Elginus malotiensis, Stiller, M., 2009

Stiller, M., 2009, Revision of Elginus Theron (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with the description of two new genera and comments on the grassland leafhopper fauna in South Africa, Zootaxa 2135 (1), pp. 1-56 : 18-19

Elginus malotiensis sp.n.

( Figs 65 , 92 , 119 , 144 , 169 , 194 , 220 , 246 , 265 )

Diagnosis. Aedeagal shaft long, tubular, not twisted and deflected left. Style with apophysis projecting beyond plate apex. Plate without dorsal tooth.

Etymology. Latin, suffix, - ensis, denoting place, maloti, Sesotho word referring to the Drakensberg mountain range of KwaZulu-Natal.

Dimensions. Male (n = 6). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 3.5–3.7 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.9–3.5 mm; vertex medially 0.4–0.5 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.3 mm; pronotum medially 0.3–0.4 mm; scutellum medially 0.3–0.6 mm. Maximum widths: head 1.0– 1.1 mm; pronotum 0.8–0.9 mm; scutellum 0.4–0.5 mm. Ocellus: diameter 28 µm; ocellocular distance 50–59 µm.

Abdominal apodemes. Male. Fig. 265 .

Genital capsule. Male. Aedeagal shaft tubular, tapering at apex; long, 1.8 times as long as dorsal apodeme, dorsal apodeme biramous; gonopore ventral ( Figs 65 , 92 ). Connective as in Fig. 119 . Plate posterior margin truncate; medial angle obtuse; 5–7 uniseriate setae ( Fig. 144 ). Pygofer lobe broadly rounded ( Figs 169 , 194 ). Style apophysis with wide base, tapering; reaching beyond apex of plate, visible in situ; apophysis as long as median arm ( Fig. 220 ).

Dimensions. Female (n = 4). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 3.5–3.9 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 3.0–4.0 mm; vertex medially 0.4–0.5 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.3–0.4 mm; pronotum medially 0.4–0.5 mm; scutellum medially 0.3–0.4 mm. Maximum widths: head 1.0– 1.1 mm; pronotum 0.8–0.9 mm; scutellum 0.4–0.5 mm. Ocellus: diameter 28 µm; ocellocular distance 50–59 µm.

Genital capsule. Female. Sternite VII with shallow, wide V-shaped notch, moderately sclerotized, rectangular, 0–1 pairs of pillars ( Fig. 246 ). Third valvula with apex with three pairs robust macrosetae (length 23.2–32.2 µm, basal width 3.4–6.4 µm); subapical 3 pairs with narrow macrosetae (length 31.0–33.5 µm, basal width 1.3–2.6 µm), proximal setae less than half as long. Second valvula serrate.

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal. Sani Pass, 29°35ʹS 28°18ʹE, 2520 m, 20.iv.2002, M. Stiller, E. Breytenbach, DVac Aristida monticola (Poaceae) ( SANC). Paratypes (12♂, 4♀, 3 nymphs). KwaZulu-Natal. 8♂, 4♀, 3 nymphs, ibid. holotype; 4♂, Orange River Catchment, 28°53ʹ40.22ʺS 29°01ʹ08.25ʺE, 2880 m, 16.iv.2006, M. Stiller sweeping grass & forbs ( BMNH, SANC).

Remarks. Undissected specimens can be recognized by the apophysis of the style that projects beyond the apex of the plate and the absence of a dorsal tooth on the apical margin of the plate. A number of other species, however have a similar sternite VII. They are E. denticulatus , E. eccentricus and E. tubulus . The latter two species have different distributions, but E. denticulatus has been recorded from the Drakensberg.

Figures

FIGURES 51–77. Elginus species, male, aedeagus, dorsal or ventral view. Fig. 51, E. acutus, ventral view; Fig. 52, E. bispinus, dorsal view; Fig. 53, E. cavatus, dorsal view; Fig. 54, E. contradens, dorsal view; Fig. 55, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus, dorsal view; Fig. 56, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus, dorsal view; Fig. 57, E. denticulatus, dorsal view; Fig. 58, E. dexteruncus, dorsal view; Fig. 59, E. eccentricus, dorsal view; Fig. 60, E. extrinsecus, ventral view; Fig. 61, E. falcatus, dorsal view; Fig. 62, E. furcillatus, dorsal view; Fig. 63, E. latus, dorsal view; Fig. 64, E. levilobus, ventral view; Fig. 65, E. malotiensis, dorsal view; Fig. 66, E. matarei, ventral view; Fig. 67, E. minutulus, dorsal view; Fig. 68, E. oriens, dorsal view; Fig. 69, E. recavus, dorsal view; Fig. 70, E. saltus (Naudé), dorsal view; Fig. 71, E. semialatus, with paired process, ventral view; Fig. 72, E. semialatus, single process, ventral view; Fig. 73, E. theroni, dorsal view; Fig. 74, E. tortuosus, dorsal view; Fig. 75, E. tubulus, dorsal view; Fig. 76, E. unispinus, ventral view; Fig. 77, E. vulgaris, dorsal view.

