Afrovarta, Zahniser, James N., 2013

Zahniser, James N., 2013, A new genus and species of Vartini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from Africa, Zootaxa 3750 (3), pp. 295-300 : 297-299

Afrovarta gen.nov.

Type species: A. angelae sp.nov. Figs 1–15 .

Length: male, 6.2–7.5mm; female, 7.5–8.2mm

Head narrower than pronotum. Crown narrow, produced, expanding toward apex; surface depressed; discal region texture longitudinally striate; texture next to eyes and anteriorly shagreen. Ocelli on anterior margin of head, very close to eyes. Frontoclypeus extremely elongate, narrow; texture shagreen. Clypellus elongate; widening apically. Lorum large, elongate; distant from ventral margin of face. Gena broad, visible behind eyes in dorsal view; not incised below eye; texture shagreen with faint longitudinal striae apparent laterally. Antennal sockets situated near middle of eyes. Antennae long, nearly twice width of head or longer. Pronotum lateral margin long, nearly as long as basal width of eye; carinate laterally. Forewing with 3 anteapical cells; R1 diverging basad of radial sector; outer anteapical cell short; inner anteapical cell open; with one crossvein between A1 and claval suture; with one A1–A2 crossvein. Profemur with AM1 seta, without additional basal AM setae; intercalary row consisting of 5 long thick macrosetae sparsely distributed, extending basad of midpoint of femur, apical seta sometimes thinner than basal 4 setae; row AV with>10 stout setae closely arranged and short near base, becoming more sparsely arranged and longer toward apex, extending from base to 3/4 length of femur, AV1 situated close to apical seta of intercalary row and similar in shape and size. Protibia dorsal macrosetae 4+5 or 5+5. Mesofemur row AV with short stout setae. Mesotrochanter with stout setae in PV and AV positions. Metafemur apical setae 2+2+1. Metatarsomere I long, slender; with two rows of short tapered setae on plantar surface; pecten with 4 platellae, inner seta platelliform.

Male. First abdominal sternal apodemes present, lobate, 1/3 to 1/2 length of third sternite. Second abdominal apodemes present, variously developed from short knob-like process to broadly rectangular. Pygofer incised dorsally nearly to base; ventrolateral membranous cleft present; with small patches of macrosetae; tapering posteriorly, terminating as narrow upturned lobe. Subgenital plates long, triangular; lateral margin slightly concave; apex rounded, forming point at commissural margin; with 2–3 rows of macrosetae laterally, extending from base to apex; with some fine hairs laterally. Connective with anterior arms closely appressed; stem present, shorter than anterior arms, flared apically; articulated with aedeagus. Style broadly bilobed basally; apophysis short, pointed apically. Aedeagus with well-developed dorsal connective inserted into socle cavity; with long unpaired process fused to base; with short, unpaired, asymmetrical apical process; gonopore on dorsal/anterior side, basad of midlength of shaft. Segment X tube-like; partly sclerotized laterally, sclerotized dorsally as distal band.

Female. Pygofer with numerous macrosetae. First valvula convex; dorsal sculpturing pattern concatenate to imbricate, reaching dorsal margin, more elongate near base of sculptured area; without distinctly delimited ventroapical sculpturing. Second valvula tapering apically; without dorsomedial tooth; with ~20 teeth separated by numerous smaller teeth or serrations; third valvula with 5–8 subapical distinct setae.

Etymology. The genus name is a combination of the prefix Afro-, referring to the Afrotropical distribution of the genus, and the name of the type genus of the tribe, Vart a Distant. Its gender is feminine.

Remarks. The genus clearly belongs in Vartini based on the following characters shared with other members of the tribe: head narrower than pronotum; head produced and pointed; gena not incised below eye and visible behind the eye in dorsal view; frontoclypeus elongate; lorum elongate, distant from genal margin; profemur intercalary row setae thick and extending to or beyond middle of profemur; apodemes of male sternite II long, subrectangular; connective with anterior arms closely appressed; and male segment X tube-like, protruding from pygofer, and wellsclerotized.

The genus differs from previously described genera in lacking a truncate forewing apex (rounded in Afrovarta ) and the greenish or bluish color and bright orange or red stripes typical of most members of the tribe. The lack of these apparently derived characters suggests that Afrovarta represents a basal lineage of the tribe, and that the remaining seven genera form a monophyletic group based on possession of those characters.

Afrovarta angelae is the only species of the tribe thus far recorded from West Africa. Three other species of Vartini occur in Africa: Stymphalus rubrolineatus (Stål) from central, southern, and eastern Africa; Shivania modesta (Linnavuori) from South Africa; and Shivania serrata Viraktamath from Kenya.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Female specimen from Cameroon: 1, dorsal habitus; 2, lateral habitus; 3, face; 4, sternite VII; 5, first valvula; 5 a & 5 b, detail of dorsal sculpturing of 1 st valvula; 6, second valvula; 6 a, detail of dorsal teeth of second valvula.

FIGURES 7 – 12, 14. Male specimen from Gabon. 7, pygofer, laterally; 8, pygofer, dorsally; 9, subgenital plates and valve, ventrally; 10, aedeagus, caudal view, ventral process not shown; 11, connective and style, ventrally; 12, aedeagus, laterally; 14, 1 st and 2 nd sternal apodemes, ventrally; Fig 13: male specimen from Cameroon (Nkoemvon). 13, aedeagus, laterally.