Vilargus budenticans, Stiller, 2010

Stiller, M., 2010, Revision of Vilargus Theron (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from South Africa, Zootaxa 2674 (1), pp. 1-25 : 6-7

Vilargus budenticans sp. n.

( Figs 4–6 , 43–51 ).

Diagnosis. Aedeagus with preatrium elongate, with single, symmetrical paraphysis, acutely angled to shaft; shaft with apex reaching as far as apex of paraphysis. Plate medial margin rounded to slightly sinuous, posterior margin shallowly sinuous, lateral margin broadly rounded, sometimes slightly sinuous. Pygofer with posterior dorsal and ventral margins square. Female with sternite 7 with shallow, rounded notch flanked by paired lobe of variable size.

Etymology. Latin, bu-, prefix meaning large, huge, great; dentis, tooth, masculine.

Colour. Male and female. Pale colour form is ochraceous with few fuscous markings, dark colour form is reddish brown with many fuscous markings on dorsum (specimens from Serala Forestry Station, Limpopo Province, Fig. 4–5 , dark colour form; Fig. 6 , pale colour form).

Male. Dimensions. (n=45) Length from apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.2–2.4 mm, length from apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.5–2.7 mm, median length of vertex 0.4–0.5 mm, length of vertex next to eye 0.3 mm, length of pronotum 0.3 mm, width of head 0.8–0.9 mm, width of pronotum 0.7–0.8 mm, diameter of ocellus 28 µm, ocellocular distance 38–49 µm.

Genitalia. Aedeagus, dorsally with dorsal apodeme reduced ( Fig. 43 ). Aedeagal shaft, laterally, L-shaped, apex reaching as far as apex of paraphysis ( Fig. 44 p ); gonopore apical; preatrium expanded, angled acutely ventroposteriorly, membranously fused ( Fig. 44 mf) anteriorly with almost symmetrical paraphysis; dorsal part of aedeagus close to paraphysis ( Fig. 44 ). Connective fused ( Fig. 44 fc) to paraphysis, arms parallel, stem reduced ( Figs 44, 45 ). Style with anterior medial arm long, extending beyond base of apophysis, perpendicular to base, anterior lateral arm short, narrow; apophysis directed posteriad, basal half parallel, apex acute ( Fig. 46 ); apophysis sometimes extending beyond margin of plate ( Fig. 47 ). Plate generally roundly triangular; medial margin rounded to slightly sinuous, posterior margin shallowly sinuous, lateral margin broadly rounded, sometimes slightly sinuous; 2–6 submarginal macrosetae ( Fig. 47 ). Pygofer rectangular ( Fig. 49 ); dorsally as in Fig. 48 . Pygofer lobe narrowly rectangular, widely fused with pygofer ( Fig. 49 ).

Female. Dimensions. (n=28) Length from apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.3–2.6 mm, length from apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.9–3.2 mm, median length of vertex 0.5 mm, length of vertex next to eye 0.3 mm, length of pronotum 0.3 mm, width of head 0.9 mm, width of pronotum 0.8 mm, diameter of ocellus 28 µm, ocellocular distance 40–53 µm.

Genitalia. Sternite 7 posterior margin with notch of variable depth, flanked by rounded process of variable length and width ( Figs 50, 51 ).

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa. Limpopo Province. Serala Forestry Station, fire lookout, 24°00ʹS, 29°57ʹE, 2029 m, 7.xi.2005, M. Stiller, DVac, moribund grass ( SANC). Paratypes. 64♂, 53♀, 15 nymphs. Limpopo Province. 6♂, 5♀, 6 nymphs, Wolkberg, at base of Serala Peak, 24°01ʹS, 30°03ʹE, 1700 m, 15.xii.2003, sweeping grass regrowth after fire, common species: Elionurus muticus, Harpachloa falx, Melinis nervi -glumis, Panicum natalensis , Themeda triandra , Festuca sp. (Poaceae) ; 38♂, 24♀, ibid., holotype; 6♂, 5♀, Wolkberg Wilderness, grassy hills, 23°59ʹS, 30°04ʹE, 1775 m, 23.ix.2007, sweeping, Festuca sp , and moribund grass; 1♀, Wolkberg near Tzaneen, 23°50ʹS, 30°10ʹE, 18.iv.1992; 3♂, 1♀, 1 nymph, Marake Peak at base, Drakensberg, 24º03ʹ32.48ʺS, 30º09ʹ49.66ʺE, 1473 m, 24.iv.2009; 8♂, 13♀, 6 nymphs, Marake Peak near summit, Drakensberg, 24º04ʹ48.62ʺS, 30º10ʹ11.08ʺE, 1705 m, 24.iv.2009; 3♂, 4♀, 1 nymph, Thabina River valley, 24º02ʹ54.17ʺS, 30º07ʹ00.08ʺE, 1434 m, 24.iv.2009; all collected by M. Stiller ( BMNH, INHS, SANC).

Remarks. The aedeagus of V. budenticans ( Figs 43, 44 ) resembles that of V. pumilicans ( Figs 68, 69 ). In V. budenticans the paraphysis and connective are fused and the apex of the shaft extends as far as the apex of the paraphysis. In V. pumilicans the connective articulates with the paraphysis, and has the aedeagal shaft only about half as long as the length of the paraphysis. Furthermore the pygofer in V. pumilicans has the posterior dorsal angle produced into a triangular lobe ( Fig. 74 ), and in V. budenticans the lobe is narrow and rectangular ( Fig. 49 ). Other differences include the shape of the plate with the apophysis of the style sometimes protruding beyond its posterior margin ( Fig. 47 ), which in V. pumilicans is always retracted behind the posterior margin ( Figs 72, 73 ). Sternite 7 of the females of these two species also differs significantly. The sternite 7 of V. budenticans ( Figs 50, 51 ) of some examined specimens showed damage to the posterior margin ( Fig. 51 ). One male of this species had the paraphysis broken off. None of the dissected specimens displayed obvious signs of parasitism.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Vilargus species. Habitus. 1–3, V. bicornicans sp. n. 1, male; 2, female; 3, nymph. 4–6, V. budenticans sp. n. 4–5, male; 6, female (scale = 1 mm).

FIGURES 43–51. Vilargus budenticans sp. n. Male and female genitalia. 43, aedeagus, dorsally; 44, aedeagus, laterally, mf = membranous fusion, fc = fused connective, p = paraphysis; 45, connective; 46, style; 47, plate; 48, pygofer, dorsally; 49, pygofer, laterally; 50, female, sternite 7; 51, female, sternite 7 (scale = 0.1 mm).

FIGURES 68–85. Vilargus pumilicans sp. n. Male and female genitalia. 68, aedeagus, dorsally; 69, aedeagus, laterally, sf = sclerotized fusion, c = connective, p = paraphysis;; 70, connective; 71, style; 72, plate; 73, plate; 74, pygofer, laterally; 75, anterior abdominal apodeme; 76, posterior abdominal apodeme; 77–85, female. 77–79, sternite 80, valvula 3; 81, valvula 3, ultrastructure; 82, valvula 2; 83, valvula 2, ultrastructure; 85, valvula 1, ultrastructure (scale = 0.1 mm).