Xerophytavorus rastrullus, 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, pp. 35-54 : 42-44

Xerophytavorus rastrullus sp.n.

( Figs 3 –7, 52– 76)

Diagnosis. Pygofer process apex with comb-like structure ( Fig. 60). Pygofer lobe medially with oval cluster of macrosetae ( Figs 59, 60). Aedeagus with shaft depressed, medial and distal margins serrate ( Figs 54, 62).

Etymology. Latin, rastrullus , diminutive for rake or comb, for the appearance of the row of teeth on the pygofer process.

Male, female and nymph. External morphology. Pale spots and markings on face, lateral margin of pronotum and vertex ( Figs 3, 4, 6, 7). Tegmina with triangular translucent, whitish or yellow marking in claval cells on some specimens only. Marking was present (as in Figs 3, 4) or absent (as in Fig. 7) in about equal proportions in males and females ( 142 examined pinned and specimens in a capsule). Tegmina in male in Fig. 52, claval veins poorly developed, microsetae on most veins; apically with weakly developed or without cross-veins; appendix narrow. Female tegmina ( Fig. 64) with two anteapical cells and two apical cells. Hind wing as in Fig. 65. Nymph with yellow longitudinal stripe, flanks brown; fore- and mid-legs pale, hind legs pale with distal apex of femur and tibia dark ( Fig. 5).

Abdominal apodemes. Abdominal apodemes ( Figs 55–57) with posterior apodeme wide, with narrow medial lobes ( Fig 55, anterior view, Fig 57, dorsal view); anterior apodeme with elongate apical arms and membranous rounded, medial lobes ( Fig 55, anterior view, Fig. 56, dorsal view).

Male. Measurements. (n= 43) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 1.97–2.16 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 1.72–1.98 mm; vertex 0.34–0.39 mm; next to eye 0.19–0.21 mm; pronotum 0.37–0.43 mm; scutellum 0.37–0.45 mm. Width: head 0.83–0.90 mm; pronotum 0.90 –1.00 mm; scutellum 0.55–0.63 mm. Ocellus: diameter 3.60–4.50 µm; ocellocular distance 7.06–8.47 µm.

Male. Genitalia. Pygofer lobe medioventrally with process with comb-like apex ( Figs 59, 60), lobe with apex with cluster of macrosetae, arising from ovoid base ( Figs 59, 60); dorsal view as in Fig. 58, anterior apodeme short ( Figs 58, 59). Aedeagal shafts sub-parallel, inner margins membranous, denticulate ( Fig. 54), laterally as in Fig. 62. Plate triangular as in Fig. 61, lateral subapical margin rugose. Style with elongate, acuminate apophysis, ridge medioventrally; preapical angle deep, rounded; preapical lobe acute; lateral anterior lobe large, wide, right-angled; medial anterior lobe short, triangular ( Fig. 63).

Female. Measurements. (n= 30) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.02–2.18 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 1.83–2.06 mm; vertex 0.34–0.38 mm; next to eye 0.19–0.22 mm; pronotum 0.39–0.43 mm; scutellum 0.39–0.46 mm. Width: head 0.86–0.92 mm; pronotum 0.93 –1.00 mm; scutellum 0.58–0.65 mm. Ocellus: diameter 3.82–4.35 µm; ocellocular distance 6.97–8.66 µm.

Female. Genitalia. Sternite 7 with deep median V-shaped notch, margins depicting damage ( Fig. 67). Valvula 3 ( Fig. 66) with uniseriate setae marginally, apex rounded. Valvula 2 ( Fig. 72) lanceolate, apical half serrate, slightly narrowed medially; serration regular, fine as in Figs 74, 75 at apex, Fig. 76, medially), medial sclerotized section as in Fig. 73. Valvula 1 ( Fig. 68) lanceolate; dorsal and ventral microsculpture imbricate, as in Figs 69, 71 at apex, and Fig. 70 medially.

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, Gauteng. Pretoria, 25 ° 45 ʹS, 28 ° 12 ʹE, 1450 m, 21.i. 1970, B. Buys ( SANC). Paratypes. 513, 44Ƥ, 17 nymphs. Gauteng. 143, 8Ƥ, ibid. holotype, 21.i. 1970; 33, 2Ƥ, ibid. holotype, 13.xi. 1976; 53, 7Ƥ, ibid. holotype, 13.xi. 1977; 53, 2Ƥ, 7 nymphs, Faerie Glen Koppies, Pretoria, 25 ° 46 ʹS, 28 ° 17 ʹE, 4.iii. 1994; 13, 1Ƥ, 2 nymphs, Rietfontein suburb, Pretoria, 25 ° 41 ʹS, 28 ° 14 ʹE, 1300 m, 26.xii. 2001; 53, 3Ƥ, Swawelpoort, Bronberg, SE Pretoria, 25 ° 48 ʹS, 28 ° 22 ʹE, 1550 m, 17.xi. 2004; 23, 6Ƥ, 1 nymph, Klapperkop, Pretoria, 25 ° 46 ʹS, 28 ° 12 ʹE, 1469 m, 3.iii. 2006; 93, 7Ƥ, 7 nymphs, Smuts Koppie, Irene suburb, Pretoria, 25 ° 53 ʹ 32.6 ʺS, 28 ° 14 ʹ 14.5 ʺE, 1494 m, 4.iv. 2012, hand collected. KwaZulu-Natal. 13, Orange River catchment, 28 ° 53 ʹS, 29 °01ʹE, 2880 m, 16.iv. 2006, sweeping grass and forbs in wetland; North-West Province. 63, 7Ƥ, Dome Kloof, Magaliesberg, near Mooinooi, 25 ° 50 ʹS, 27 ° 32 ʹE, 13.iii. 2005. All collected by M. Stiller. All collected from Xerophyta retinervis , except where stated otherwise ( BMNH, INHS, SANC).

Remarks. Differentiation between species provided under remarks on Xv. furcillatus above. The single, high altitude record from the Drakensberg of KwaZulu-Natal Province is not considered an error, but rather the result of migration on air currents.