Nesocerus serratus, Krishnankutty & Dietrich, 2011

Krishnankutty, Sindhu M. & Dietrich, Christopher H., 2011, Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of an endemic leafhopper genus Nesocerus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Idiocerinae) from Madagascar, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 162 (3), pp. 499-543 : 538-539

NESOCERUS SERRATUS SP. NOV.

( FIGS 5O, P , 14H–N )

Diagnosis: This species is similar to N. breviprocessus in the shape of the aedeagal shaft, position of the gonopore and black marking on the lorum, but may be separated by the presence of long, ventrolaterally directed aedeagal processes with serrated lateral margins and the crenulate lateral margin of the aedeagal shaft extending throughout its length.

Description: Length of male, 3.9 mm.

Coloration: Crown with lateral elongate black spot close to eye margin; median pair of large black spots near posterior margin, pair of small median spots along anterior margin. Antennae completely dull yellow. Frontoclypeus without median stripe, light brown lateral markings along muscle impressions, Clypeogenal suture, laterofrontal suture, gena without any border; pair of oblique marking below laterofrontal suture. Lorum with central black spot. Clypellus mostly yellow with two light brown spot near base. Pronotum with four circular black spots; one median pair, close to median stripe, other pair lateral close to posterior margin. Mesonotum with orange basal triangle bordered by black marking, and median pair of longitudinal black lines not extending beyond scutellar suture. Scutellum without any markings. Forewing with pale yellow claval vein. Legs pale yellow without any markings.

Structure: Clypellus with sides concave, apex wider than base, in profile slightly convex. Rostrum extending beyond mid coxae. Forewing with r-m1 crossvein absent. Metatibial setal rows PD, AD, and AV with 16, nine, and eight macrosetae, respectively.

Male genitalia: Pygofer with short process directed laterally in caudal view, posterolateral margin with short setae. Subgenital plate in lateral view depressed basally, broadened near apex with short fine setae confined to lateral margin and dorsum of apex; in ventral view lateral margin gradually convex towards base, abruptly narrowed beyond middle near apex, with mesal row of macrosetae along distal two thirds. Style in lateral view with broad apodeme; apophysis elongate and uniformly wide throughout length, curved dorsad beyond middle with acuminate apex. Connective in lateral view V-shaped, articulated to preatrium of aedeagus. Aedeagus in lateral view with preatrium broad, socle well developed, shaft in lateral view broad, straight, laterally flattened; apex in posterior view narrow, with pair of long, ventrolaterally directed processes with serrated lateral margin. Shaft in posterior view with crenulate lateral margin extending from base to subapex. Gonopore apical.

Material examined: Holotype male, MADAGASCAR: Tulear Province , Beza Mahafaly Reserve, Parcelle II near Bellevue, 180 m, 23°41′23″S, 44°34′31″E, 2.–9.i.2002, M. Irwin, R. Harin’Hala, malaise trap in spiny forest, MA-02-14B-09 ( CAS).

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the serrated margin of the aedeagal processes.

Figures

Figure 5. Nesocerus spp. nov., dorsal habitus and face of holotype male. A, B, Nesocerus asymmetricus; C, D, Nesocerus uniprocessus; E, F, Nesocerus compressus; G, H, Nesocerus flexus; I, J, Nesocerus breviprocessus; K, L, Nesocerus latus; M, N, Nesocerus basiprocessus; O, P, Nesocerus serratus; Q, R, Nesocerus convolutus.

Figure 14. Nesocerus spp. nov. Male pygofer in lateral view (A, H, O), male subgenital plate in ventral view (B, I, P) and lateral views (C, J, Q), aedeagus in lateral view (D, K, R) and caudal (E, L, S) views, style in lateral view (F, M, T), style and connective in dorsal view (G, N, U). A–G, Nesocerus basiprocessus; H–N, Nesocerus serratus; O–U, Nesocerus convolutus.