Amblyscarta elianeae, Mejdalani & Domahovski & Cavichioli, 2019

Mejdalani, Gabriel, Domahovski, Alexandre C. & Cavichioli, Rodney R., 2019, Three new Brazilian species of the sharpshooter genus Amblyscarta Stål, 1869 and redescription of A. unifasciata (Fabricius, 1803) comb. nov. (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini), Zootaxa 4711 (2), pp. 379-392 : 380-383

Amblyscarta elianeae sp. nov.

( Figs 1–17 )

Total length (mm). Male 7.7–7.9 (holotype 7.7); female 8.4–8.7.

Color ( Figs 1–3 ). Ground color of anterior dorsum yellow; crown with irregular dark brown to black markings anteriorly and posteriorly; pronotum with anterior margin dark brown to black, anterior two-thirds of disk pale yellow followed by dark brown to black, transverse transhumeral stripe; area behind this stripe green with dark brown to black small vermiculations; mesonotum with inverted Y-shaped marking and pair of small spots basally, dark brown to black. Forewing green with dark brown to black vermiculations from base to anterior portion of anteapical cells; two transverse dark brown to black stripes, one at basal half of anteapical cells and another at base of apical cells, which are smoky subhyaline. Ground color of face yellow; frons with pair of lateral dark brown to black stripes that form inferiorly single median stripe on clypeus, area between these stripes with vermiculations; gena with dark brown to black stripe. Legs yellow to pale brown with darkened portions. Female sternite VII ( Fig. 10 ) with conspicuous posterior dark brown to black marking. Some specimens are distinctly more melanic than others; specimens from Minas Gerais State usually have thinner and paler brown markings.

Male terminalia. Pygofer ( Fig. 4 ), in lateral view, moderately produced posteriorly; posterior margin rounded; without processes; macrosetae distributed mostly on posterior third. Valve ( Fig. 5 ), in ventral view, large; posterior margin broadly rounded. Subgenital plate ( Figs 4, 5 ), in ventral view, triangular, narrowing gradually towards apex; fused basally to its counterpart; with uniseriate macrosetae along outer margin; in lateral view, extending almost as far posteriorly as pygofer apex. Style ( Fig. 6 ), in dorsal view, extending much farther posteriorly than connective; without preapical lobe; apical portion slightly curved outwards, inner margin slightly dilated before tiny apical tooth; apex truncate. Aedeagus ( Figs 7–9 ) symmetrical; shaft, in lateral view, slightly bisinuate, with distinct dorsal lobe; apex with pair of triangular acute processes slightly directed anterad; gonopore located ventroapically, poorly delimited (indicated by an arrow in Fig. 8 ).

Female terminalia. Sternite VII ( Figs 10, 11 ), in ventral view, with strong triangular projection on posterior margin. “Internal” sternite VIII without distinct sclerites. Pygofer ( Figs 10, 11 ), in lateral view, moderately produced posteriorly; posterior margin narrowly rounded; macrosetae distributed on posterior portion and extending anteriorly along ventral margin. Valvifer I ( Fig. 12 ), in lateral view, subquadrangular. Valvula I ( Figs 12, 13 ), in lateral view, with acute apex; dorsal sculptured area extending from basal portion to apex of blade, strigate; ventral sculptured area restricted to apical portion, strigate; ventral interlocking device distinct along basiventral half of blade; in ventral view, basal portion of valvula I expanded outwards. Valvula II ( Figs 14–16 ), in lateral view, expanded beyond basal curvature; dorsal margin convex, bearing about 20 teeth; basal portion of most teeth projected dorsally, their posterior portion flat, apical teeth triangular; denticles distributed on teeth and on dorsal and ventral apical portions of blade (ventral denticulate apical portion longer than dorsal portion); preapical prominence distinct; apex obtuse; valvula with ducts extending towards teeth and apex. Gonoplac ( Fig. 17 ) of the usual Cicadellinae type: in lateral view, with basal half narrow; apical half expanded, gradually narrowing towards apex; latter obtuse; tiny denticuli on apical portion and extending anteriorly along ventral margin.

