Ruppeliana fulva ( Taschenberg, 1884 )

Alasmar, Luísa & Cavichioli, Rodney Ramiro, 2025, Ruppeliana Young (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae): three new species, redescriptions, and key to males, European Journal of Taxonomy 1022, pp. 51-84 : 57-62

Ruppeliana fulva ( Taschenberg, 1884)

Figs 3–5

Tettigonia fulva Taschenberg, 1884: 442 .

Ruppeliana fulva – Young 1977: 751. — Cavichioli et al. 2017: 438 (in key).

Diagnosis

Sharpshooters with about 8 mm ( Figs 3A–B, 4A–D). Overall coloration yellow or green ( Figs 3A–B, 4). Pronotum and forewings varying from pale ( Fig. 4C–D) to dark green ( Fig. 4A–B), mottled with small spots, which can be yellow ( Fig. 4C–D), green ( Fig. 4A–B) or dark green, always contrasting with forewings. Pygofer narrowed in apical portion, with posterior margin rounded ( Fig. 3D). Subgenital plate attaining to pygofers apex ( Fig. 3D). Style short, with apex acute ( Fig. 3F). Aedeagal shaft curved ventrally, with apex rounded, basidorsal process long and subparallel ( Fig. 3G). Aedeagal atrium forming a sheath-like structure, which is connected by membrane to aedeagal basis ( Fig. 3G).

Material examined

BRAZIL – Minas Gerais State • 2 ♀♀; Itamonte ; 10–14 Oct. 1998; D.M. Takiya leg.; DZUP • 1 ♀; Itamonte ; elev. 2100– 1700 m; 21–23 Nov. 2008; R. Carvalho, O. Evangelista and D. Takiya leg.; DZUP • 1 ♀; Parque Nacional do Caparaó ; 20.40956° S, 41.84904° W; elev. 1517 m; 3–7 Mar. 2017; M. Savaris and A.L. Norrbom leg.; DZUP • 1 ♂; Extrema, Morro do Lopo ; 22.881° S, 46.308° W; elev. 1520 m; 9 Dec. 2012; P. Grossi leg.; DZUP . – Paraná State • 1 ♂; BR 277 , Km 54, Torre Telepar ; 5–11 Dec. 1984; DZUP • 1 ♀; São José dos Pinhais ; Feb. 1982; Cavichioli leg; DZUP • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 18 Jan. 1982; DZUP • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 25°36′05″ S, 49°36′05″ W; elev. 880 m; 21 Sep. 2011; A.C. Domahovski leg.; DZUP • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 25°36′18″ S, 49°11′37″ W; 6 Jun. 2015; A.C. Domahovski leg.; sweep; DZUP • 6 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 18 Nov. 2015; DZUP • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 17–31 Dec. 2016; DZUP • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 19 Mar. 2016; DZUP • 2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 13 Aug. 2016; DZUP • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 1–31 Mar. 2018; Malaise trap; DZUP • 2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 1–31 Oct. 2019; DZUP • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 1–28 Feb. 2019; DZUP • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 19 Oct. 2020; sweep; DZUP • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 1–31 Mar. 2021; Malaise trap; DZUP • 1 ♂; Piraquara, Mananciais da Serra ; 25°29′ S, 48°59′ W; elev. 980 m; 11–12 Dec. 2010; P.C. Grossi leg; DZUP • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; elev. 1100 m; Jul. 2011; DZUP • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 25.4966° S, 48.9839° W; elev. 1010 m; 1–16 Feb. 2019; G. Melo and A. Martins leg.; Malaise trap; DZUP • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 29–30 Nov. 2019; A.C. Domahovski and R. R. Cavichioli leg.; sweep; DZUP • 4 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 25°29′47″ S, 48°58′54″ W; elev. 1021 m; 27–28 Feb. 2022; A.C Domahovski leg.; sweep; DZUP • 1 ♀; Piraquara, Parque Estadual do Marumbi ; 25°29′13″ S, 48°58′30″ W; 24 Jan. 2012; Grossi, Cavichioli and Silva leg.; light trap; DZUP • 1 ♂; Colombo ; Nov. 2012; M. Savaris and S. Lampert leg.; DZUP • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 1–31 Sep. 2014; Malaise trap; DZUP • 1 ♂; Curitiba ; Sep. 1983; Costa and Eli leg.; DZUP • 1 ♀; Tijucas do Sul, Br 376km; 25.835° S, 49.048° W; elev. 655–879 m; 7 Oct. 2011; M.L. Monné and R. R. Cavichioli leg.; DZUP • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding, Associação dos Professores UFPR; elev. 878 m; 25°50′14″ S, 49°02′57″ W; A. Paladini and R. R. Cavichioli leg; light trap; DZUP . – Santa Catarina State • 1 ♂; Rio Vermelho, São Bento do Sul ; 16 Mar. 1974; elev. 850 m; Rank leg.; DZUP . – São Paulo State • 2 ♀♀; São José do Barreiro, Serra Bocaina ; elev. 1600 m; Nov. 1976; F.M. Oliveira leg.; DZUP • 1 ♂; Campos do Jordão ; Nov. 1957; K. Lenko leg; DZUP .

Description

MEASUREMENTS (mm). Total length. Males: 8.1–8.5 (n = 24), females: 8.9–9.4 (n = 21).

