Busonia manipurensis, VIRAKTAMATH & YESHWANTH, 2024

VIRAKTAMATH, C. A. & YESHWANTH, H. M., 2024, Arboreal eurymeline leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Eurymelinae) of the Indian subcontinent with description of new genera and eight new species, Zootaxa 5462 (1), pp. 1-125 : 100-101

Busonia manipurensis sp. nov.

Figs. 54A–K , 60F , 62L , 72M–P , 73E .

Diagnosis. B. manipurensis sp. nov. externally resembles B. thai Maldondo Capriles , but differs in having the lateral areas of pronotum slightly paler, aedeagal shaft in lateral view thinner and more smoothly curved, in ventral view shaft appearing much shorter, lateral margins more or less parallel sided and atrium with ventral projection much longer compared to that in B. thai .

Description. Dark brown. Face paler or yellowish with lora and genae darker, apical half of clypellus whitish. Some specimens with one small dark brown spot near ocellus on face. Mesonotum with basal triangles dark fuscous, mesoscutellum and lateral margins of mesonotum yellowish. In darker specimens a large brown spot on fore margin of head, pronotum slightly paler along lateral margins and mesoscutum brown with only lateral margins yellow. In some males including holotype, propleura with dark brown patch, rest of venter including legs yellow. Forewing transparent with brownish shade, veins brown, costal band in basal half dark brown, slightly widening distally, then narrowed and continued along vein R, entire apical cell 3 and apical area of apical cell 4 dark brown. Female sternite VII about half as long as wide, with posterior margin angularly convex medially ( Figs 54F , 62L ).

Crown about 3.4–4.0× as wide between eyes as long medially. Slightly longer medially than next to eyes. Face slightly wider than long. Mesonotum longer than combined length of crown and pronotum. Pronotum 2.9–3.6× as wide as long medially, slightly distinctly narrower than head.

Male genitalia. Pygofer about 3.75× as wide dorsally as ventrally, dorsal margin almost straight. posterior margin convex, posterodorsal angle rounded, lobe-like. Subgenital plates shorter than length of pygofer. Connective T-shaped with stem much longer than arms, Style in dorsal view with prominent blunt tooth near base of apophysis, then gradually broadened before apex and tapering to pointed apex, with a few slender but long setae on dorsal margin. Aedeagus with ventral wall of atrium prolonged ventrally and slightly more than about half as long as dorsolateral margin of atrium, latter concave in lateral view, shaft in basal 0.33 almost straight, of uniform width then curved dorsally and narrowed, with a few serrations at midlength of shaft laterally, apex more or less rounded. Gonopore apical.

Female genitalia. Valvula I almost straight, broadest at midlength, then narrowed distally, with dorsal sculpturing reticulate and occupying distal 0.45 length, ventral sculptured area restricted preapically to a distance of about 0.3 length ( Figs 72 MN). Valvula II more or less straight, abruptly expanded at basal 0.3 attaining maximum width at about 0.5 length and then tapering to pointed apex; dorsal marginal teeth very small almost like serration, visible in distal region only (Figs 720P).

Measurements. Male 3.7–3.9 mm long, 1.3–1.4 mm wide across eyes. Female 3.9–4.0 mm long and 1.4 mm wide across eyes.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE ♂, INDIA: Manipur: Churachandapur: Ngaloi Falls , 1148m, 24 o 19’53.7”N 93 o 38’47.7”E, 18.viii.2014, Sweep net, Yeshwanth, H.M. ( UASB). Paratypes: 1 ♂, 3 ♀, same data as holotype; 3 ♀, INDIA: Manipur: Pallel: Saiboom , 1387m, 24 o 23’50”N 94 o 05’20”E, 21.viii.2014, Sweep net, Yeshwanth, H.M.; 5 ♂, 2 ♀, INDIA: Senapati: Sijang Morg Jang , 1053m, 24 o 58’N, 94 o 08’E, 28.ix.2013, Sweepnet, Yeshwanth, H.M. Meghalaya: 1 ♀, South Garo Hills: RRTC, Umran , 1811m, 25 o 26’N 91 o 49’E, 10.vi.2013, Sweep net, Yeshwanth, H.M.; West Bengal: 1♀, 4 km N Teesta, 28.x.1981, C.A. Viraktamath ( NBAIR, UASB).

Etymology. The species is named after the state where the holotype was collected.

Remarks. Nymphs and adults of this species are actively attended by ants ( Fig. 73E ). B. manipurensis and B. distanti are very similar externally except for the color marking and curvature of the aedeagus in lateral view. B. manipurensis has more brownish face whereas B. distanti has pale brown to yellowish face often with a black spot near each ocellus. Aedeagal shaft apex in lateral view is pointed in B. distanti and it is more or less rounded in B. ishanya .

Figures

FIGURES 54A–K. Busonia manipurensis sp. nov.: A–C, holotype male habitus, dorsal, lateral views and face; D–F, female paratype habitus, dorsal view and face (E), female apical abdominal segments (F); G, metabasitarsomere, ventral view; H, male genital capsule, lateral view; I, pygofer, dorsoposterior view; J, styles, connective and aedeagus, dorsal view; K, style, connective and aedeagus, lateral view.

FIGURES 60A–O. Idiocerini and Megipocerini of the Indian subcontinent, forewings (A–F) and female sternite VII (G– O). A, Matangia indica; B, Metidiocerus deodarae; C, Periacerus lalithae; D, Ulavius anasuyae; E, Busonia distanti; F, B. manipurensis; G, Balocha astuta; H, B. fuscolinea; I, Amritodus atkinsoni; J, A. brevis; K, A. quinquepunctatus; L, A. saeedi; M, Bellacerus bellus; N, Busoniomimus manjunathi; O, B. mudigerensis.

FIGURES 62A–L. Idiocerini and Megipocerini of the Indian subcontinent, female sternite VII: A, Periacerus bidentatus; B, P. lalithae; C, Tasnimocerus clypeatus D, Ulavius anasuyae; E, U. decoratus; F, U. dworakowskae; G, U. jayashriae; H, U. parvathiae; I, U. poornachandrai; J, U. spectabilis; K, Busonia distanti; L, B. manipurensis.

FIGURES 72A–P. Idiocerini and Megipocerini of the Indian subcontinent, female valvula I, magnified view and valvula II, magnified view: A–D, U. poornachandrai; E–H, Ulavius spectabilis, I–L, Busonia distanti; M–P, B. manipurensis.

FIGURES 73A–E. Idiocerini and Megipocerini of the Indian subcontinent in their natural habitats: A, adult Idioscopus nagpurensis congregation on under surface of mango leaf; B, Amritodus quinquepunctatus on bark of mango tree; C, Idioscopus nitidulus nymphs feeding on mango fruit; D, I. nitidulus adult on mango leaves; E, Busonia manipurensis sp. nov. adults and nymphs attended by ants.