Material examined. Male holotype: “ Brasil, Paraná, S. [São] J. [ José ] dos \ Pinhais , 25°36’18”S \ 49°11’37”W 880m \ 28-30.III.2019 Sweep \ A.C. Domahovski leg” ( DZUP). Paratypes: 11♂, 10♀, same data as holotype ( DZUP); 1♂, same data as holotype except “ 02. V .2015 ” ( DZUP); 1♂, same data as preceding except “ 23.III. 2016 ” ( DZUP); 5♂, same data as preceding except “ 30.III.2016 ” ( DZUP); 1♂, 1♀, same data as preceding except “ 19.III.2016 ” ( DZUP); 1♂, 3♀, same data as preceding except “ 15-29.IV.2017 ” ( MZSP); 1♀, same data as preceding except “ 24. I.2018 ” ( DZUP); 1♂, 2♀, same data as preceding except “ 01-28.II.2018 ” ( DZUP); 2♀, same data as preceding ex- cept “ 01-31.XII.2018 ” and “ Malaise ” ( DZUP); 1♂, same data as preceding except “ 01-28.II.2019 ” and “ Malaise ” ( DZUP); 5♂, 2♀, same data as preceding except “ 01-31.III.2019 ” and “Malaise” ( MNRJ; 1♂, 1♀ DZRJ); 2♂, 2♀, same data as preceding except “ 13.IV.2019 ” ( DZUP); 1♂, “S. [São] Gonçalo Rio Abaixo—MG [Minas Gerais] \ (Est. [ Estação ] Amb. [ Ambiental ] / Peti-Cemig ) \ 10/ V /2002 \ A.F. Kumagai col (Po)” ( DZUP); 1♂, same data as preceding except “ 11/X/2002 ” ( DZUP); 1♀, same data as preceding except “ 15/XI/2002 ” ( DZUP); 1♂, 1♀, same data as preceding except “ 21/II/2003 ” ( DZUP) .

Etymology. The new species name is given in honor of Eliane Cruz Domahovski, owner of the farmstead in which most of the type-series has been collected by her son, Alexandre.

Remarks. Amblyscarta elianeae sp. nov. and A. souzalopesi sp. nov. are very similar to each other and apparently closely related. The former can be distinguished from the latter by the form of the aedeagus, which is slightly bisinuate and with a distinct dorsal lobe ( Figs 7, 9 ). In A. souzalopesi , the aedeagus has the ventral margin rectilinear for most of its length and the dorsal margin almost entirely convex ( Figs 24, 26 ). The color pattern ( Figs 1, 2 , 18, 19 ) will distinguish the two new taxa from poorly known species that were not included in Young’s (1977) key [ A. cervicula (Jacobi, 1905) , A. lignea (Fowler, 1899) , A. modesta ( Fabricius, 1803) , and A. schaumi (Signoret, 1853) ; see digital images in Wilson et al. 1999].

In the type-locality (São José dos Pinhais, State of Paraná), A. elianeae is apparently univoltine. The first adult individuals appear in December (beginning of summer) and January, but the species has a very low population density during these months. During March (end of summer), adults become quite abundant; they disappear by the end of May. Specimens are usually found on understory plants in shady and humid parts of the forest.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Amblyscarta elianeae sp. nov., male. 1. Body, dorsal view. 2. Body, lateral view. 3. Face, frontal view. 4. Genital capsule, lateral view. 5. Valve and subgenital plate, ventral view. 6. Connective and style, dorsal view. 7. Aedeagus, lateral view (type-locality). 8. Aedeagus, ventral view (arrow indicates location of the gonopore). 9. Variation in the form of the aedeagus, lateral view (State of Minas Gerais).

FIGURES 10–17. Amblyscarta elianeae sp. nov., female. 10. Distal portion of abdomen, ventral view. 11. Distal portion of abdomen, lateral view. 12. First valvifer and first valvula, lateral view. 13. Apical portion of first valvula. 14–16. Second valvula. 14. Lateral view. 15. Teeth at median portion. 16. Apical portion. 17. Second valvifer and gonoplac, lateral view.

FIGURES 18–26. Amblyscarta souzalopesi sp. nov., male. 18. Body, dorsal view. 19. Body, lateral view. 20. Face, frontal view. 21. Genital capsule, lateral view. 22. Valve and subgenital plate, ventral view. 23. Connective and style, dorsal view. 24. Aedeagus, lateral view (type-locality). 25. Apical portion of aedeagus, ventral view. 26. Variation in the form of the aedeagus, lateral view (type-locality).