Verdanus (Erdianus) rosaurus, Guglielmino, Adalgisa & Bückle, Christoph, 2009

Guglielmino, Adalgisa & Bückle, Christoph, 2009, Northern Apennines as centre of speciation: a new Verdanus species group (Hemiptera, Cicadomorpha, Cicadellidae) from Italy and its phylogenetic relationships with V. bensoni and the V. limbatellus group, Zootaxa 2264, pp. 1-22 : 7-8

Verdanus (Erdianus) rosaurus sp. nov.

Description: As in V. tyrannus , but apical aedeagus appendages directed dorsolaterally ( Figs. 6 A-H) (like in V. limbatellus , Figs. 8 A-C) and rotated longitudinally with their surface oriented in lateral direction, maximal extension of their apical part visible in lateral view.

Measurements: Males. Total body length (from vertex to tip of fore wings) 3.80-4.36 mm; width of head including eyes 1.20-1.36 mm; length of vertex 0.48-0.60 mm; length of pronotum 0.44-0.52 mm; width of pronotum 1.12-1.24 mm; length of genital plates 0.43-0.49 mm; length of aedeagus shaft (from basis to phallotrema) 0.38-0.42 mm. - Females. Total body length (from vertex to tip of fore wings) 3.72-4.28 mm; width of head including eyes 1.28-1.40 mm; length of vertex 0.56-0.64 mm; length of pronotum 0.48-0.56 mm; width of pronotum 1.12-1.36 mm.

Type series: Holotype Male: Italy, Emilia-Romagna (Reggio Emilia); Alpe di Succiso, southeastern side; ~ 1650m; 14/8/2005; pastures above the beech-forest; Guglielmino & Bückle leg. (loc. 203). Paratypes: same data as holotype, 3 males, 19 females. - Emilia-Romagna (Reggio Emilia); Alpe di Succiso, ridge between the peak and M. Casarola; ~ 1900-2000m; 14/8/2005; mountain pastures; Guglielmino & Bückle leg. (loc. 205); 2 males, 9 females. - Emilia-Romagna (Parma): Valditacca, M. Navert, southern slope; ~ 1550m; 08/06/2007; vast meadow between beech-forest with Brachypodium , Festuca , Phleum , Thymus ; Guglielmino & Bückle leg. (loc. 381); 46 males, 15 females. - Emilia-Romagna (Parma): Valditacca, M. Navert, 200m south of Colla Valditacca; ~ 1450m; 08/06/2007; moist meadow with Rosa , Brachypodium , Eriophorum , Carex flacca , Juncus , Poaceae ; Guglielmino & Bückle leg. (loc. 382); 9 males, 1 female.

Type material deposited in Dipartimento di Protezione delle Piante, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy (Guglielmino’s collection) (CG).

Geographic distribution: V. rosaurus is so far known only from Alpe di Succiso, M. Navert and M. Cavalbianco ( Fig. 1 : circle and square), at an altitude between 1450 and 2000 m.

Remarks: In general appearance, shape, size, proportions, degree of brachyptery, colouration and markings of body, legs, and fore wings, female and most parts of male genitalia this species is similar to V. tyrannus . Differences exist only in the direction of the apical aedeagus appendages ( Figs. 6 A-H). In V. rosaurus , they are directed dorsolaterally as in V. limbatellus ( Figs. 8 A-C). Moreover, the appendages are rotated longitudinally with their broadest surface visible in lateral view.

The comparatively small difference between the aedeagal appendage structure of the different populations together with the direct adjacency (few km) of their type localities ( Fig. 1 : circle and square) induced us to describe them as subspecies.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution map of new taxa. ♦ = Verdanus tyrannus sp. nov.; ˑ = Verdanus saurosus sp. nov.; ● = Verdanus rosaurus rosaurus ssp. nov.; ․ = Verdanus rosaurus rex ssp. nov ..

FIGURE 6. Aedeagus. Verdanus rosaurus rosaurus ssp. nov., male (paratype: Italy, Emilia Romagna, Alpe di Succiso), (A) ventral view; (B) ventrolateral view, (C) lateral view; (D) caudal view. - Verdanus rosaurus rex ssp. nov., male (paratype: Italy, Emilia Romagna, M. Cavalbianco), (E) ventral view; (F) ventrolateral view; (G) lateral view; (H) caudal view.

FIGURE 8. Aedeagus. Verdanus limbatellus (Zetterstedt) (Russia, bassin of Manya river, Great Ural, Liapin & Flerov leg., 21. - 23. VII. 1927), (A) ventral view; (B) caudal view (base and apodemes are not drawn); (C) lateral view. - Verdanus kyrilli (Emeljanov) (Mongolia, Delger-Muren river near Buren-Chan Chubsugul aimag, Emeljanov leg., 28. - 29. VI. 1968), (D) caudal view (base and apodemes are not drawn); (E) ventral view; (F) lateral view. - Verdanus sichotanus (Anufriev) (Mongolia, Bulgan, Dlabola, 5 / 8 / 1965, MNHN 3497), (G) ventral view; (H) lateral view; (I) caudal view (base and apodemes are not drawn).