Pravistylus serratus, Stiller, 2010

Stiller, M., 2010, Revision of the Southern African leafhopper genus Pravistylus (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae) 2468, Zootaxa 2468 (1), pp. 1-81 : 45-46

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2468.1.1
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10537727
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EFD356-FFF7-FFFF-6CFF-724F884CD3A9
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Pravistylus serratus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Pravistylus serratus View in CoL sp. n.

( Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 ag; 2 v; 3 ae; 4 ac; 5 i; 6 ab; 7 bz; 8 bg)

Diagnosis. Pygofer at base with one row of about 8 prominent teeth ( Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 ag, 2 v). Plate triangular, apex narrowly pointed ( Fig. 2 v View FIGURE 2 ). Style with distal part close to base ( Fig. 5 i View FIGURE 5 ).

Etymology. Latin, for the row of teeth ( serratus (toothed like a saw)) on the pygofer.

Male and female. Ochraceous, vertex sometimes with brown paired marking at apex. Tegmina commonly in female, rarely in male, with fuscous lining or more extensive marking in discal, inner anteapical and anterior claval cells. Hind wing about one third as long as tegmina ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 bg).

Male. Dimensions. (n = 14) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.4–2.6 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.8–3.1 mm; vertex medially 0.5 mm; vertex next to eye 0.3 mm; pronotum medially 0.3 mm. Width: head 0.9–1.0 mm; pronotum 0.8–0.9 mm. Ocellar diameter 28.0 µm; ocellocular distance 36.7– 50.3 µm.

Genital capsule. Pygofer, in lateral view, with ventral posterior margin bulbous, bearing a single row of prominent, triangular teeth ( Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 ag, 2 v). Pygofer lobe broadly triangular, short, blunt, small ventral teeth; lobe about half as wide as pygofer ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ag). Plate acutely triangular; apex narrow, pointed, rounded or truncate; 3–5 macrosetae subapically; subbasal lateral margin emarginate, distal, proximal tufts of fine setae ( Fig. 2 v View FIGURE 2 ); plate 1.5–1.6 times as long as wide. Aedeagal shaft, in lateral view, arising medially from atrium; preatrium rounded; shaft C-shaped, with apex deflected slightly; gonopore elongate, lateral ( Figs 3 View FIGURE 3 ae; 4 ac). Style distal part close to anterior medial lobe; apophysis elongate, tapering acutely, ventrolateral teeth ( Fig. 5 i View FIGURE 5 ). Connective stem triangular, constricted basally, wider than width across arms ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ab).

Female. Dimensions. (n = 14) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.5–2.6 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.9–3.1 mm; vertex medially 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 28.0 µm; ocellocular distance 40.8–55.2 µm.

Genitalia. Sternite 7 base rectangular; ligula slightly recessed into base; ligula triangular; apical notch ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 bz).

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, Mpumalanga. Mac Mac Reserve , 25°01ʹS, 30°49ʹE, 1345 m, 13.xi.2005, M. Stiller, DVac grassland ( SANC) GoogleMaps . Paratypes. 26♂, 26♀. Mpumalanga . 26♂, 26♀, same data as holotype ( BMNH, INHS, SANC) GoogleMaps .

Remarks. Pravistylus serratus is unique due to the row of teeth ventrally on the pygofer. Modifications to the pygofer or pygofer lobe are not common in species of Pravistylus . The only other species with a modified pygofer lobe are P. scolopygeus ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 af) and P. odontopygeus ( Fig. 1 y View FIGURE 1 ). In P.scolopygeus the pygofer lobe has a long twisted spine on its median ventral margin. In P. odontopygeus the pygofer lobe has a short tooth on its ventromedial margin ( Fig. 1 y View FIGURE 1 ). To a lesser extent some specimens of P. pollediscus have the medial margin of the pygofer lobe with microtrichia arranged in a pattern. Some specimens of P. mecistoplacus and P. odontiophallus have the ventral margin of the pygofer lobe sclerotized, and sometimes minutely denticulate.

The aedeagi of P. scolopygeus ( Figs 3 w View FIGURE 3 , 4 u View FIGURE 4 ) and P. serratus ( Figs 3 View FIGURE 3 ae, 4 ac) are similar, except that the gonopore in P. scolopygeus is much more elongate. The plates of these latter two species are also similar in shape. For P. scolopygeus ( Fig. 2 l View FIGURE 2 ) the plate is 1.7–1.9 times as long as wide, and in P.serratus ( Fig. 2 v View FIGURE 2 ) it is 1.5–1.6 times as long as wide. For P. serratus ( Fig. 2 v View FIGURE 2 ) and P. odontopygeus ( Fig. 2 x View FIGURE 2 ) the plate shape and dimensions are similar, with the aedeagus differing more distinctly ( Figs 3 View FIGURE 3 ae, 3 ah, respectively).