Neobelocera Ding & Yang, 1986

Hou, Xiao-Hui & Chen, Xiang-Sheng, 2010, Review of the Oriental bamboo delphacid genus Neobelocera Ding & Ya n g (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Delphacidae) with the description of one new species, Zootaxa 2387, pp. 39-50 : 40-42

Neobelocera Ding & Yang, 1986

Neobelocera Ding and Yang , in Ding et al.1986: 420; Chen and Liang, 2005: 374; Ding, 2006: 196.

Type species. Neobelocera asymmetrica Ding & Yang , in Ding et al. 1986: 420, by original designation.

Description. The distinctive characters used by Ding and Yang (Ding et al. 1986), Chen and Liang (2005) and Ding (2006) are modified as follows:

Body Size. Macropterous form, small size, body length (including forewing): male 2.8–5.1 mm, female 3.2–5.7 mm.

Coloration. General color dark yellowish brown. Vertex, frons, clypeus, genae, pro- and mesonotum with carinae pale yellowish brown, bordered with dark brown ( Figs 1, 2 , 9 , 17 ; Ding et al. 1986: Fig. 6 : 1; Zhu 1988: Fig. 1 ; Qin & Yuan 1998: Fig. 1 : A). The first segment of antennae with two oblique bands brown to dark brown ( Figs 3 , 10 , 18 ; Ding et al. 1986: Fig. 6 : 2; Zhu 1988: Fig. 2 ; Qin & Yuan 1998: Fig. 1 : B). Forewings hyaline, speckled with brown markings, veins dark brown, with several short white stripe at intervals from middle to apex ( Figs 1 , 11 , 19 ; Ding & Yang 1986: Fig. 6 : 6; Zhu 1988: Fig. 4 ). Hindwings hyaline with veins dark brown.

Head and Thorax. Head, including eyes ( Figs 2 , 9 , 17 ; Ding et al. 1986: Fig. 6 : 1; Zhu 1988: Fig. 1 ; Qin & Yuan 1998: Fig. 1 : A), wider than pronotum (1.09–1.15:1). Vertex wider at base than long submedially about 1.9–3.0:1, apical margin transversely broadened and only slightly produced medially. Y-shaped carina distinct, submedian carinae uniting at apex, apical margin evenly rounding onto frons. Frons ( Figs 3 , 10 , 18 ; Ding et al. 1986: Fig. 6 : 2; Zhu 1988: Fig. 2 ; Qin & Yuan 1998: Fig. 1 : B) in median line longer than wide at widest part about 1.2–1.8:1, widest above level of lower margin of eyes, lateral carinae roundly angulate above level of ocelli, then converging apically, median carina forked at extreme base. Eyes strongly emarginate on lower margin. Post-clypeus wider at base than frons at apex, in profile, apical part of median carina bend at rounded, not angled. Rostrum very short, only reaching mesotrochanters. Antennae reaching the level of median part of post-clypeus, with first segment subsagittate, markedly flattened, a longitudinal carina down middle, with the apex unequally bifurcate, the inner apical angle much longer than outer apical angle, in middle line shorter than second segment about 0.48–0.71:1, second segment cylindrical or long oval, longer than wide about 2.5–3.5:1 ( Figs 3 , 10 , 18 ; Ding et al. 1986: Fig. 6 : 2; Zhu 1988: Fig. 2 ; Qin & Yuan 1998: Fig. 1 : B). Pronotum ( Figs 1 , 12 , 23 , 31) equal to vertex medially (0.9–1.06:1), posterior margin concave medially, with lateral carinae extending from near the posterolateral angle of the vertex to the posterior margin of the pronotum, running as anterolateral margin, curving inward and reaching hind margin, lateral discs concave. Mesonotum longer in middle line than vertex and pronotum combined (1.7–2.5:1), median carina reaching the end of scutellum. Forewings relatively broad, longer in middle line than wide at widest part about 2.64–2.83:1, widest at about apical 1/3, broadly acute at apex with a series of nearly connected transverse cross veins present at the posterior 1/3. Spinal formula of hind leg 5–6–4, post-tibial spur with an apical tooth. Basal segment of digitus longer than second and third combined (1.6–2.0:1).

Male Genitalia. Anal segment of male ( Figs 4–7 , 12, 13 , 20, 21, 24 ) small, ring-like, ventral margin without processes or with a stout, very short process. Pygofer in lateral view ( Figs 5 , 13 , 22 ) with ventral margin longer than dorsal margin, posterior margin convex, straight or slightly sinuate, in caudal view ( Figs 4 , 12 , 23, 24 ) with opening longer than wide, ventral margin concave or with medioventral process. Genital styles subparallel, slender, long ( Figs 4, 8 , 12, 15, 16 , 24, 27, 28 ). Phallobase ( Figs 7 , 14 , 25, 26 ) with a projection or absent. Aedeagus tubular, long, protruding processes of various lengths from apex. Suspensorium not recognizable. Diaphragm membranous, separated.

