Achiplecton stilleri, Brysz & Stroiński & Szwedo, 2024

Brysz, Alicja M., Stroiński, Adam & Szwedo, Jacek, 2024, A new tribe of scaphocephalic Achilidae from South Africa (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha), European Journal of Taxonomy 958 (1), pp. 151-176 : 155-168

Achiplecton stilleri sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EDD9079F-DF2E-4797-ADD4-E221102D7529

Figs 1–12

Etymology

Specific epithet dedicated to our friend Dr Michael Stiller, South African entomologist and collector of the specimens.

Type material

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; “ Western Cape, Gifberg Pass summit, Vanrhynsdorp ; 31°45ʹ S, 18°42ʹ E; 360 m a.s.l.; 9 Oct. 2002; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping, low grass, forbs & restios, at FM tower”; SANC.

Paratypes (1 ♀, 4 ♂♂)

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♂; same data as for holotype; SANC • 1 ♂; same data as for holotype; MAIG • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; SANC • 1 ♂; “ South Africa , Western Cape Prov., Dwarsrivier, Farm Cedarberg , SE Citrusdal, 32°27ʹS 19°12ʹE, 10-15.x.2002, 850 m, M Stiller; Swept off Aspalathus costulata , Fabaceae ; National Coll. of Insects , Pretoria, S.Afr.”; SANC • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; MAIG .

Description

COLORATION. Body dark brown with light brown carinae. Tegmina dark brown in the posterobasal part, and lighter brown in the anteroapical part, with an irregular dusting of light spots.

APPEARANCE. In both sexes habitus subcylindrical, somewhat flattened laterally, with elongated head and narrow tegmina, fully covering apex of the abdomen. Length ca 6.0– 7.5 mm (median 6.66 mm; examined specimens slightly distorted).

HEAD. Head with compound eyes narrower than pronotum, elongated, with fastigium well developed, in lateral view with apical portion slightly bent dorsad; fastigium in cross-section subhexagonal. Vertex elongately subtriangular, lateral margins undulate, converging anteriad toward rounded anterior margin, disc tectiform, in lateral view in a plane with a disc of pronotum and mesonotum; median carina ridge-like, expanded from posterior margin towards the apex, undulate, apex rounded, carinate, posterior margin almost straight, merely angulately concave in dorsal view, reaching half of compound eye length; occiput not visible, hidden below anterior margin of pronotum. Frons more flattened near the frontoclypeal margin, more convex towards the apex, lateral carinae undulate, merely convex, converging anteriad, with subapical transverse carina; median carina distinct, undulate; disc delicately transversely wrinkled. Preocular area with irregularly dispersed eminences. Clypeal suture incomplete, obsolete in median portion, angulately convex. Postclypeus subtriangular, about as long as wide, with lateral carinae distinctly converging mediad, but not touching, median carina distinct, prolonged on anteclypeus. Anteclypeus about three times as long as wide, suboval, wedged in between lora; its median carina not reaching lower margin. Clypellus long, acutely triangular. Lora wide, convex, visible in frontal view. Emarginate margins of maxillary plate visible in frontal view; maxillary plate extremely narrow. Posterior margin of the head capsule (maxillary plate and gena) delicately carinate. Lateral ocelli present, below the lower margin of the compound eye, posteriad of its anterior margin. Compound eyes large, subglobular with posteroventral angle subangular, devoid of some ommatidia at the lower median section, but without subocular callosity; postocular callus narrow. Antennal foveae below the compound eye, posteriad of half of the compound eye length, slightly elevated; scapus very short, pedicel subglobose, with plate organs of stellar type, with dichotomic arms, present on the whole surface of the pedicel. Rostrum reaching middle of metacoxae, subapical segment shorter than subapical one, widened medially, with rounded apex, about three times as long as wide, blackish, covered with short setae.

PRONOTUM. In midline about four times as long as wide, disc elevated, not protruded far anteriad, not covering vertex surface, median carina, and parallel lateral carinae not reaching posterior margin, disc with lateral pits; lateral portion of pronotum declivous with 4 incomplete ridges in posterior portion, and two incomplete postocular carinae (carina lateralis weakened anteriorly and carina collateralis weakened posteriorly), pectoral area narrow, emarginate ventromediad.

MESONOTUM. Wider than long, with median and lateral carinae obsoletely reaching posterior margin, lateral carinae merely converging anteriad, mesoscutellum separated; disc of mesonotum with leathery, transversely-scaly texture, mesoscutellum transversely wrinkled; mesothoracic axillary cord with distinct scally sculpture.

TEGULA. Wider than long, with leathery sculpture, without median carina.

