Pravistylus interdiscus, Stiller, 2010

Stiller, M., 2010, Revision of the Southern African leafhopper genus Pravistylus (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae) 2468, Zootaxa 2468 (1), pp. 1-81 : 23-24

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2468.1.1
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10537701
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EFD356-FFCD-FFC5-6CFF-750F8E2ED5E9
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Pravistylus interdiscus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Pravistylus interdiscus View in CoL sp. n.

( Figs 1 n View FIGURE 1 ; 2 r & s View FIGURE 2 ; 3 View FIGURE 3 aa; 4 y; 5 r; 7 ab–af; 8 y)

Diagnosis. Medial margins of plates parallel or divergent, straight or convex; apex rounded or truncate, transition distinct between digitate apex and lateral and medial subapical margins; apices posteriad or curved mediad ( Figs 2 r & s View FIGURE 2 ). Style distal part far from base ( Fig. 5 r View FIGURE 5 ). Aedeagus, lateral view, widely U-shaped ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 aa).

Etymology. Latin, plate (discus) and intermediate (inter), for the plate that is intermediate in shape between a number of other species.

Male and female. Ochraceous. Markings on vertex dark brown or light brown; indistinct, sometimes paired, wedge shaped markings at apex; rectangular paired marking near ocellus; paired irregular marking on disc near coronal suture; 3 pairs longitudinal light brown markings on pronotum; rarely with dark brown stripes. Tegmina with fuscous markings in most or all cells. Pale form of male as in Fig. 8 y View FIGURE 8 .

Male. Dimensions. (n = 19) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.5–2.8 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.3–2.7 mm; vertex medially 0.4–0.5 mm; vertex next to eye 0.3 mm; pronotum medially 0.3 mm. Width: head 0.9 mm; pronotum 0.7–0.8 mm. Ocellar diameter 26.0–29.2 µm; ocellocular distance 27.8–41.4 µm.

Genital capsule. Pygofer, in lateral view, with dorsal posterior margin lobate; ventral posterior margin broadly rounded, expanded, with microtrichia ( Fig. 1 n View FIGURE 1 ). Pygofer lobe acutely or narrowly triangular, about one quarter width of pygofer ( Fig. 1 n View FIGURE 1 ). Plates roughly triangular, with medial margins curved, generally divergent, subapically slightly concave; apices digitate, of variable length, narrowly rounded ( Fig. 2 r View FIGURE 2 ) or acute ( Fig. 2 s View FIGURE 2 ); apices sometimes curving towards each other or directed posteriad; 4–7 macrosetae medially; plate 1.4–1.9 times as long as wide. Aedeagal shaft, in lateral view, arising ventrally from atrium; preatrium short, widely U- or C-shaped; gonopore lateroventral, elongate ( Figs 3 View FIGURE 3 aa, 4 y). Style distal part far from anterior medial lobe; apophysis curved, tapered acutely, lateroventral margin toothed ( Fig. 5 r View FIGURE 5 ). Connective, in lateral view, straight.

Female. Dimensions. (n = 12) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.4–3.0 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.8–3.0 mm; vertex medially 0.4–0.5 mm; vertex next to eye 0.3–0.4 mm; pronotum medially 0.3 mm. Width: head 0.9–1.0 mm; pronotum 0.8–0.9 mm. Ocellar diameter 23.1–29.4 µ m; ocellocular distance 29.0–41.0 µm.

Genitalia. Sternite 7 median ligula base broad, almost as wide as base of sternite; apical rounded notch ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ab, short ligula, specimen from Mbundini; Figs 7 View FIGURE 7 ac & ae, elongate ligula, specimen from Royal Natal Park; Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ad (notch closed), specimen from Royal Natal Park; Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 af, ligula of intermediate length, specimen from Witsieshoek).

