Punctijassus, Dietrich & Magalhães & Takiya, 2020

Dietrich, Christopher H., Magalhães, Raysa Brito de & Takiya, Daniela M., 2020, Revision of the endemic Malagasy leafhopper tribe Platyjassini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Iassinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 695, pp. 1-89 : 75-80

Punctijassus gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8A20AEAB-D5DB-4B63-BBDE-7E11564E84AC

Figs 3 R–T, 15, 18S–U

Type species

Punctijassus compressus sp. nov.

Diagnosis

This genus may be distinguished by the following combination of features: body small to medium-sized, dorsum stramineous, hind coxa with black spot, vertex overlapping less than half of anterolateral margin of eye, crown uniformly shagreen, margin spatulate; forewing without supernumerary crossveins; hindwing veins R4+5 and M1+2 confluent preapically but separate near apex; hind femur macrosetal formula usually 2+2 +1; style without denticuli; aedeagus with single long process arising from preatrium directly below shaft.

Etymology

The genus name, a masculine noun, combines ʻ puncti -ʼ (ʻspottedʼ) with ʻ- jassus ʼ, a common suffix for genera in this subfamily, and refers to the distinct spots on the venter.

Description

HABITUS. Small platyjassines (4.9–6.5 mm). Color stramineous, with darker pigment at apex of forewing and conspicuous black spot ventrolaterally on hind coxa; additional paired dark spots often present ventrally on femora and thoracic sternites.

HEAD. Crown flattened, uniformly shagreen, anterior margin produced, spatulate, forming hood over dorsal part of face, vertex with lateral extension overlapping less than half of eye margin; ocelli anteromesad of eyes. Frontoclypeus moderately convex with slight median dorsoapical depression; antennal ledge transverse, strongly overlapping frontoclypeus; lateral frontal suture present above antennal ledge but not extended to crown margin; gena slightly emarginate below eye, but completely concealing proepisternum; lorum small, flat; anteclypeus slightly convex, lateral margins only slightly divergent distally; rostrum slender, not surpassing front trochanters.

THORAX. Pronotum slightly declivous, in profile continuing contour of crown, much wider than head, lateral margins strongly divergent posterad, transverse striations weakly delimited. Forewing without supernumerary crossveins, appendix broad and extended to wing apex, inner apical cell relatively short. Hindwing veins R4+5 and M1+2 confluent preapically but separate near apex. Front femur row IC with ~10–14 setae, somewhat irregularly arranged basally; AV with 5 stout setae in basal half, dorsal surface of tibia rounded, PD with 4 widely spaced macrosetae. Hind femur macrosetal formula 2+2+ 1, tibial row AD with one or more smaller setae between successive macrosetae; tarsomere I plantar row single and weakly developed.

ABDOMEN. Male pregenital sternite slightly longer than sternite VII, posterior margin weakly bilobed; pygofer base band-like, dorsally with median posterior concavity; lobe separated from base by membranous vertical cleft, with numerous macrosetae in distal half, apex broadly rounded, processes and spines absent, ventral margin with slight lobe near base bearing several fine setae. Subgenital plate without macrosetae, dorsolateral margin with row of long, fine setae. Style apophysis slender, smooth, without denticuli, apex curved dorsad, with sharp tooth-like tip. Connective stem slightly longer than arms. Aedeagus with atrium V-shaped in posterior view, shaft simple, compressed, curved dorsad, with single slender basal process arising below shaft base and extended along shaft posterior margin through most of length, gonopore preapical on posterior surface. Female abdominal sternite with small median, posterior notch. First valvulae slender, with dorsal sculupturing strigate. Second valvulae slender, with two indistinct, widely separated distal preapical teeth.

Remarks

This genus resembles Platyjassula gen. nov. in coloration, form and in the structure of the male genitalia, but differs in the smaller overall body size, presence of distinct spots on the hind femur and coxa, and in lacking two divergent attenuate points on the style apex. It also resembles Platyjassus , but the included species are much smaller, have the basal process of the aedeagus situated directly below the shaft, rather than offset to one side, and have a distinct black spot laterally on the hind coxa, as in Pachyjassus gen. nov.

Key to species of Punctijassus gen. nov. (males)

1. Aedeagus with basal process closely adjacent to shaft at base ( Fig. 15E ) ..................................... .......................................................................................... Punctijassus compressus gen. et sp. nov.

– Aedeagus with basal process well separated from shaft at base ( Fig. 15B )..................................2

2. Style apophysis abruptly constricted preapically ( Figs 15 B–C); aedeagal shaft with ventral extension longer than its basal width in lateral view ( Fig. 15B ) ........... Punctijassus circularis gen. et sp. nov.

– Style apophysis gradually narrowed distally ( Fig. 15I ); aedeagal shaft with ventral extension shorter than its basal width in lateral view ( Fig. 15H ) ................ Punctijassus ivohibensis gen. et sp. nov.

Figures

Fig. 3. Platyjassini, dorsal and lateral habitus of males. A. Plerujassus appendiculatus (Evans, 1959). B. Plerujassus brunnescens sp. nov. C. Plexijassus caliginosus sp. nov. D. Pseudocurtara minima sp. nov. E. Pseudocurtara nigripicta sp. nov. F. Pseudocurtara quadrata sp. nov. G. Pseudocyrta hyalina sp. nov. H. Pseudomarganana olivacea sp. nov. I. Pseudomarganana rosea sp. nov. J. Pulchrijassus anjozorobensis sp. nov. K. Pulchrijassus eunsunae sp. nov. L. Pulchrijassus pallescens sp. nov. M. Pulchrijassus roseus sp. nov. N. Pulchrijassus rubrilineatus sp. nov. O. Pulchrijassus sindhuae sp. nov. P. Pulchrijassus talatakelyensis sp. nov. Q. Pulchrijassus toamasinensis sp. nov. R. Punctijassus circularis sp. nov. S. Punctijassus compressus sp. nov. T. Punctijassus ivohibensis sp. nov. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 15. Punctijassus gen. nov. – A–C. Punctijassus circularis sp. nov. A. Genital capsule, lateral view. B. Genitalia, lateral view. C. Same, ventral view. – D–F. Punctijassus compressus sp. nov. D. Genital capsule, lateral view. E. Genitalia, lateral view. F. Same, ventral view. – G–I. Punctijassus ivohibensis sp. nov. G. Genital capsule, lateral view. H. Genitalia, lateral view. I. Same, ventral view. Photos not to scale.