Liparonotum, Andrew Hamilton, K. G., 2016

Andrew Hamilton, K. G., 2016, Neotropical spittlebugs related to Neaenini (Hemiptera, Cercopidae) and the origins of subfamily Cercopinae, Zootaxa 4169 (2), pp. 201-250 : 209-210

Liparonotum gen.nov.

Type-species: Tomaspis praenitida Fowler, 1897 [male from Panama].

Etymology. liparos- shiny as oil, noton (n), back.

Distribution. Panama and possibly Peru; the male type of Tomaspisinella praenitida truncata Lallemand, 1949 and the female types of Tomaspisinella praenitida secta Lallemand, 1949 = Tomaspis pica var “a” of Jacobi (1908), both taxa from Peru, have not been examined ( Carvalho & Webb 2005).

Diagnosis. Pronotum humped, shiny, minutely pitted, anterior border convex in both dorsal and perpendicular aspect, lateral border distinctly shorter than eye, angles broadly rounded, posterior margin distinctly notched.

Description. Dark brown with obscure pale crossbands ( Carvalho & Webb 2005, fig. 795). Head distinctly narrower than pronotum; crown diagonally impressed from anterior margin of antennal ledges to ocelli, convex but not carinate between ocelli, with tylus rounding to face; frons bulbous, weakly flattened at middle near lower angle; lora narrowly crescentric, 2 × as long as wide; antennal ledge short, narrowly notched ventrally ( Fig. 24 J); antenna with spinelike basiconic sensillum and 7 pits of various sizes on postpedicel roughly grouped around base of arista ( Fig. 24 K); eye round, as wide as lateral margins of pronotum to base of tegmina. Tegmina rastrate, venation obscure on upper surface, ventral surface with 4 simple longitudinal veins, R forking beyond midlength, M+Cu forking on basal third, a transverse row of crossveins extending from RA to Cu, RP ending in small fork. Costal margin of hind wing with 3 stout hooks directed outwards, two near summit of prominent triangular lobe on basal third of wing that rises abruptly from wing base, third hook twice as far from second hook as distance between first two hooks on tapered distal extension of lobe. Hind tibiae each with double pecten of 8 black-tipped spines, hind tarsal pectens with 6 black-tipped spines on each tarsomere. Male with fused subgenital plates scarcely extending beyond round-lobed pygofers, bearing small lobes on outer edges; styles nearly parallel margined until abruptly narrowed, digitate tip directed caudodorsad; theca strongly curved dorsad at base, straight and tubular on distal three-quarters, bearing numerous needlelike spines directed cephalolaterad from both sides of shaft ( Carvalho & Webb 2005, figs 67a–d).

Remarks. The type-species was assigned to Zuata ( Carvalho & Webb 2005) but the shape of the frons, the shiny pronotum, the shape and armature of the costal lobe on the hind wing, and the male genitalia are each quite distinctive. The fused subgenital plates are characteristic of Microsarganini, and the numerous thecal spines are similar to those of Microclimax gen.nov.

Figures

FIGURES 24. Antennal characters of Microsarganini: A, Microsargane vittata, antenna in situ, scale line 200 µm; B, same, detail of pedicel and postpedicel, scale line 100 µm; C, Microlaqueus isolatus, antenna in situ; D, same, detail of pedicel and postpedicel, scale line 100 µm; E, same, closeup of antennal pits; F, Microclimax luteosignatus, detail of postpedicel, scale line 50 µm; G, same, closeup of antennal pits; H, Microrhaphe martialis, detail of pedicel and postpedicel, scale line 100 µm; J, Liparonotum praenitidum; antenna in situ; K, same, detail of pedicel and postpedicel, scale line 50 µm; L, same, details of sensilla, larger scale than others; M, Microtholia karykroua, antenna in situ, scale line 100 µm.