TEGMEN. Narrow, narrower at base than on membrane, with longitudinal veins on corium and clavus carinate, ‘frosted’ on membrane; costal margin slightly arcuate at base, than less arcuate to level of ScP+RA 1 terminal, than arcuate to widely arcuate anteroapical angle, apex rounded, posteroapical angle arcuate, tornus merely arcuate; apex of clavus reaching half of tegmen length; costal margin thickened, appendix widened, transversely wrinkled, wider at anterior margin and apex, narrowing on tornus; basal cell narrow, about 4 times as long as wide, triangularly widening posteriad, closed with short very basal section of CuA, basal veinlet cua-cup slightly thickened; stems ScP+R+MP leaving basal cell with a short common stalk, stem ScP+R forked basad of claval veins junction, branch ScP+RA slightly diverging mediad, terminal ScP+RA 1 split at level of claval apex, 4–5 terminals of RA reaching margin well basad of anteroapical angle; branch RP almost straight, forked apicad of level of tornal veinlet on membrane, reaching margin basad of anteroapical angle with 2–3 terminals; stem MP merely sinusoid, forked apicad of claval apex, branches MP 1+2 and MP 3+4 not forking on membrane, slightly diverging in apical portion, reaching margin at apex, in area between anteroapical and posteroapical angles; stem CuA leaving basal cell straight, parallel to claval fold and vein CuP, forked apicad of basal ⅓ of tegmen length, apicad of claval veins junction, branch CuA 1 single, branch CuA 2 single reaching posterior section of tornus; CuP straight, bent near apex reaching the margin (A 2); claval vein Pcu sinuate, connected to A 1 at about ⅔ of clavus length; joined veins Pcu+A 1 reaching claval apex at point with CuP terminus to margin (A 2); clavus open, claval fold prolonged on postclaval cell, but not intersecting tornal veinlet; veinlet rp-mp 1+2 apicad of claval apex, basad of tornal veinlet; nodal veinlet mp-cua 1 slightly apicad of claval apex; veinlet icua slightly apicad of tornal veinlet; cello C1 long, closed with slightly oblique veinlet ra-rp; cell C3 short, closed with transverse veinlet mp 1+2 -mp 3+4 at about level of tornal veinlet; cell C5 lanceolate, closed with veinlet icua merely apicad of tornal veinlet; a few additional transverse veinlets on membrane, not arranged in distinct rows.

HIND WING. Narrow, about twice as long as wide, with distinct anal lobe, basal section of costal margin arcuate, then sinuate to level of wing-coupling lobe (WCL), anteroapical angle widely arcuate, apex arcuate, posterior margin to anal lobe slightly crenelate; basal cell absent, stems ScP+R+MP leaving with short common stem, then diverging, ScP+R subparallel to costal margin to level of WCL, then forked, ScP+RA reaching margin well anteriad of apex, RP arcuately curved reaching margin basad of apex; stem MP single, reaching margin at apex; stem CuA straight, diverging mediad, forked apicad of half of hind wing length, branch CuA 1 forked again before margin, branch CuA 2 slightly arcuate; branch CuP single, sinuate, reaching margin at distance slightly longer than distance to Pcu terminus; Pcu more sinuate, A 1 curved at base, forked in its apical section, A 2 simple, slightly thickened at base, then dilated posteriorly, not reaching margin; median fold intersecting basal portion of CuA 1 branch, entering cubital area and reaching margin; posterocubital fold reaching margin in half way between terminus of CuP and Pcu.

PROCOXA. Elongate, somewhat flattened, subtriangular in cross-section, with lateral margin ridged; protrochanter short, scaphoid; profemur flattened, slightly shorter than protibia, with two ridges ventrally, bearing stout, short setae; protibia subquadrate in cross-section, margins ornamented with rows of short setae; protarsus shorther than half of protibia, tarsomeres of similar length, tarsal claws distinct, widespread, arolium distinct, triangular.

MESOTHORAX. Anterior margin of katepisternum arcuate; mesocoxa elongate, somewhat flattened, more subquadrangular in cross-section (mediad surface convex), ridged laterad; mesotrochanter scaphoid; mesofemur flattened, slightly shorter than mesotibia, with two ridges ventrally, ornamented with rows of short setae; mesotibia subquadrangular in cross-section, margins ornamented with rows of short setae; mesotarsus shorther than half of mesotibia, tarsomeres of similar length, tarsal claws distinct, widespread, arolium distinct, triangular.

METACOXA. Wide, meracantha conical with finger-like acute tip; metatrochanter short, circular, metafemur slightly longer than mesofemur, slightly laterally flattened, lower margins thickened emarginate; metatibia long, widening apicad, less than twice as long as metafemur, genual spine absent, lateral spine placed basad of half of metatibia length, apical row of 10 teeth arranged slightly arcuately, the most external one larger than the most internal one, lateral margins of metatibia with rows of scarce hairs; basimetatarsomere longer than cumulative length of mid- and apical metatarsomeres, plantar surface slightly flattened, apical teeth arranged in almost straight row of 10 teeth of similar size, platellae cuneiform, Y-ridged ventrally; midmetatarsomere about as long as wide apically, slightly widened, plantar surface flattened, with row of 10 apical teeth arranged arcuately, lateral teeth slightly larger, platellae cuneiform, Y-ridged ventrally; apical metatarsomere about as long as midmetatarsomere, row of a few short setae on plantar surface, tarsal claws distinct, widely spread, arolium large, triangular.

