Xerophytavorus, 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 : 37-40

Xerophytavorus gen.n.

Type species: Xerophytavorus rastrullus sp.n.

( Figs 3–7 , 52–76 )

Gender masculine

Diagnosis. Fuscous dorsally, sometimes with whitish or yellowish transverse marking in claval region of tegmina ( Figs 1–4 , absent as in Fig. 7 ). Vertex and pronotum rugose. Transition between vertex and face with dorsal carina ( Figs 28, 30 ). Aedeagal shaft biramous ( Figs 38 , 54 ), connective closely articulated with aedeagus, arms widely separated, stem short, about half as long as arms. Paired pygofer process with modified apex arising medioventrally from pygofer ( Figs 40 , 60 ). Pygofer lobe medially with dense cluster of setae ( Figs 35, 40 , 59, 60 ). Subgenital plate without macrosetae ( Fig. 37 ).

Etymology. Compound word in Latin, Xerophyta , generic name for the host plant, voro, to eat, consume, as this leafhopper feeds on this plant.

Male and female. External morphology. Vertex, pronotum and scutellum fuscous; dorsum punctate, pubescent (short setae arising in punctures); vertex longitudinally rugose. Pronotum rugose. Tegmina with veins and cells dark brown or brown, translucent transverse bar in claval cells, translucent area at first apical cell and in distal part of costal cell ( Figs 1–4 ). Margin between face and vertex sharp, forming short, dorsal carina ( Figs 28–30 ). Ocellus on face, close to dorsal margin, in front of eye, above antenna. Clypeus shagreened ( Fig. 6 ), wide, few setae laterally. Clypellus parallel-sided, longer than wide, transclypeal suture weakly developed ( Fig. 29 ). Genae surrounding lora distally ( Fig. 29 ). Pronotum distinctly wider than head ( Figs 1–7 , 28 ), lateral margins carinate ( Fig. 30 ), nearly as long as eye. Tegmina opaque with veins obscure, indicated by fine pubescence ( Figs 31 , 52 , 64 ), vein R three-branched, crossvein r-m1 connected to R basad of fork, three anteapical cells present, inner anteapical cell open; vein M apparently unbranched, only 3 apical cells present, inner apical cell extended to distal margin, claval veins indistinct; appendix present, but poorly distinguished from adjacent inner apical cell. Hind wing with three apical cells (anterior branch of R absent), jugal lobe well developed ( Fig. 65 ). Legs and venter brown, setae on hind leg pale. Pro- and meso-tarsomeres 1–3 pale, metatarsomere 3 pale or light brown. Protibia setal formula 3+1. Metafemur dorsoapical macrosetae 2+2 ( Fig. 33 ). Profemur with anteromedial, intercalary, and anteroventral rows poorly differentiated, irregular, short across most of length of femur, longer distally, with 1–3 longer setae near apex, AM1 well differentiated. ( Fig. 32 ). Metatibia with posteroventral row consisting of narrow, acute setae, with 2–3 distal setae slightly longer and thicker than more basal setae; anteroventral, anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae robust, wide across base, acute apically; dorsal rows interspersed with small, fine setae. Metatibial setae in PV row about half as long as width of metatibia medially; AV, PD and AD setae about as long as width of metatibia medially. Tarsomere 1 about twice as long as tarsomere 2 or 3, plantar surface with two rows of 7 macrosetae, apex with spur with seta laterally and 4 spurs with platellae medially. Tarsomere 2 with 2 platellae medially.

Male. Internal morphology. Abdominal apodemes with anterior apodeme in dorsal view with rounded, membranous lobes, as long as wide ( Figs 55–57 ). Tentorium recessed into head, base sclerotized, wide, attached near base of antenna, extending dorsally, apex tapered, membranous, branched, dorsal branch reaching vertex, right-angled ventral branch reaching face anteriad of ocellus.