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal. Royal Natal National Park , camp site, 28°42ʹS, 28°57ʹE, 13.xi.1999, M. Stiller, sweeping, short grass in fire break, and unburned grass ( SANC) GoogleMaps . Paratypes. 29♂, 16♀, 4 nymphs. KwaZulu-Natal . 1♂, 2♀, Tendele , 28°42ʹS, 28°55ʹE, 19.i.1981, J.G. Theron, sweeping; 9 GoogleMaps #, 4♀, same data as holotype GoogleMaps ; 2♂, 1♀, Witsieshoek Mountain Resort, 28°40ʹS, 28°53ʹE, 2140 m, 15.iv.2002, DVac, short grass and forbs, windward, w-slope, wet grass GoogleMaps ; 1♂, 1♀, Witsieshoek Mountain Resort, 28°43ʹS, 28°53ʹE, 2420 m, 16.iv.2002, DVac, long grass on steep S-facing slope Pentaschistis tysonii common GoogleMaps ; 1♂, Mike’s Pass, Cathedral Peak Nature Reserve , 28°59ʹS, 29°13ʹE, 2094 m, 16.iv.2002, DVac, grass on moist, shaded NW-facing slope GoogleMaps ; 2♂, road between Dargle and Boston , 29°35ʹS, 30°01ʹE, 1730 m, 25.iv.2002, DVac; all M. Stiller, E. Breytenbach GoogleMaps ; 6♂, 4♀, junction between Mbundini and Fangs Passes, upper Mnweni Valley , 28°52ʹS, 28°58ʹE, 2000 m, 25.iv.2004, M. Stiller, sweeping, Diheteropogon amplectans dominant GoogleMaps ; 3♂, 2♀, Dlamini’s Kraal, Mnweni Valley , 28°48ʹS, 29°05ʹE, 1550 m, 27.iv.2004, M. Stiller, sweeping, wet grass GoogleMaps ; 1♂, Cathedral Peak , 28°58ʹS, 29°14ʹE, 1900 m, 17.xi.2005, MDTP survey, yellow pan trap GoogleMaps ; 4♂, 2♀, 3 nymphs, Cathedral Peak , 28°53ʹS, 29°15ʹE, 1807 m, 19.xi.2005, MDTP survey, sweeping, also white and blue pan traps GoogleMaps ; 1♂, Rockeries Pass , below summit, 28°53ʹS, 29°10ʹE, 16.iv.2006, M. Stiller, sweeping ( BMNH, INHS, SANC, DCEE) GoogleMaps .

Remarks. This species is difficult to distinguish as its plate shape ( Figs 2 r & s View FIGURE 2 ) is similar to that of P. oxyphysis sp. n. ( Figs 2 o & p View FIGURE 2 ). The plates of some specimens of P. interdiscus with apices directed posteriad are more similar to those of P. oxyphysis . In P. oxyphysis the medial margins of the plate are contiguous or only slightly divergent, but always straight. The apex of the plate of P. oxyphysis is formed by the sinuous lateral margin and the straight medial margin. In P. interdiscus the apex of the plate is produced by the sinuous medial margin and sometimes a straight or sinuous lateral margin. Furthermore the apices sometimes curve medially in P. interdiscus , whereas in P. oxyphysis they are always directed posteriad. Another difference between these two species is in the apophysis of the style, shape and position of the pygofer lobe and to an extent in the shape of the aedeagus. In the style of P. oxyphysis the denticulation is near the ventromedial margin, with the apophysis straight and acute ( Figs 5 y & z View FIGURE 5 ). In P. interdiscus the denticulation is on the ventrolateral margin, with the apophysis curved ( Fig. 5 r View FIGURE 5 ). Pravistylus interdiscus has been found only in a few localities in KwaZulu-Natal, whereas P. oxyphysis occurs more widely in other provinces and in KwaZulu-Natal Province. Additionally these two latter species may be distinguished easily by the colour pattern and wing length. Pravitylus interdiscus has fuscous markings, and is submacropterous ( Fig. 8 y View FIGURE 8 ); P. oxyphysis does not have fuscous markings, and is brachypterous ( Figs 8 View FIGURE 8 au–aw). Females of P. interdiscus ( Figs 7 View FIGURE 7 ab–af) and P. oxyphysis ( Figs 7 View FIGURE 7 bm–bo) share a similar shape of the sternite 7, although the ligula of P. interdiscus is sometimes longer. Some female specimens of P. interdiscus from the Royal Natal Park have two forms of the sternite 7. It either has a narrow, triangular ligula with a notch or the ligula is broadly triangular with a minute or closed notch ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ad). Similar female specimens with the closed notch occur in P. micropygeus sp. n. ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 av). However, the shape of the plate ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ac) of males of P. micropygeus (pygofer, Fig. 1 t View FIGURE 1 ; aedeagus lateral view, Fig. 3 y View FIGURE 3 ; aedeagus dorsal view, Fig. 4 w View FIGURE 4 ; style, Fig. 5 u View FIGURE 5 ) are readily distinguishable from the plate ( Figs 2 r & s View FIGURE 2 ) of males of P. interdiscus (pygofer, Fig. 1 n View FIGURE 1 ; aedeagus lateral view, Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 aa; aedeagus dorsal view, Fig. 4 y View FIGURE 4 ; style, Fig. 5 r View FIGURE 5 ).