Xerophytacolus tubuverpus, Stiller, Michael, 2012

Stiller, Michael, 2012, New leafhopper genera and species (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) which feed on Velloziaceae from Southern Africa, with a discussion of their trophobiosis, Zootaxa 3509 (1), pp. 35-54 : 53-54

Xerophytacolus tubuverpus sp.n.

( Figs 12–14 , 98–122 )

Diagnosis. Aedeagal shaft tubular, uniformly curved dorsolaterally ( Figs 109, 110 ). Pygofer lobe with apex of median process curved ventrad ( Figs 107, 108 ). Plate apex truncate; laterally weakly striate; basally lateral and medial margins convergent, subparallel ( Fig. 106 ). Sternite 7 of female with wide, shallow rounded notch, about as wide as sternite ( Fig. 113 ).

Etymology. Latin, tubus pipe, verpus penis, for the tubular shape of the paired aedeagal shafts.

Male. Measurements. (n=10) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.40–2.53 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.00– 2.12 mm; vertex 0.52–0.60 mm; next to eye 0.33–0.35 mm; pronotum 0.38–0.41 mm; scutellum 0.40–0.48 mm. Width: head 0.85–0.90 mm; pronotum 0.82–0.89 mm; scutellum 0.55–0.62 mm. Ocellus: diameter 2.64–3.13 µm; ocellocular distance 1.24–1.73 µm.

Male. Genitalia. Pygofer lobe with median process, attached subbasally on inner margin, apex curved ventrad ( Figs 107, 108 ) with narrow, variable process directed dorsoanteriad ( Fig. 108 ). Anal tube incised half way into pygofer ( Fig. 105 ). Aedeagal shafts tubular, parallel at base, curved dorsad and divergent apicad ( Figs 109, 110 ), gonopore apical, oblique. Connective weakly sclerotized ( Fig. 111 ). Style apophysis apex blunt, small subapical ventral spine ( Fig. 112 ). Plate apex truncate, right-angled, weakly sclerotized ( Fig. 106 ), 12–17 macrosetae. Anterior and posterior abdominal apodemes in posterior view as in Figs 103 and 104 , in dorsal view similar to the apodemes of Xc. claviverpus ( Figs 79, 80 ).

Female. Measurements. (n=6) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.56–2.83 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.31–2.68 mm; vertex 0.60–0.71 mm; next to eye 0.34–0.37 mm; pronotum 0.41–0.44 mm; scutellum 0.42–0.50 mm. Width: head 0.91–0.96 mm; pronotum 0.87–0.93 mm; scutellum 0.54–0.65 mm. Ocellus: diameter 2.87–4.13 µm; ocellocular distance 1.23–1.80 µm.

Female. Genitalia. Sternite 7 with wide, rounded notch ( Fig. 113 ). Valvula 3 with about 7 setae in apical half ( Fig. 114 ), additional fine setae basally. Valvula 2 ( Fig. 122 ) serrate dorsally on apical third, serration very fine, on rounded protrusions ( Figs 120, 121 , serration at apex, Fig. 119 , serration medially). Valvula 1 lanceolate ( Fig. 116 ), imbricate microsculpture ( Figs 115, 117 , at apex, Fig. 118 , more rectangular medially).

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, Gauteng. Faerie Glen Nature Reserve, Pretoria , 25°46ʹS, 28°17ʹE, 1450 m, 18.iii.1998, M. Stiller, on Xerophyta retinervis ( SANC). Paratypes. 113, 7Ƥ, 14 nymphs. Gauteng. 33, 1Ƥ, 1 nymph, Pienaarspoort , 25°44ʹS, 28°27ʹE, 1400 m, 23.iii.1993, sweeping grass; 1Ƥ, 4 nymphs, Faerie Glen Nature Reserve, Pretoria , 25°46ʹS, 28°17ʹE, 1450 m, 12.iii.1998; 43, 2Ƥ, 7 nymphs, ibid., holotype; 23, Rietfontein suburb, Pretoria , 25°41ʹS, 28°14ʹE, 1300 m, 26.xii.2001; 1Ƥ, Zonderwater, south of Cullinan , 25°42ʹS, 28°31ʹE, 1488 m, 14.xii.2005; 13, 1Ƥ, Ezemvelo Nature Reserve , at small dam, 25°43ʹS, 28°58ʹE, 1320 m, 4.iv.2006. Limpopo. 1Ƥ, Kransberg summit, NE of Thabazimbi , 24°28ʹS, 27°37ʹE, 2000 m, 23.iv.2005. Mpumalanga. 1Ƥ, Balmoral vicinity, 25°52ʹS, 28°55ʹE, 1460 m, 17.ii.2005, sweeping grass with some Xerophyta retinervis present; 13, Loskopdam Nature Reserve , 25°31ʹ2.8ʺS, 29°15ʹ2.3ʺE, 1174 m, 8.iv.2012. All collected by M. Stiller, on Xerophyta retinervis , except where stated otherwise ( BMNH, INHS, SANC).

Remarks. This species and Xc. claviverpus are similar in color and shape, with distinguishing features present in male and female genitalia, and which are discussed in the remarks under the description of Xc. claviverpus .

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 14. Xerophytacolus gen. n. 8 – 11, Xerophytacolus claviverpus gen. n. & sp. n.; 8, male, face; 9, nymph; 10, male, The Downs, Orrie Baragwanath Pass, South Africa; 11, forewing. 12 – 14, Xerophytacolus tubuverpus gen. n. & sp. n., Faerie Glen, Pretoria; 12, male; 13, female; 14, nymph.

FIGURES 98 – 112. Xerophytacolus tubuverpus gen. n. & sp. n., male. 98, head, dorsal view; 99, face; 100, head, lateral view; 101, tegmina; 102, hind wing; 103, anterior abdominal apodeme, anterior view; 104, posterior abdominal apodeme, anterior view; 105, pygofer, dorsal view; 106, plate and valve, ventral view; 107, pygofer, lateral view; 108, apical pygofer process, medial view; 109, aedeagus, dorsal view; 110, aedeagus, lateral view; 111, connective; 112, style.

FIGURES 113 – 122. Xerophytacolus tubuverpus gen. n. & sp. n., female. 113, sternite 7; 114, valvula, 3; 115 – 118, valvula 1; 115, image of sculpture at apex; 116, image of whole structure; 117, line drawing of sculpture at apex; 118, line drawing of sculpture medially; 119 – 122, valvula 2; 119, line drawing of serration medially; 120, line drawing of serration at apex; 121, image of serration at apex; 122, image of whole structure.

FIGURES 77 – 87. Xerophytacolus claviverpus gen. n. & sp. n., male. 77, tegmina; 78, pygofer, dorsal view; 79, anterior abdominal apodeme, dorsal view; 80, posterior abdominal apodeme, dorsal view; 81, plate and valve, ventral view; 82, style; 83, pygofer, lateral view; 84, process at pygofer lobe apex, lateral view; 85, aedeagus, dorsal view; 86, aedeagus, lateral view; 87, connective.