Male. Genitalia. Pygofer, dorsally with anal tube inserted half-way or further into pygofer, anal tube triangular ( Figs 35 , 58 ). Pygofer lobe ventromedially with posteriorly directed process, apex modified ( Figs 36, 40 , 59, 60 ); pygofer lobe with cluster of macrosetae at ventromedial subapical margin, arising from variably shaped base ( Figs 40 , 60 ). Subgenital plate narrow, lateral margin concave or straight, medial margin straight, with sparse ventral setae irregularly arranged, macrosetae absent ( Figs 37 , 61 ). Paired aedeagal shaft C- or U-shaped in dorsal view ( Figs 38 , 54 ), arms of shaft serrate medially, articulation with connective membranous. Connective Y-shaped, arms bowed laterad, stem short ( Figs 38 , 54 ). Style with preapical lobe well developed, acute, bearing several conspicuous setae ( Figs 34 , 63 ).

Female. Genitalia. Sternite 7 with deep median notch, margins variable ( Figs 41 , 67 ). Valvula 3 with numerous macrosetae on distal and ventral margin ( Figs 42 , 66 ). Valvula 2 elongate, apical half slightly wider than basal half ( Figs 48 , 72 ), finely serrate ( Figs 49–51 , 74–76 ). Valvula 1 lanceolate ( Figs 44 , 68 ), covered with fine semicircular or rectangular scale-like microsculpture ( Figs 43, 45–47 , 69–71 ).

Relationships. This new genus is placed in Opsiini based on the paired aedeagal shafts, each bearing a separate gonopore. Other Afrotropical Opsiini , which also have the biramous aedeagus, have the vertex rounded to the face with a smooth or at most with a shagreened texture. The new genus apparently belongs to the group of genera that includes Aladzoa Linnavuori , Hishimonus Ishihara , Naevus Knight , Nesophrosyne Kirkaldy , Opsius Fieber and Orosius Distant , in which the biramous shaft originates basally. Eremophlepsius Zachvatkin (Palaearctic Region), also a member of this group, has a similarly up-turned facial margin (J. Zahniser, personal communication).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Xerophytavorus gen. n.. 1, 2, Xerophytavorus furcillatus gen. n. & sp. n., Specimen from Malawi; 1, male; 2, female; 3 – 7, Xerophytavorus rastrullus gen. n. & sp. n.; 3, female, Pretoria, collected 1970; 4, female, Dome Kloof, Magaliesberg; 5, nymph, Koppie Alleen; 6, male, face; 7, female, Swawelpoort.

FIGURES 52 – 63. Xerophytavorus rastrullus gen. n. & sp. n., male. 52, tegmina; 53, foretibia setation; 54, aedeagus and connective, dorsal view; 55, anterior and posterior abdominal apodemes, anterior view; 56, posterior abdominal apodeme, dorsal view; 57, anterior abdominal apodeme, dorsal view; 58, pygofer, dorsally; 59, pygofer, lateral view; 60, process and apical macrosetae cluster on pygofer, ventral view; 61, plate and valve, ventral view; 62, aedeagus, lateral view; 63, style.

FIGURES 64 – 76. Xerophytavorus rastrullus gen. n. & sp. n., female. 64, tegmina; 65, hind wing; 66, valvula 3; 67, sternite 7; 68 – 71, valvula 1; 68, image of whole structure and valvifer; 69, image of sculpturing at apex; 70, line drawing of sculpture medially; 71, line drawing of sculpture at apex; 72 – 76, valvula 2; 72, image of whole structure, apex distorted; 73, image of sclerotized medial section; 74, image of serration at apex; 75, line drawing of serration at apex; 76, line drawing of serration medially.

FIGURES 28 – 40. Xerophytavorus furcillatus gen. n. & sp. n., male. Head and pronotum, 28, dorsal view; 29, face; 30, lateral view; 31, tegmina; 32, foretibia setation; 33, dorsal view, distal right metafemur; 34, style; 35, pygofer, dorsal view; 36, pygofer, lateral view; 37, plate and valve, ventral view; 38, aedeagus and connective, dorsal view; 39, aedeagus and connective, lateroventral view; 40, process and apical macrosetae cluster on pygofer, medial view.

FIGURES 41 – 51. Xerophytavorus furcillatus gen. n. & sp. n., female. 41, sternite 7; 42, valvula 3; 43 – 47, valvula 1; 43, image of sculpturing at narrow apex; 44, image of whole structure and valvifer; 45, image of sculpturing at wide apex; 46, line drawing of sculpture medially; 47, line drawing of sculpture at apex; 48 – 51, valvula 2; 48, image of whole structure; 49, line drawing of serration medially; 50, line drawing of serration at apex; 51, image of serration at apex.