ABDOMEN. Male: abdominal sternites III and IV with a few setae in the median portion and groups of lateral setae; abdominal sternites V and VI without a median group of setae, with a few setae laterally; abdominal sternites V and VI with two deep pits with setae posterolaterad, VII abdominal segment with single setae in deep pit posterolaterad. Female: abdominal sternites III and IV with a few setae in median portion, sternites III to VII with a few, decreasing in number posteriad, from 6 to single lateral setae, abdominal sternites V and VI with two deep pits with setae posterolaterally, VII abdominal segment with single setae in deep pit posterolaterally.

MALE TERMINALIA. Pygofer ventrally (including medioventral projection) shorter than dorsally, round in caudal view; ventrally with wide (about twice as wide as long in midline) unilobed, subquadrate projection, its posteroapical angles widely angulate, in caudal view directed mediad, posterior margin almost straight, with shallow median notch; lateral margin of pygofer slightly concave, without bulges or protuberances, projecting caudad than arcuately cephalad; dorsal posterior margin arcuately concave. Anal tube flattened, short, widened at base, incised laterally then subrectangular, slightly longer than wide; lateral margins subparallel; posteroapical angles angulate; posterior margin straight, with shallow median notch; opening at about half of anal tube length; ventroposterior lobe prolonged caudad, covered with few long bristles; in lateral view, dorsocaudal margin concave, tapered caudad, with few long bristles; epiproct short, paraproct short, not exceeding beyond caudal margin of anal tube. Genital styles distinctly exceeding apex of the anal tube, elongate, tapering to base, widening caudad; dorsal margin arcuate, with basal hook, directed dorsad, mediad and cephalad, with blunt, slightly widening, subquadrate apex; larger asymmetrically bilobate process basad of half of the genital style length; posterodorsal lobe rounded, directed cephalad and laterad; anterior lobe elongate, twisted, directed mediad, caudad then laterad, with apex bluntly rounded, finger-like; then posterodorsal margin straight; posteroapical angle wide, apex rounded; posteroventral margin almost straight, then angulately bent, shallowly concave at level of dorsal bilobate process; margins with a few setae. Periandrium symmetrical, about twice as long as wide at the base, slightly wider basally, with distinct, circular suspensorium, with three elongated lobes; dorsobasal suspensorium with the lateral spine, directed laterocaudad, wider ventrally; dorsal lobe of periandrium membranous, flattened, rounded and widened apically, with spiniferous microsculpture in apical portion; split between dorsal lobes deeply incised, bases of lobes separated, somewhat sclerotized; lateral periandrial lobe narrow, well sclerotized, tapered apically, internalized, not exceeding apex of ventral or dorsal periandrial lobes; ventral periandrial lobe symmetrical, irregularly lobate, apex acutely rounded, with short, triangular basal projection directed cephalad, median portion bears large S-shaped, acute, process directed cephalad. Aedeagal rods elongate, diverging caudad, basally fused, entering periandrium apically of half of its length; subapical portion below the ‘fang’ delicately serrate, its laterad section less sclerotized; the ‘fang’ sickle-shaped, acutely tapered. Connective long, Y-shaped, basal arms widely spread, bent, apical section rod-like.

FEMALE TERMINALIA. Abdominal 7 th sternite (pregenital sternite), in ventral view, with anterior margin almost straight; posterior margin weakly concave, lateral lobes slightly prolonged, widely rounded in caudal view, medially with narrow and wide apodeme. Anal tube (segment XI), in lateral view, reaching posterior margin of gonoplac; in dorsal view, elongate-rounded, with deep split medially. Anal style (paraproct) a bit longer than anal segment (epiproct), elongated, but not extending the posterior margin of the anal tube; anal segment wide, semicircular; anus placed slightly before the middle; posterior and lateral parts of anal tube bearing of numerous long setae (bristles). Gonoplac trilobate, dorsally and laterally covering gonapophysis VIII; lateral part of gonoplac sclerotized, with posterodorsal membranous part, with elongate tip; posterodorsal part with numerous setae (bristles); dorsal part of gonoplac membranous, wide and smooth; lateral and dorsal pars well developed and separated by long split; third lobe placed on ventral side, small and membranous, strongly spiniferous at posterior margin. Gonapophysis VIII wide, distinctly tapering distad; anterior connective lamina (ACL) with 2 strongly sclerotized arms, apically with 4 strong teeth of different sizes. Endogonocoxal process as long as gonapophysis, trilobate; ventral lobe membranous, with strongly sclerotized base and narrow, weaker sclerotized ridge alongside ventral margin, medially with 6 setae, apex pointed; median and dorsal lobes fully membranous, smooth; median lobe shorter than ventral; dorsal lobe the shortest and smallest; endogonocoxal lobe strongly sclerotized with short, bluntly terminated process directed cephalad; posterior margin of endogonocoxal lobe elevated and weakly incurved. Gonospiculum as in Fig. 12E . Bursa copulatrix with a membranous single pouch, bean-like, with visible cells; base of pouch with single, tripartite sclerite on the dorsal wall of the bursa, posterior arm curved ventrad, central portion of sclerite with sharp spine oriented dorsad. Spermatheca well developed; ductus receptaculi narrow and smooth, shorter than diverticulum ductus; diverticulum ductus ribbed.

