Malaxa tricuspis, Li, Hong-Xing, Yang, Lin & Chen, Xiang-Sheng, 2019

Li, Hong-Xing, Yang, Lin & Chen, Xiang-Sheng, 2019, Taxonomic study of the genus Malaxa Melichar, with descriptions of two new species from China (Hemiptera, Fulgoroidea, Delphacidae), ZooKeys 861, pp. 43-52 : 47-49

Malaxa tricuspis sp. nov. Figs 3, 4, 15-24

Type material.

Holotype: ♂, China: Hainan, Wanning County (18°55'N, 110°20'E), on bamboo, 6 May 2017, Hong-Xing Li; paratypes, 6♂♂, 8♀♀, same data as holotype.

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from the Latin word " tricuspis ", referring to aedeagus with three small processes.

Measurements.

Body length including tegmina: male 3.5-3.7 mm (N = 7); female 4.1-4.3 mm (N = 8); tegmen length: male 3.0-3.2 mm (N = 7); female 3.5-3.8 mm (N = 8).

Diagnosis.

The salient features of the new species include the following: left lateroapical process of anal segment stout and twisted, tapering apically; aedeagus with three small processes.

Description.

Coloration. General color pale yellowish brown, with dark brown to black markings, shiny (Figs 3, 4). Vertex, pronotum and mesonotum pale black except each lateral side yellow (Figs 15, 16). Frons and genae black except small area at apex yellow. Clypeus with basal half black, rest yellow (Fig. 17). Eyes and ocelli reddish brown. Antennae with dorsal side pale yellow, with ventral side brown. Tegmina with basal half pale yellow except areas around Sc+R, apex of Cu1, after bifurcation of IA and IIA hyaline, at apical half, along Sc1, sc-r, and area between R1 and M2 dark brown (Fig. 18). Wings hyaline, veins brown. Abdomen with dorsal side black, with ventral side yellow. Genitalia brown.

Head and thorax. Vertex (Figs 15, 16) longer submedially than wide at base ~ 0.91: 1, at base longer than at apex ~ 1.65: 1, forming a circular cell, submedian carinae uniting slightly beyond middle, apex produced in front of eyes, apical margin straight, greatest length of basal compartment shorter than wide at base of vertex ~ 0.55: 1. Frons (Fig. 17) longer in middle line than wide at widest part ~ 2.83: 1, widest at near apex. Postclypeus wide at base as wide as frons at apex. Antennae very long, cylindrical, surpassing apex of clypeus, first segment longer than wide ~ 4.44: 1, shorter than frons in middle line ~ 0.57: 1, shorter than the second segment ~ 0.41: 1 (Fig. 17). Pronotum with lateral carinae not attaining hind margin, shorter than vertex ~ 0.55: 1. Mesonotum with lateral carinae not attaining hind margin, longer in middle line than vertex and pronotum together ~ 2.06: 1 (Figs 15, 16). Tegmina narrow, longer than widest part ~ 3.28: 1 (Fig. 18).

Male genitalia. Anal segment of male small, ring like, left lateroapical process stout and twisted, tapering to apex (Fig. 19). Pygofer in profile tapering to dorsad, ventral angles strongly produced (Fig. 20), in posterior view with opening longer than wide (Fig. 19), in ventral view medioventral processes wide, concave medially (Fig. 21). Aedeagus simple, tubular, broad basally then tapering to apex, with stout process at base, a spine at basal third and with small tooth at apical third (Figs 22, 23). Genital styles long, broad basally, apical half narrowing abruptly, inner margin with several teeth at middle (Figs 19, 24).

Host plant.

Bamboo.

Distribution.

Southwest China (Hainan).

Remarks.

This species is similar to Malaxa fusca Yang & Yang, 1986 but differs from it by: (1) anal segment of male with left lateroapical process twisted but not S-like, not swelled subapically (anal segment with left lateroapical process twisted, S-like, swelled subapically in M. fusca ); (2) aedeagus with stout process at base, a spine at basal third and with small tooth at apical third (aedeagus with small process at base and with a spine near middle in M. fusca ); (3) genital styles with apical half narrowing abruptly, not forked at apex (genital styles with outer angle forked at apex, inner branch longer than outer one in M. fusca ).

This species is also similar to M. delicata Ding & Yang, 1986 but differs from it by: (1) anal segment of male with left lateroapical process twisted near base (anal segment with left lateroapical process twisted near apex in M. delicata ) (2) aedeagus with stout process at base, a spine at basal third and with small tooth at apical third (aedeagus with process at base and with small spine at basal third in M. delicata ); (3) genital styles with outer angle not forked at apex (genital styles with outer angle forked at apex, two branches subequally long in M. delicata ).