Libengaia (Nandiana) ramamurthyi, Viraktamath & Webb & Yeshwanth, 2024

Viraktamath, C. A., Webb, M. D. & Yeshwanth, H. M., 2024, Opsiini leafhopper genus Libengaia Linnavuori (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) in Africa and India with description of one new subgenus and six new species, Zootaxa 5507 (1), pp. 104-122 : 120-121

Libengaia (Nandiana) ramamurthyi sp. nov.

Figs 6 OP, 7H, 10A–G.

Diagnosis. Externally closely resembling L. (N.) lamerallis , but differs in having aedeagal shaft with thinner and longer dorsally directed apical process.

Description. Male 3.6–3.7 mm long. Coloration similar to that in L. (N.) lamerallis but much darker espcially on face and yellow patches on head pronotum and abdomen more porminent.

Crown more than 3.3–3.5× as long as median length. Pronotum 2.2–2.5× as wide as long medially. Exposed mesonotum longer than pronoutm.

Male genitalia. Pygofer about as long as broad in lateral view, lobe posteriorly truncate, dorsal margin straight, macrosetae restricted to posterior 0.33 length. Subgenital plate triangular with apex acutely angled, lateral margins more or less straight, setae uniseriate along lateral margin, about 0.33 as wide at base as long. Connective with arms approximated near base then divergent, distinctly shorter than stem. Style with apophysis laterally curved and pointed distally. Aedeagal shafts elongate, slender, more or less of uniform width, each shaft curved ventrally then dorsally, with very slender, long, distally pointed, dorsally directed single apical process; gonopore apical; preatrium with two equal slender elongate processes about half as long as preatrium and distally curved dorsally; ventral process appears paired, each fork slender of equal length and shorter than aedeagal shaft.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE ♂, INDIA: Jharkhand: Net Sweeping, Kolhan , Jharkhand, 18.xi.2011, A.K. Dubey ( NPC) . PARATYPE; 1♂, same data as for holotype ( UASB) .

Etymology. This species is named after Dr. V.V. Ramamurthy, President, Entomological Society of India and a well-known insect taxonomist.

Remarks. This species externally resembles L. (N.) lamerallis , but has more extensive yellow markings and the aedeagal shaft has a single more elongate, slender dorsally directed process compared to paired processes in the latter species. It differs from L. (N.) bharatiensis , in addition to the color differences, in having more slender dorsally directed aedeagal shaft process which are shorter, lamellate and retrorse in the latter species.

Figures

FIGURE 6 A–P. Species of Libengaia (Nandiana), habitus dorsal and lateral views.A– J, color variation in L. (N.) bharatiensis (Malhotra & Shrma): specimens from Bandipur (AB), Khandala (CD), Mudigere (EF), Thirthahalli (GH) and Waghai (IJ); K–N, L. (N.) lamerallis Sunil & Meshram, male (KL), female (MN); O–P, L. (N.) ramamurthyi sp. nov., holotype male.