Figures

Fig. 1. Achiplecton stilleri gen. et sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (SANC). A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Habitus, dorsal view.C. Anterior part of the body, lateral view. D. Anterior part of the body, dorsal view. E. Head, frontal view, schematic drawing. F. Distribution map, physical. G. Distribution map, ecoregions. Colors on the head scheme: frons = green; clypeus = purple; clypellus = red; loral plates = orange; lateral part of the head capsule = light blue; compound eyes = deep blue; antennal pedicel = white.

Fig. 2. Achiplecton stilleri gen. et sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (SANC). A. Anterior part of the body, dorsal view. B. Anterior part of the body, lateral view. C. Head dorsal view. D. Head, lateral view. E. Head, frontal view. F. Lateral part of the head, lateral view.

Fig. 3. Achiplecton stilleri gen. et sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (SANC). A. Antenna, frontal view. B. Antenna, top view. C. Antennal plate organs. D. Clypeus and antyclypeus, frontal view. E. Antyclypeus and labrum, frontal view. F. Pronotum and mesonotum, dorsal view.

Fig. 4. Achiplecton stilleri gen. et sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (SANC). A. Tegmen (forewing). B. Basal part of tegmen. C. Median part of tegmen. D. Basal part of clavus.

Fig. 5. Achiplecton stilleri gen. et sp. nov., drawings. A. Tegmen venation pattern. B. Tegmen with areas marked. C. Hind wing venation pattern. D. Hind wing with area marked.

Fig. 6. Achiplecton stilleri gen. et sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (SANC), SEM photographs. A. Hind legs, ventral view. B. Apical part of tibia hind tibia and tarsomere, ventral view. C. Ornamentation of the first and second tarsomere, ventral view. D. Platellae on the second tarsomere, ventral view.

Fig. 7. Achiplecton stilleri gen. et sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (SANC), SEM photographs. A. Abdomen and terminalia, dorsal view. B. Terminalia, dorsal view. C. Abdomen and terminalia, lateral view. D. Terminalia, lateral view. E. Anal tube, dorsal view. F. Anal tube, lateral view.

Fig. 8. Achiplecton stilleri gen. et sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (SANC), SEM photographs. A. Genital style and aedeagus, lateral view. B. Processes of genital style, dorsal view. C. Abdomen and terminalia, ventral view. D. Terminalia, ventral view.

Fig. 9. Achiplecton stilleri gen. et sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (SANC), photographs. A. Anal tube, dorsal view. B. Genital style, lateral view. C. Genital style, dorsal view. D. Genital styles and phallic complex, dorsal view. E. Genital styles and phallic complex, ventral view. F. Periandrium, latero-dorsal view. G. Periandrium, dorsal view. H. Periandrium, ventral view. I. Aedeagus, lateral view. J. Aedeagus, dorsal view.

Fig. 10. Achiplecton stilleri gen. et sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (SANC), SEM photographs. A. Abdomen and terminalia, dorsal view. B. Terminalia, dorsal view. C. Abdomen and terminalia, lateral view. D. Terminalia, lateral view. E. Abdomen and terminalia, ventral view. F. Terminalia, ventral view.

Fig. 11. Achiplecton stilleri gen. et sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (SANC), photographs. A. Gonoplac, lateral view. B. Gonoplac, latero-dorsal view. C. Gonoplac, dorsal view. D. Gonoplac, internal margin, internal view. E. Gonapophysis VIII and endogonocoxal process, lateral view, external side. F. Setae on endogonocoxal process, lateral view. G. Endogonocoxal process, dorsal view. H. Endogonocoxal process, dorsolateral view.

Fig. 12. Achiplecton stilleri gen. et sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (SANC), photographs. A. Bursa copulatrix and spermatheca, dorsal view. B–C. Sclerite on the dorsal wall of bursa copulatrix. D. Spermatheca. E. Gonapophyses IX and gonospiculum bridge, dorsal view.