Igerna kolasibensis Meshram

Meshram, Naresh M., Chandra Bose, N. S. & Parveen, Shama, 2015, Two new species of the genus Igerna (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Megophthalminae) from India, Zootaxa 3946 (2), pp. 241-250 : 242-243

Igerna kolasibensis Meshram sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–4 ; 9–16; 27–31)

Male ( Figs. 9–10 ). Yellowish brown with black markings. Disc of vertex with two spots, narrow elongated spot in antennal cavities; two submarginal narrow black bands on inner side of frontoclypeal suture; clypellus and frontoclypeal sulci black. Antennae pale fuscous. Pronotum with two, large, round black spots posteriorly just above hind margin. Two triangular spots at base of scutellum and median impressed line black. Thoracic pleura black. Forewings brownish hyaline. Female color pattern similar to male ( Figs. 27–28 ).

Head broadly rounded, crown more or less uniform in length. Anterior margin of pronotum not extending beyond eyes. Anteclypeus exceeding facial margin ( Fig. 9 ). Frontoclypeus broad with distinct transverse ridges and face with distinct median carina. Frontal suture extending onto vertex, terminating laterad of ocelli ( Fig. 11 ). Ocelli placed anteriorly on face, closer to anterior margin of vertex than to antennal base, distance between eye and ocellus 7.5x diameter of ocellus. Antennae situated somewhat at level with lower margin of eye in facial view. Scutellum length 0.9x length of pronotum and 0.62x its width, transverse depression distinct and nearly reaching lateral margin. Pronotum 0.48x longer than broad and 5.5x longer than crown ( Fig. 9 ). Forewings without appendix ( Fig. 10 ).

Male genitalia. Pygofer ( Fig. 12 ), in lateral view, with caudal lobe bearing marginal stout microsetae; caudoventral margin oblique, deeply excavated in the middle. Subgenitalplates ( Fig. 15 ), in ventral view, elongate, subtriangular, fused to valve but fused to each other along basal third, narrowing gradually towards apical one third, subapical area directed outwards; apex rounded; in lateral view, dorsal margin with short scattered hair-like setae. Connective longer than broad. Styles ( Fig. 2 ), in lateral view, well developed, outer fork rounded and short, bearing scattered setae, inner fork shorter with basal portion strongly curved and apical portion flat. Aedeagus ( Figs. 1 ; 16), lateral view, Y-shaped, with atrium forming stage at base, shaft compressed, dorsally directed with apical gonopore and without process on caudal margin near apex. Anal collar process ( Figs 4 ; 14) dorsal view, well developed, sea-horse shaped.

Female genitalia. Seventh sternite ( Figs. 4 ; 29), lateral view, quadrangular, hind margin straight, with median triangular lobe with blunt apex. Second valvulae dorsally curved with dorsal hyaline area in middle; subtriangular teeth without denticles placed after dorsal hyaline area distally ( Fig. 30–31 ).

Measurements (mm). Male 3.6 long, 1.11 wide across eyes, 0.8 wide across hind margin of pronotum. Female 3.92 long and 1.23 wide across eyes, 0.9 wide across hind margin.

Type material. Holotype ♂, INDIA: Mizoram: Kolasib, (24.2311° N, 92.6761° E, 888 M), 02.vi.2012, Mercury vapor lamp, Coll. Rony, K. ( NPC). Paratype ♀ & 7♂ with same data as on holotype. NCBI GenBank, accession number: KJ751539

Remarks. Igerna kolasibensis sp. nov. resembles I. priyankae Viraktamath (characters of I. priyankae in parentheses), nevertheless, the first can be distinguished by having: two submarginal, narrow black bands on inner side of frontoclypeal suture; clypellus and frontoclypeal sulci black (frontoclypeal suture without such black band and only apical half of clypeus black); aedeagus without process on caudal margin near apex (caudal margin with ventrally directed process near apex); anal collar process well developed, sea-horse shaped (anal collar process well developed, forked near apex, dorsal fork shorter than ventral fork); subgenital plates in ventral view, elongate, subtriangular, fused to valve (subgenital plates not fused to valve); female seventh sternite quadrangular, hind margin straight, with median triangular lobe with blunt apex (seventh sternite quadrangular, hind margin concave, with median triangular lobe with acute apex).

Etymology. The species was named after the collection site, Kolasib in Mizoram India.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Male and female genitalia of new species 1 – 4 Igerna kolasibensis sp. nov. 1. Aedeagus lateral view; 2. Style; 3. Anal collar process; 4. Female, seventh sternite; 5 – 8 Igerna shillongensis sp. nov. 5. Female, seventh sternite; 6. Aedeagus lateral view; 7. Style; 8. Anal collar process.

FIGURES 9 – 16. Habitus, face and genitalia male Igerna kolasibensis sp. nov. 9, 10. Habitus, dorsal and lateral view; 11. Face; 12. Pygofer; 13, 14. Anal collar process; 15. Subgenital plate; 16. Aedeagus with style and connective.

FIGURES 27 – 36. Habitus, face and female genitalia of new species 27 – 31 female Igerna kolasibensis sp. nov. 27, 28. Habitus, dorsal and lateral view; 29. Seventh sternite; 30, 31. Second gonapophyses; 32 – 36 female Igerna shillongensis sp. nov. 32, 33. Habitus, dorsal and lateral view; 34. Seventh sternite; 35, 36 Second gonapophyses.