Ventriappendix Ding, Yu & Yang, 2024

Ding, Yan, Yan, Bin, Yu, Xiao-Fei & Yang, Mao-Fa, 2024, A new genus and three new species of Empoascini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) from China, Zootaxa 5433 (1), pp. 121-132 : 122

Ventriappendix Ding, Yu & Yang gen. nov.

Type species. Ventriappendix divaricata Ding, Yu & Yang , sp. nov., here designated.

Description: Body relatively robust (Figs 1–4). Head with eyes as wide as pronotum (Figs 1, 4), vertex shorter than width between eyes (Figs 1, 4). Coronal suture not reaching anterior margin of vertex (Figs 1, 3, 4). Ocelli present. Face narrow and convex in profile (Figs 1–4). Forewing with distal 1/3 semi-transparent, veins RP, MP’ stalked at bases arising from r cell and MP”+CuA’ from m cell. Hindwing with CuA unbranched, r cells slightly narrower than c and m cells, all three narrower than cua cells (Figs 5, 6). Front femur with AM1 stout, intercalary row with one basal macroseta and 10 smaller fine setae toward apex. Hind femur with macrosetae formula 2+1+1, tibia row AV with 10 macrosetae near apex.

Male ventral abdominal apodemes developed, strongly diverging ( Fig. 7 ). Pygofer side short and broad, with a few rigid setae apically ( Figs 11, 12 ). Ventral pygofer appendage slender and spinelike, arising near posteroventral corner of pygofer lobe, apically strongly curved dorsad ( Fig. 12 ). Subgenital plate extended far beyond end of pygofer side, broadest at base with triangular basolateral extension, narrowed near midlength then slightly expanded to rounded apex ( Figs 8, 9, 13 ). All categories of setae present, A-group setae long and stout, B-group with short microsetae occupying more than half length of anterior margin, C-group setae arranged in a single row subbasally, D-group with 2–3 rows fine setae ( Fig. 13 ). Paramere posteromesal margin serrated with few fine preapical setae ( Fig. 14 ). Aedeagus shaft well sclerotized, long with apical half significantly broader than base, base strongly humped in lateral view, gonopore apical ( Figs 16, 17 ). Connective V-shaped, without median anterior lobe, fused with base of aedeagus ( Figs 16, 17 ). Anal tube process developed, curved mesad, not visible in lateral view ( Figs 10, 15 ).

Etymology. The genus name derived from the Latin words “ventri-” and “appendix”, referring to the ventral pygofer appendage with apically strongly curved to the ventral surface. Gender: feminine.

Discussion. The new genus is similar to Baguoidea Mahmood , Dayus Mahmood , Dunioa Dworakowska , Goifa Dworakowska , Homa Distant , Ifugoa Dworakowska & Pawar , Treufalka Qin & Zhang and Usharia Dworakowska in having the hindwing with CuA unbranched (Fig. 6), ventral abdominal apodemes posteriorly strongly divergent ( Fig. 7 ) ( Homa male abdominal apodemes of the 3 segment reduced or absent), connective fully united with the base of aedeagus ( Figs 16, 17 ). However, the new genus differs from these genera in having RP, MP’ of forewing stalked at bases originating from r cell, (Fig. 5) (in Homa , Ifugoa , Treufalka and Usharia veins MP’ and RP of forewing sessile; in Ifugoa , Treufalka and Usharia only RP originating from r cell; in Dayus , Baguoidea , Goifa and Homa all apical veins of forewing originating from m cell), from Baguoidea , Dunioa , Goifa , Homa , Ifugoa and Usharia in having male abdominal apodemes of the 8 segment with a pair of short anterior lobes ( Fig. 7 ), from Baguoidea , Dayus , Ifugoa , Treufalka in male pygofer posteriorly without processes, from Baguoidea and Goifa in subgenital plate C-group apex with 2 row macrosetae ( Fig. 13 ) (in Baguoidea with a cluster of macrosetae, Goifa without Cgroup macrosetae), from Dunioa in face without a streak (Fig. 3) and male pygofer without concave ( Fig. 11 ), from Homa in forewing without distinctive stripe (Fig. 5). The new genus also differs from these genera in its distinct ventral pygofer appendage ( Figs 11, 12 ).

Distribution. Oriental.

Figures

FIGURES 7–17. Ventriappendix divaricata Ding, Yu & Yang, sp. nov., 7 abdominal apodemes; 8 male genitalia, dorsal view; 9 male genitalia, left lateral view; 10 anal tube, lateral view; 11 pygofer side, lateral view; 12 ventral pygofer appendage; 13 subgenital plate; 14 paramere; 15 anal tube, dorsal view; 16 aedeagus, paramere and connective, ventral view; 17 aedeagus and connective, left lateral view. Scale bars: 100 μm.