Mimotettix Matsumura, 1914

Dai, Wu & Zhang, Yalin, 2010, Review of the Old World leafhopper genus Mimotettix Matsumura (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with description of new species, Zootaxa 2651, pp. 1-26 : 2

Mimotettix Matsumura, 1914

Mimotettix Matsumura, 1914:197 .

Type species: Mimotettix kawamurae Matsumura 1914: 198 , by original designation.

Description. Small sized leafhoppers. 4.4mm ~ 6.1mm. Colour pale to reddish brown. Head with one or two cream transverse bands anteriorly bordered with dark brown. Forewings brownish hyaline, with scattered unpigmented areas; veins dark brown ( Fig.1 ).

Head approximately equal in width to pronotum, vertex slightly longer medially than next eyes with anterior margin angularly rounded in dorsal view and narrowly rounded to face in lateral view. Ocelli on anterior margin, visible dorsally, separated from eyes by own diameter. Face slightly flattened, similar in length to width; anteclypeus slightly expanded apically with anterior margin convex; genae indented beneath eyes. Pronotum slightly longer than vertex. Scutellum equal in length to vertex, transverse depression distinct. Forewing with 4 apical and 3 subapical cells, outer subapical cell acute apically, inner subapical cell open basally.

Male genitalia: Pygophore in lateral aspect moderately long to very long, tapered posteriorly to acute to broadly rounded apical margin; with short to long stout setae over dorsoposterior area, rarely with stout setae on dorsomedial and posteroventral margins ( rectatus ), with or without a posterior process on each side. Valve triangulate. Subgenital plate usually elongate and triangulate, sometimes very short, narrowly rounded apically, rarely more broadly rounded ( brevicornis ); with uniseriate submarginal row of stout setae ventrolaterally and numerous hair-like setae laterally and apically. Styles robust or slender, with pronounced pre-apical lateral lobe; apical process acute, turned laterally. Connective Y-shaped, articulating with aedeagus; stem similar in length to arms to twice length of arms. Aedeagus with shaft moderately long, narrow to robust in lateral view, usually tapered to apex and curved dorsally, rarely digitate and directed posteriorly ( rectatus ); with a process arising apically on shaft, straight and directed ventrally, gonopore apical; basal apodeme moderately long, compressed anteroposteriorly and expanded distally in posterior view, rarely short ( tibetensis ).

Female sternite VII with posterior margin nearly straight, shape apparently invariant among known species. First valvulae with reticulate sculpture dorsally and scale-like sculpture ventrally ( Fig. 2 A–C); second valvulae narrowly blade-like with dorsal sclerotised and membranous areas present; with few robust teeth over distal half ( Fig. 2 D–F).

Distribution. China, Japan and throughout the Old World tropics.

Remarks. The genus Mimotettix has an external resemblance to species of Scaphomonus Viraktamath (Dai et al., 2009), and Melanetettix Knight and Fletcher (2007) in the shape and markings of the vertex. It differs from Scaphomonus by the presence of an aedeagal process arising apically and from Melanetettix by the absence of paired paraphyses on the connective.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Mimotettix curticeps Kwon & Lee from Hunan, China. (A) Habitus, dorsal view. (B) Habitus, lateral view.

FIGURE 2. Mimotettix curticeps Kwon & Lee, female genitalia. (A) Detail of same at position arrowed in (B). (B) First valvulae of female ovipositor, lateral view. (C) Apical half of first valvulae. (D) Detail of same at position arrowed in (E). (E). Second valvulae of female ovipositor, lateral view. (F) Apical half of second valvulae.