Leofa (Prasutagus) pulla, Duan & Zhang & Zahniser, 2012

Duan, Yani, Zhang, Yalin & Zahniser, James N., 2012, A new species of Leofa (Prasutagus) Distant (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Chiasmini) from Thailand with a checklist of Leofa, Zootaxa 3537, pp. 53-58 : 54-57

Leofa (Prasutagus) pulla sp. n.

(Plate I, Figure 1)

Length of male (including tegmen): 2.6mm.

Black, with white markings (Plate I: A). Vertex mostly black with median T-shaped white marking medially at crown-face transition; posterior margin narrowly white (Plate I: C). Ocellus and eye white (Plate I: B). Face black (Plate I: D). Pronotum black except apex, with white median longitudinal stripe (Plate I: C). Scutellum black except lateral margins (Plate I: C). Most of forewing dark brown, middle of cells and appendix translucent white, with white waxy area on some veins (Plate I: A). Venter of thorax, abdomen, and leg nearly completely black (Plate I: B).

PLATE I. Leofa (Prasutagus) pulla sp. n. A: habitus, dorsal view; B: habitus, lateral view; C: head and thorax, dorsal view; D: face.

Vertex nearly as long as interocular width (Plate I: C). Face shorter than wide, clypellus not extending beyond genal curve (Plate I: D). Pronotum about 2.5x as wide as long, nearly as long as vertex (Plate I: C). Scutellum slightly shorter than pronotum (Plate II: C). Forewing macropterous with four apical and three anteapical cells, inner anteapical cell open basally, appendix developed (Plate I: A). Hindwing not reduced. Segment X broad, strongly sclerotized, with broad lateroapical lobes extending ventrally ( Fig. 1A).

Male genitalia. Pygofer in lateral view with three lobes; dorsal lobe with 3–4 macrosetae arising dorsally, with recurved process arising medially and extending posteriorly; process with one dorsoapical point, one ventroapical point and one lateral preapical tooth; median lobe with 2–3 macrosetae more or less arranged in horizontal row, with short gracile ventroapical extension; ventral lobe without macrosetae ( Figs 1A–C). Valve long, triangular ( Fig. 1D). Subgenital plate subtruncate apically, apex indented, with about 13 scattered macrosetae apically ( Fig. 1D). Connective V-shaped ( Fig. 1H). Style preapical lobe long, blunt; apophysis bent laterad at 90° angle, pointed at apex ( Fig. 1E). Aedeagus strongly recurved in lateral view, with three pairs of flanges; base of aedeagus articulated with long recurved ventral paraphysis ( Figs 1F–G).

Material examined. Holotype: ♂, Thailand, Loei Province, Phu Ruea NP Reservior, 17° 28. 826' N 101° 21. 33' E, 931m, Malaise trap, 19–26.i.2007, Patikhom Tumtip leg., T1544 (QSBG).

Remarks. This species is easily distinguished from other members of the subgenus by its much darker coloration, although it retains the distinctive pale stripe in the clavus characteristic of other Loefa ( Prasutagus ) species. The male genitalia are very similar to those of L. (P.) palearctica Zahniser, 2008 , but can be distinguished from the latter by the shape of the pygofer process and aedeagus.

Etymology. The specific epithet takes its name from the Latin “pullus” for its blackish color.