Balala hainana Tang & Zhang, 2020

Tang, Jiu & Zhang, Yalin, 2020, Review of the Oriental leafhopper genus Balala Distant, with new species and new records (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Hylicinae), Zootaxa 4731 (1), pp. 23-42 : 33-35

Balala hainana Tang & Zhang sp. nov.

( Fig. 8 )

Length (including forewing): ♂ 11.08–11.72 mm. External morphology. Body brownish-red to dark brown. Crown ( Fig. 8A ) anterior margin round, length shorter than 1/2 width between eyes. Exposed part of mesonotum and scutellum ( Figs. 8A, C ) truncated well short of clavus, exposed part of mesonotum about 1/6–1/4 scutellum length, scutellum with centre compressed into keel vertically and truncate subapically in lateral view, median longitudinal ridge moderately weak and extended through entire scutellum or not. Forewing with one indistinct transparent band present between apical cells and appendix. Abdomen with pair of continuous yellow patches on 3rd to 5th tergites submedially. Hind femur with 4–5 macrosetae at apex, tibia with ca. 9–10, 12 setae in rows AD, PD, respectively.

Male genitalia. Pygofer ( Figs. 8 E–G, L, K) with dorsal inner margin nearly straight, subapex of ventral margin round or a little angulate, many small short setae arranged along ventral margin; ventral appendage approaching or even reaching apex of pygofer, gradually curved dorsad. Subgenital plate about as long as 1/2 pygofer side. Apical margin of connective ( Figs. 8 H–J) nearly straight; style about 1.5x longer than connective; aedeagus shaft tubular, apical half of dorsal surface rugulose, preatrium slightly longer than shaft, gonopore at shaft apex.

Material examined. Holotype ♂: Jianfengling Mountain , Hainan Province, China, 21.XII.1983, Yuanfu Liu ( CAF) . Paratype 1♂: Tonkin Chapa , Vietnam, 4.V.1918, Jeanvoine ( SMTD) .

Etymology. This species is named for its holotype locality, Hainan province.

Remarks. This species is similar to Balala curvata in the shape of the exposed part of the mesonotum and scutellum, and the simple aedeagus, but it can be distinguished from the latter by the following characteristics: 1) B. curvata has three triangularly arranged small tubercles at the apex of the head, lacking in this species; 2) B. curvata has the pygofer ventral appendage sharply curved dorsad in the apical 2/5 but this species has the processes curved; and 3) this species has the dorsal surface of the aedeagal shaft rugulose but B. curvata has the shaft surface smooth.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Balala hainana Tang & Zhang sp. nov. ♂, A–I Holotype: A. Habitus, dorsal view; B. Face; C. Head and thorax, lateral view; D. Habitus, ventral view; E. Pygofer, dorsal view; F. Pygofer, ventral view; G. Pygofer, lateral view; H. Aedeagus, connective and style, lateral view; I. Connective and style, ventral view; J. Aedeagus, dorsal view. K, L Paratype: K. Pygofer, lateral view; L. Pygofer, ventral view.