Yelahanka sikkimensis, Viraktamath & Webb & Yeshwanth, 2021

Viraktamath, C. A., Webb, M. D. & Yeshwanth, H. M., 2021, Leafhopper subfamily Ledrinae of the Indian subcontinent: 1. Description of Yelahanka gen. nov. (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with seven new species and new combinations, Zootaxa 4915 (4), pp. 451-480 : 459-460

Yelahanka sikkimensis sp. nov.

Figs 5 C–E, 6 K, 17 A–I.

Pale brownish ochraceous. Anterior half of crown yellowish white, posterior half pale reddish brown and widening laterally. Face ochraceous yellow with lateral areas in front of eyes and along inner margin dark brown intercepted by a transverse pale band. Stripe along lateral margins of pronotum continuing on ledge of forewing formed by inner claval vein and along inner and apical margins of forewing, dark brown, area adjacent to claval commissure and border along inner forewing margin and clavus, brown; rest of forewing greenish hyaline. Thoracic and abdominal sternites and pleurites ochraceous yellow. Setae on hind tibiae darker. Female similar in coloration to male but paler, reddish brown markings on face absent, on crown and pronotum markings much paler.

Crown half as long medially as wide between eyes, median ridge obsolete. Pronotum less strongly foveate anterolaterally, about twice as long medially as wide and twice as long as crown, lateral margins diverging posteriorly, anterior margin slightly convex, posterior margin almost straight in middle. Mesonotum shorter than pronoum without crests. Hind tibia with 3 macrosetae on row PD.

Male genitalia. Pygofer almost twice as long as height in lateral view, postero dorsal angly acutely conical, ventral process arising on ventroposterior region, not attaining dorsal margin of pygofer. Style broad in middle region with angular ventral projection, apophysis narrowed, with acute apex and sinuate subapically. Aedeagus with well-developed dorsal apodeme, shaft broad in basal region, directed posteriorly and dorsally, narrowed and more or less of uniform width in distal 0.33 in lateral view, with two slender curved thin processes on dorsal margin apically, gonopore apical.

Female genitalia. Sternite VII with hind margin deeply excavated in the form of inverted V.

Measurements. Male 5.7 mm long, 1.8 mm wide across eyes and 2.1 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum. Female 6.1 mm long, 1.9 mm wide across eyes and 2.2 mm wide across posterolateral angels of pronotum.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE ♂, INDIA: Sikkim: Gangtok , 2123m, 9.vi.2005, C.A. Viraktamath ( UASB) . PARATYPE: 1 ♀, data as in the holotype ( UASB) .

Etymology. The species is named after the state (Sikkim) from where it was collected.

Remarks. Y. shillongensis , Y. sikkimensis and Y. canaraica have similar coloration of crown differing in shade of brown either reddish or ochraceous. However they differ in the structure of male genitalia as mentioned in the key. Y. sikkimensis has a longer pygofer compared to the remaining two species and the aedeagal shaft processes are more slender and curved and the style is also sinuate subapically and has an acute apex.

Figures

FIGURES 5 A–G. Species habitus of Yelahanka gen. nov. A–B, Y. shillongensis sp. nov., male dorsal and lateral views. C–E, Y. sikkimensis sp. nov., male (C) dorsal view; D–F, female dorsal and lateral views. F–G, male Y. trifida sp. nov., dorsal and lateral views.