HEAD ( Fig. 3A). In dorsal view, moderately produced anteriorly, anterior margin from rounded to slightly subtriangular, median length of crown 1/5 of interocular width and approximately 1/4 of transocular width. Frons ( Fig. 3C), in frontal view, texture slightly granular, muscular impressions distinct, epistomal suture obsolete medially. Clypeus ( Fig. 3C), in frontal view, slightly pubescent apically. Pronotum ( Fig. 3A), in dorsal view, with lateral margins convergent, posterior two-thirds of disk slightly transversely striated medially. Mesonotum ( Fig. 3A) slightly granulated before transverse sulcus and slightly transversely striate posteriorly. Forewings ( Fig. 3A–B) with veins indistinct, membrane distinct, including inner apical cell and posterior third of remaining apical cells; bases of anteapical cells approximately aligned with claval apex. Remaining characteristics of external morphology as described for the genus by Young (1977: 747).

COLORATION. Crown and frons ( Figs 3A–C, 4A–D) from pale to dark yellow, with various small blackened spots. Frons ( Fig. 3C) with lateral and posterior margins smoky brown, clypeus yellow, with a longitudinal smoky brown stripe medially, and paler areas laterally. Lorum and gena ( Fig. 3C) yellow. Pronotum ( Figs 3A, 4A–C) anterior third blackened, with yellowed maculae, posterior two-thirds green with yellowed smoky rounded maculae. Mesonotum ( Figs 3A, 4A–C) yellow, with browned maculae.

Meso and metasternum ( Figs 3B, 4B–D) yellow. Forewing ( Figs 3A–B, 4) from pale to dark green, mottled with small rounded yellowish or greenish maculae. Legs ( Fig. 3C) yellow with orangish areas. Abdomen ( Figs 4B, 5A–B) yellow, with reddish parts.

MALE GENITALIA. Pygofer ( Fig. 3D), in lateral view, strongly produced posteriorly, dorsal margin elevated medially and narrowed preapically, posterior margin rounded, macrosetae distributed along the posterior two-thirds of disc. Valve ( Fig. 3E), in ventral view, with a longitudinal thickening in anterior margin, lateral margins rounded. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 3D–E), in ventral view, subtriangular, broaded at base, narrowing gradually towards apex, inner margin rectilinear, outer margin with a uniseriate row of macrosetae; in lateral view, reaching pygofer apex, dorsal margin with multiseriate rows of long microsetae. Style ( Fig. 3F), in dorsal view, elongate, extending posteriorly beyond apex of connective, outer margin with a slight median lobe, apical portion curved outwards with outer margin bearing microsetae, apex acute. Connective ( Fig. 3F), in dorsal view, U-shaped, arms short, with a median keel. Aedeagus ( Fig. 3G–H), in lateral view, shaft conspicuously curved ventrally, with a slightly expanded rounded apex; in dorsal view, apex opened medially as the gonopore exit; aedeagal atrium well developed, forming a sheath-like structure directed anteriorly, almost reaching shaft’s apex, with apical portion connected to basal portion by membrane, with a pair of elongate basidorsal processes, with acute apex, directed posteriorly and trespassing shaft’s apex; in ventral view, anterior margin narrowly projected anteriorly, posterior margin of atrium with a strong reentrance medially, forming two distinct rounded lobes laterally; basidorsal processes apical portions parallel.

FEMALE GENITALIA. Pygofer ( Fig. 5B), in lateral view, moderately produced posteriorly, posterior margin triangular, macrosetae along ventral and posterior margins. Abdominal sternite VII ( Fig. 5A–C) longer than wide, posterior margin slightly tipped medially, posterolateral corners slightly rounded. Valvifer I ( Fig. 5D), in lateral view, rounded. Valvula I ( Fig. 5D–E), in lateral view, blade narrowed apically, apex narrowly rounded, dorsal sculptured area strigate, extending from basal portion to apex, ventral sculpted area strigate, restricted to apical portions. Valvula II ( Fig. 5F–H), in lateral view, expanded beyond basal curvature, narrowing slightly towards apex, without preapical prominence, apex rounded; dorsal margin with 55 continuous teeth, irregularly shaped after basal curvature, robust and subtriangular at basal and median portions and small and rounded in apical portion, all bearing denticles. Gonoplac ( Fig. 5I–J), in lateral view, with basal half narrow, bearing denticuli in ventral margin, apical half expanded; apex rounded, with apical surface bearing denticuli and few macrosetae in posterior margin.

Remarks

Ruppeliana fulva and R. tridentata sp. nov. both have mottled forewings with spots, but they can be readily distinguished by several characteristics. In R. fulva , the subgenital plate reaches the apex of the pygofer ( Fig. 3D), whereas in R. tridentata , it does not ( Fig. 12D). Additionally, R. fulva has a mottled crown and frons ( Fig. 3C), while R. tridentata displays three longitudinal black bands ( Fig. 12C). The aedeagal shape in R. fulva is similar to that of R. delicata sp. nov. and R. robusta sp. nov., with the shaft curving ventrally. However, R. fulva differs from these species in several aspects: it is considerably smaller in size, has a distinct forewing spot pattern, possesses a subgenital plate that reaches the pygofer apex, and has a female abdominal sternite VII that is longer than wide. Based on the available material, R. fulva is the most commonly collected species of Ruppeliana .