FIGURES 78–104. Elginus species, male, aedeagus, lateral view. Fig. 78, E. acutus; Fig. 79, E. bispinus; Fig. 80, E. cavatus; Fig. 81, E. contradens; Fig. 82, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 83, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 84, E. denticulatus; Fig. 85, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 86, E. eccentricus; Fig. 87, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 88, E. falcatus; Fig. 89, E. furcillatus; Fig. 90, E. latus; Fig. 91, E. levilobus; Fig. 92, E. malotiensis; Fig. 93, E. matarei; Fig. 94, E. minutulus; Fig. 95, E. oriens; Fig. 96, E. recavus; Fig. 97, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 98, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 99, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 100, E. theroni; Fig. 101, E. tortuosus; Fig. 102, E. tubulus; Fig. 103, E. unispinus; Fig. 104, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 105–130. Elginus species, male, connective, Fig. 105, E. acutus; Fig. 106, E. bispinus; Fig. 107, E. cavatus; Fig. 108, E. contradens; Fig. 109, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 110, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 111, E. denticulatus; Fig. 112, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 113, E. eccentricus; Fig. 114, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 115, E. falcatus; Fig. 116, E. furcillatus; Fig. 117, E. latus; Fig. 118, E. levilobus; Fig. 119, E. malotiensis; Fig. 120, E. matarei; Fig. 121, E. minutulus; Fig. 122, E. oriens; Fig. 123, E. recavus; Fig. 124, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 125, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 126, E. theroni; Fig. 127, E. tortuosus; Fig. 128, E. tubulus; Fig. 129, E. unispinus; Fig. 130, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 131–156. Elginus species, male, plate, Fig. 131, E. acutus; Fig. 132, E. bispinus; Fig. 133, E. cavatus; Fig. 134, E. contradens; Fig. 135, E. cultellus; Fig. 136, E. denticulatus; Fig. 137, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 138, E. eccentricus; Fig. 139, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 140, E. falcatus; Fig. 141, E. furcillatus; Fig. 142, E. latus; Fig. 143, E. levilobus; Fig. 144, E. malotiensis; Fig. 145, E. matarei; Fig. 146, E. minutulus; Fig. 147, E. oriens; Fig. 148, E. recavus; Fig. 149, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 150, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 151, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 152, E. theroni; Fig. 153, E. tortuosus; Fig. 154, E. tubulus; Fig. 155, E. unispinus; Fig. 156, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 157–179. Elginus species, male, pygofer, dorsal view. Fig. 157, E. acutus; Fig. 158, E. cavatus; Fig. 159, E. contradens; Fig. 160, E. cultellus; Fig. 161, E. denticulatus; Fig. 162, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 163, E. eccentricus; Fig. 164, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 165, E. falcatus; Fig. 166, E. furcillatus; Fig. 167, E. latus; Fig. 168, E. levilobus; Fig. 169, malotiensis; Fig. 170, E. matarei; Fig. 171, E. minutulus; Fig. 172, E. oriens; Fig. 173, E. recavus; Fig. 174, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 175, E. theroni; Fig. 176, E. tortuosus; Fig. 177, E. tubulus; Fig. 178, E. unispinus; Fig. 179, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 180–205. Elginus species, male, pygofer, lateral view. Fig. 180, E. acutus; Fig. 181, E. bispinus; Fig. 182, E. cavatus; Fig. 183, E. contradens; Fig. 184, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 185, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 186, E. denticulatus; Fig. 187, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 188, E. eccentricus; Fig. 189, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 190, E. falcatus; Fig. 191, E. furcillatus; Fig. 192, E. latus; Fig. 193, E. levilobus; Fig. 194, E. malotiensis; Fig. 195, E. matarei; Fig. 196, E. minutulus; Fig. 197, E. oriens; Fig. 198, E. recavus; Fig. 199, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 200, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 201, E. theroni; Fig. 202, E. tortuosus; Fig. 203, E. tubulus; Fig. 204, E. unispinus; Fig. 205, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 206–232. Elginus species, male, style, Fig. 206, E. acutus; Fig. 207, E. bispinus; Fig. 208, E. cavatus; Fig. 209, E. contradens; Fig. 210, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 211, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 212, E. denticulatus; Fig. 213, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 214, E. eccentricus; Fig. 215, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 216, E. falcatus; Fig. 217, E. furcillatus; Fig. 218, E. latus; Fig. 219, E. levilobus; Fig. 220, E. malotiensis; Fig. 221, E. matarei; Fig. 222, E. minutulus; Fig. 223, E. oriens; Fig. 224, E. recavus; Fig. 225, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 226, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 227, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 228, E. theroni; Fig. 229, E. tortuosus; Fig. 230, E. tubulus; Fig. 231, E. unispinus; Fig. 232, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 233–258. Elginus species, female, sternite VII. Fig. 233, E. bispinus; Fig. 234, E. cavatus; Fig. 235, E. contradens; Fig. 236, E. cultellus, associated males with curved aedeagus; Fig. 237, E. cultellus, associated males with straight aedeagus; Fig. 238, E. denticulatus; Fig. 239, E. dexteruncus variant; Fig. 240, E. dexteruncus variant; Fig. 241, E eccentricus; Fig. 242, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 243, E. falcatus; Fig. 244, E. furcillatus; Fig. 245, E. levilobus; Fig. 246, E. malotiensis; Fig. 247, E. matarei; Fig. 248, E. minutulus; Fig. 249, E. oriens; Fig. 250, E. oriens; Fig. 251, E. recavus; Fig. 252, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 253, E. semialatus; Fig. 254, E. theroni; Fig. 255, E. tortuosus; Fig. 256, E. tubulus; Fig. 257, E. unispinus; Fig. 258, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 259–273. Elginus species, male, abdominal apodemes, Fig. 259, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 260, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 261, E. denticulatus; Fig. 262, E. eccentricus; Fig. 263, E. falcatus; Fig. 264, E. furcillatus; Fig. 265, E. malotiensis; Fig. 266, E. matarei; Fig. 267, E. minutulus; Fig. 268, E. oriens; Fig. 269, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 270, E. theroni; Fig. 271, E. tortuosus; Fig. 272, E. tubulus; Fig. 273, E. vulgaris.