without distal terminal modifications or conjunctival claws, restrained by claspers.

Female unknown.

Measurements (mm).—Length of body: 8.60; length of fore wing: 11.75; width of fore wing: 3.85; length of head: 2.25; width of head including eyes: 3.65; width of pronotum including suprahumeral plates: 3.40; width of mesonotum: 3.00.

Diagnosis.—The only other genus currently assigned to the tribe is Nelcyndana . The five hind wing apical cells will quickly distinguish the new genus from the species of Nelcyndana . In addition, the new genus has a transverse rather than notched posterior cruciform elevation, abdominal tergite 2 is narrower than tergite 3 due to the strongly angled timbal rather than being about the same length as in Nelcyndana , the greater number of timbal ribs in the new genus (nine versus 6–7), and the new genus claspers lack the bulbous extension at the base characteristic of species of Nelcyndana .

Distribution.—The only known species of the genus is reported here from Madagascar.