Female Genitalia. First valvifers present and moderately large, second valvifers long, broad and large. Ovipositor not surpassing the pygofer. Gonangulum ( Fig 29 ; Zhu, 1988: Fig. 5 ) distinct, with apex blunt or rounded.

Host Plant. Bamboo, such as Indocalamus latifolius (Keng) McClure ( Ding & Hu 1991) , Indocalamus sp. ( Chen & Liang 2005), and Neosinocalamus sp. (this paper).

Distribution. Oriental region (southern China).

Discussion. Of the genera of the tribe Tropidocephalini, only three genera, Bambucibatus Muir, 1915 (monotypic, Singapore), Belocera Muir, 1913 (five species, south China) and Neobelocera (six species, south China), have the antennae flattened, sagittate or subsagittate.

The genus Neobelocera is closely related to Belocera ( Ding et al. 1986; Chen & Liang 2005; Chen et al. 2007), which also feeds on bamboo, but differs in the following: first segment of antennae with the apex unequally bifurcate, ventral apical angle much longer than dorsal apical angle (in Belocera , apex of first segment of antennae equally bifurcate, ventral apical angle subequal to dorsal apical angle); postclypeus in profile, apical part of median carina bend at rounded, not angled (in Belocera , postclypeus in profile, apical part of median carina and lateral carinae bend at angled); rostrum very short, only reaching mesotrochanters (rostrum surpassing mesotrochanters in Belocera ); forewing relatively broad, longer in middle line than wide at widest part less than 3.0 times (more than 3.0 times in Belocera ); and the surface of forewing often with blackish brown markings, in dark portion veins bear white or yellowish white spots (in Belocera , forewing often with a fuscous central longitudinal fascia, costal area light yellowish white).

The genus Neobelocera is also closely related to Bambucibatus and can be distinguished by: first segment of antennae shorter than second (two segments of antennae with the same length in Bambucibatus ); head including eyes wider than pronotum (in Bambucibatus , head including eyes narrower than pronotum); vertex with median carina distinct (very faint in Bambucibatus ); frons with median carina forked at extremely base (not forked in Bambucibatus ).

The following characters are considered synapomorphies of the genus Neobelocera : antennae with first segment subsagittate, the ventral apical angle much longer than dorsal apical angle ( Figs 3 , 10 , 18 ); when postclypeus viewed in profile, apical part of median carina bent at rounded angle, not at right angle; rostrum very short, only reaching mesotrochanters. The plesiomorphic character states based on outgroup comparison with the genus Belocera and Bambucibatus is antennae with first segment flattened, sagittate or subsagittate.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Neobelocera lanpingensis Chen, male. (1) Adult, dorsal view; (2) Head and thorax, dorsal view; (3) Frons and clypeus; (4) Male genitalia, posterior view; (5) The same, left side; (6) Anal segment, left side; (7) Aedeagus, left side; (8) Genital style, left side. Scale bars = 2.0 mm (Fig. 1), 0.5 mm (Figs 2 – 3), 0.2 mm (Figs 4 – 5), 0.25 mm (Figs 6 – 8) (All figures are reproduced from Chen, 2003 a)

FIGURES 9 – 16. Neobelocera laterospina Chen & Liang. (9) Head and thorax, dorsal view; (10) Frons and clypeus; (11) Forewing; (12) Male genitalia, posterior view; (13) The same, left side; (14) Aedeagus, left side; (15) Genital style, posterior view; (16) The same, lateral view. Scale bars 0.5 mm (Figs 9 – 10), 1.0 mm (Fig. 11), 0.2 mm (Figs 12 – 16) (All figures are reproduced from Chen & Liang, 2005)

FIGURES 17 – 29. Neobelocera lii Hou & Chen, sp. nov. (17) Head and thorax, dorsal view; (18) Frons and clypeus; (19) Forewing; (20) Anal segment, lateral view; (21) The same, ventral view; (22) Male genitalia, lateral view; (23) Male pygofer, posterior view; (24) Male genitalia, caudal view; (25) Aedeagus, left side; (26) Aedeagus, dorsal view; (27) Right genital style, posterior view; (28) Right genital style, lateral view; (29) Female genitalia, ventral view. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.