Ruppeliana coronata (Signoret, 1853)

Figs 1–2

Tettigonia coronata Signoret, 1853: 348 .

Ruppeliana coronata – Young 1977: 751. — Cavichioli et al. 2017: 438 (in key).

Diagnosis

Large sharpshooters, about 10 mm length (Fig. 1A–B). Overall body coloration yellow, with a horseshoe shaped macula in frons (Fig. 1A–C). Forewings reddish, with yellowish or whitish longitudinal straps (Fig. 1A–B). Male pygofer in dorsal view with apices directed inwards (Fig. 15A). Subgenital plate in lateral view attaining pygofer’s apex (Fig. 1D). Style very long with microsetae in outer margin and apex rounded (Fig. 1F). Aedeagal atrium with a pair of long and slender basidorsal processes and a pair of acute short processes preapically (Fig. 1G–H).

Material examined

BRAZIL – Minas Gerais State • 2 ♂♂; Itamonte; elev. 2100– 1700 m; 21–23 Nov. 2008; R. Carvalho, O. Evangelista and D. Takiya leg,; DZUP • 1 ♀; Extrema, Morro do Lopo; 22.881° S, 46.308° W; elev. 1520 m; 9 Dec. 2012; P. Grossi leg.; DZUP . – Paraná State • 1 ♂; Porto Mendes; Oct. 1998; S.B. Pessoa leg.; DZUP . – Rio de Janeiro State • 2 ♀♀; Itatiaia, Parque, Nacional do Itatiaia; 22.452500° S, 44.610681° W; elev. 788 m; 12–14 Jan. 2023; A.P. Pinto, A.C. Domahovski, J. Ehlert and L.P. Aguiar leg.; sweep; DZUP • 1 ♂; 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 22.431° S, 44.625° W; elev. 1200 m; 30 Oct. 2011; R. R. Cavichioli leg.; DZUP • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; elev. 2000 m; Jan. 1957; U. Barth leg.; DZUP • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding, Trilha Hotel Simon; 22.436° S, 44.609° W; elev. 1100 m; 28 Oct. 2011; R. R. Cavichioli leg.; DZUP • 1 ♂; Engenheiro Passos, BR-485, Km 11, Hotel Fazenda Palmital; 22°25′26″ S, 44°44′21″ W; elev. 960 m; 26 Apr. 2007; J.A. Rafael and F.F. Xavier leg.; light; DZUP . – São Paulo State • 2 ♀♀; Serra Cantareira, Horto Florestal; 8 Aug. 1946; F. Lane leg.; DZUP • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; S. Lopes leg.; DZUP • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; Apr. 1934; R. Spitz leg; DZUP • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; Mar. 1935; L. Travassos leg.; DZUP • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 16 Oct. 1946; F. Lane leg.; DZUP • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Campos do Jordão; Nov. 1957; K. Lenko leg.; DZUP .

Description

MEASUREMENTS (mm). Total length. Males: 10.6–13.4 (n = 9), females: 10.8–13.5 (n = 10).

HEAD (Fig. 1A). In dorsal view, moderately produced anteriorly, anterior margin rounded, median length of crown approximately ⅓ of interocular width and ⅓ of transocular width. Frons (Fig. 1C), in frontal view, texture slightly granular, muscular impressions indistinct, epistomal suture complete. Clypeus (Fig. 1C), in frontal view, slightly pubescent apically. Pronotum (Fig. 1A), in dorsal view, with lateral margins slightly convergent anteriorly, posterior two-thirds of disk slightly transversely striated medially. Mesonotum (Fig. 1A) texture slightly granulated. Forewings (Fig. 1A–B) veins and membrane distinct, including inner apical cell and posterior third of remaining apical cells; bases of anteapical cells approximately aligned with claval apex. Remaining characteristics of external morphology as described for the genus by Young (1977: 747).

COLORATION. Crown (Fig. 1A–B) yellow. Frons (Fig. 1C) yellow, with a brown horseshoe-shaped macula. Clypeus (Fig. 1C) yellow, with a longitudinal brown stripe medially, enlarging in apex. Lorum and gena (Fig. 1C) yellow. Pronotum (Fig. 1A) yellow, with a browned stripe medially and posterior margin brown. Mesonotum, meso and metasternum (Fig. 1B–C) yellow. Forewing (Fig. 1A–B) red, with longitudinal yellow or whitish longitudinal stripes, membrane darkened. Legs (Fig. 1B–C) yellow with distal portions darkened. Abdomen (Fig. 2A–B) yellow, with lateral margins blackened.

MALE GENITALIA. Pygofer (Fig. 1D), in lateral view, strongly produced posteriorly, dorsal, and ventral margins narrowed after basal third, posterior margin broadly rounded, macrosetae distributed along the posterior thirds of disc; in dorsal view, apex directed inwards. Valve (Fig. 1E), in ventral view, narrow, lateral margins acute apically, ventral margin slightly rounded. Subgenital plate (Fig. 1D–E), in ventral view, triangular, broadened at base, narrowing gradually towards apex, inner margin rectilinear, outer margin with a uniseriate row of macrosetae; in lateral view, slightly surpassing pygofer apex, dorsal margin with multiseriate row of long microsetae. Style (Fig. 1F), in dorsal view, very elongate, extending posteriorly much beyond apex of connective, apical portion curved outwards, outer margin bearing microsetae, apex rounded. Connective (Fig. 1F), in dorsal view, V-shaped, arms, and stalk short, with a median keel. Aedeagus (Fig. 1G–H), in lateral view, shaft broadened apically, dorsal margin slightly curved, apex truncated; in dorsal view, apex opened medially as the gonopore exit. Aedeagal atrium well developed, forming a sheath-like structure with apical portion curved anteriorly, reaching shaft’s apex, with two pairs of acute processes, one elongate basidorsal, with an acute and curved ventrally apex, trespassing much far as shaft’s apex; second short and acute, located preapically; in ventral view, preapical short processes subparallel, and basidorsal processes apical portions convergent.

FEMALE GENITALIA. Pygofer (Fig. 2B), in lateral view moderately produced posteriorly, posterior margin triangular, macrosetae along ventral and posterior margins. Abdominal sternite VII (Fig. 2A–C) wider than long, posterior margin slightly emarginated medially; posterolateral corners slightly directed outwards. Valvifer I (Fig. 2D), in lateral view, rounded. Valvula I (Fig. 2D–E), in lateral view, blade narrowed apically, apex acute; dorsal sculptured area strigate, extending from basal portion to apex, ventral sculpted area strigate, restricted to apical portions. Valvula II (Fig. 2F–H), in lateral view, slightly expanded beyond basal curvature, narrowing gradually towards apex; without preapical prominence; apex rounded; dorsal margin with 40 continuous teeth, irregular shaped after basal curvature, robust and subtriangular at basal and median portions and small and trapezoid in apical portion, all bearing denticles. Gonoplac (Fig. 2I–J), in lateral view, with basal half narrow, bearing denticuli in ventral margin, apical half expanded; apex rounded, with apical surface bearing denticuli and few macrosetae in ventroposterior margin.

Remarks

Ruppeliana coronata and R. nigripes were suggested by Young (1977) to be possible synonyms. However, they can be distinguished by several morphological characteristics. The forewing coloration is reddish at R. coronata and brown in R. nigripes . In dorsal view, the pygofer apices are directed inwards in R. coronata (Fig. 15A), whereas they are subparallel in R. nigripes (Fig. 15B). Additionally, the subgenital plate reaches or surpasses pygofer apex in R. coronata, while in R. nigripes, it does not extend beyond pygofer apical portion.