Verdanus (Erdianus) rosaurus 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 : 8

Verdanus (Erdianus) rosaurus rosaurus ssp. nov. ( Figs. 2 E, 4A–C, 4F, 6A–D, 9A, 10A, 10B)

Description: As in V. rosaurus sp. nov. (see above description) with apical aedeagus appendages wide ( Figs. 6 A–D).

Measurements: Males. Total body length (from vertex to tip of fore wings) 3.80–4.36 mm; width of head including eyes 1.20–1.32 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) 3.72–4.24 mm; width of head including eyes 1.28–1.40 mm; length of vertex 0.56–0.60 mm; length of pronotum 0.48–0.56 mm; width of pronotum 1.12–1.36 mm.

Type series: See above for Verdanus rosaurus sp. nov..

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

Biology: Adults were collected in June and August in mountain meadows characterized by the presence of Brachypodium (perhaps one of its host plants) ( Fig. 2 C). At the beginning of June prevalently (77%) males and only few females were found besides many nymphs, whereas in the middle of August females clearly were prevailing (82%). Probably univoltine.

Remarks: The diagnostic character of this subspecies consists in the wide apical aedeagus appendages ( Figs. 6 A–D).

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 2. (A) Landscape in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines near Passo delle Radici, type locality of Verdanus tyrannus sp. nov.; (B) Southern slope of M. Corchia (Alpi Apuane), type locality of Verdanus saurosus sp. nov.; (C) Southern slopes of Alpe di Succiso, type locality of Verdanus rosaurus rosaurus ssp. nov.; (D) M. Cavalbianco, type locality of Verdanus rosaurus rex ssp. nov.; (E) Verdanus rosaurus rosaurus ssp. nov., male.

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.