Neobelocera furcata, Li & Chen & Yang, 2023

Li, Hong-Xing, Chen, Xiang-Sheng & Yang, Lin, 2023, Two new species of the bamboo-feeding planthopper genus Neobelocera Ding & Yang from China (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Delphacidae), ZooKeys 1183, pp. 233-244 : 233

Neobelocera furcata sp. nov.

Figs 1-6 , 7-16

Type materials.

Holotype ♂, China: Guizhou, Wengan County (26°985'N, 107°646'E), on bamboo, 5 Aug. 2020, S.S. Lv leg.; paratypes, 1♂, 1♀, same data as holotype.

Etymology.

The species epithet is derived from the Latin word ' furcata ', referring to the genital styles forked at the apex. It is a feminine in gender.

Measurements.

Body length including forewing: male 3.8-3.9 mm (N = 2), female 4.0 mm (N = 1).

Diagnosis.

Forewings (Fig. 6 ) with blackish-brown markings, of which veins with white spots or white short stripes at intervals. Frons (Fig. 5 ) with pale transverse band below level of lower margin of eyes. Ventral margin of pygofer (Fig. 12 ) with 3 medioventral processes, lateral ones short, tapering, median one forked at apex, with 4 processes on each side and the middle two much smaller. Anal segment (Fig. 9 ) without process. Genital styles (Figs 13 , 14 ) with apex forked, outer angle about twice as long as inner angle.

Description.

Coloration. General coloration yellowish brown to dark brown (Figs 1-6 ). Vertex, pronotum, mesonotum (Fig. 3 ) dirty yellowish brown, with apex of scutellum yellowish white. Frons, genae and clypeus (Fig. 5 ) yellowish brown to dark brown, except broad transversal stripe below level of lower margin of eyes and narrow stripe on apex of frons yellowish white, near apex of median carina of frons and inner margin of lateral carinae of genae with several short transversal stripes yellowish white. Eyes and ocelli (Figs 4 , 5 ) reddish brown. Antennae (Figs 3-5 ) yellowish brown to dark brown, except lateral margins of first segment and apex of second segment yellowish white. Legs (Fig. 5 ) yellowish white, with dark brown maculations. Forewing (Fig. 6 ) almost hyaline, along MP vein to apex with dark-brown markings, veins dark brown, with white spots at intervals. Wings hyaline, with veins dark brown. Abdomen yellowish brown to dark brown.

Head and thorax. Head including eyes slightly narrower than pronotum, in profile obtusely rounded into frons (Figs 3 , 4 ). Vertex (Figs 3 , 7 ) broad transversely, wider at base than long medially about 2.36: 1, width at apex narrower than at base about 1: 1.84, anterior margin produced medially, Y-shaped carina distinct. Frons (Figs 5 , 8 ) in mid line longer than wide, at widest part about 1.93: 1, widest above level of lower margin of eyes, median carina forked at extreme base. Postclypeus (Figs 5 , 8 ) wider at base than frons at apex. Antennae (Figs 5 , 8 ) reaching median part of postclypeus, basal segment shorter at midline than second segment about 1: 1.35, second segment long oval, somewhat compressed, longer than wide about 2.28: 1. Pronotum (Figs 3 , 7 ) tricarinate, with anterior margin truncate, posterior margin incised strongly, lateral carinae running near anterolateral margin, then curving inward and reaching hind margin. Mesonotum (Figs 3 , 7 ) tricarinate, longer in midline than vertex and pronotum together about 2.16: 1, median carina reaching end of scutellum. Forewing (Fig. 6 ) elongate, much longer than abdomen, longer in mid line than wide at widest part about 3.47: 1, predominately clear with distinctive white markings, wing apex acutely rounded; Sc, RA and RP unbranched; MP branched near wing apex, CuA 3-branched; junction of PCu + AA near mid length of clavus; fork of MP+CuA at near 2/3 length of clavus; fork RA+SC and RP near claval apex.

Male genitalia. Anal segment (Fig. 9 ) small, ring-like, without process. Pygofer (Figs 9 , 10 , 12 ) in profile much longer ventrally than dorsally, in posterior view with opening longer than wide, ventral margin with 3 medioventral processes, lateral ones short, tapering, median one forked at apex, with 4 processes on each side and the middle two much smaller. Genital styles (Figs 13 , 14 ) moderately long, forked at apex, outer angle about twice as long as inner angle. Aedeagus (Fig. 15 ) with phyllobase, phallus tubular, long, expanded at base, bent ventrad medially, broad and forked at apex, curved sharply to the left apically. Phyllobase slender, tubular, arising from base of aedeagus, running dorsad, then curving caudad, after median part, turned left then ventrad, tapering apically.

Female genitalia. Female pygofer (Fig. 16 ) with gonocoxae broad and large, basal angle sharply acute. Ovipositor distinctly shorter than pygofer. Gonangulum broad and large, apex round with medial margin concave, connected at base to gonapophyses and gonocoxae.

Host plant.

Bambusoideae .

Distribution.

China (Guizhou).

Remarks.

This new species is similar to N. russa Li, Yang & Chen, 2020, but can be distinguished from the latter by the following features: (1) forewing (Fig. 6 ) along MP vein to apex with dark-brown markings [forewing with apical part from transverse veins to apex with dark-brown markings in N. russa ( Li et al. 2020: fig. 3F)]; (2) medioventral processes of pygofer (Fig. 12 ) with median one forked at apex, with 4 processes on each side and the middle two much smaller [medioventral processes with median one not forked at apex, without process on each side in N. russa pygofer ( Li et al. 2020: fig. 4D)]; and (3) apex of phallus (Fig. 15 ) with two processes [apex of phallus with four processes in N. russa ( Li et al. 2020: fig. 4G)].

Figures

Figures 1 - 6. Neobelocera furcata sp. nov. 1 male adult, dorsal view 2 same, lateral view 3 head and thorax, dorsal view 4 same, lateral view 5 face 6 forewing. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (1 - 6).

Figures 7 - 16. Neobelocera furcata sp. nov. 7 head and thorax, dorsal view 8 face 9 male genitalia, posterior view 10 same, lateral view 11 anal segment, lateral view 12 pygofer, posterior view 13 genital style, posterior view 14 same, lateral view 15 aedeagus, lateral view 16 female genitalia, posterior view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (16); 0.2 mm (7 - 10, 12); 0.1 mm (11, 13 - 15).