Chudania axona Zhang and Yang

Meshram, Naresh M. & Ramamurthy, V. V., 2013, Description of a new evacanthine leafhopper species Sophonia chandrai sp. nov., with new record of Chudania axona (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from India, Zootaxa 3717 (2), pp. 224-230 : 227-230

Chudania axona Zhang and Yang

( Figs. 14–23 )

Chudania axona Zhang and Yang 1990:63

Male: Crown of head, pronotum and scutellum black; stripe running along margin of clavus occupying entire apex of the forewing, black, four white hyaline areas near apex and some pale cross-veins enclosing apical cells. Lower half of face below eyes yellow. Ocelli white, and eyes dark brown ( Figs.14–16 ).

Crown of head roundly produced anteriorly. Anteclypeus apically slightly exceeding facial margin ( Fig.14 ). Frontoclypeus broad with distinct transverse ridges. Frontal suture extending onto vertex, terminating laterad of ocelli ( Fig. 16 ). Ocelli near lateral margins of crown, distance between eye and ocellus 4X diameter of ocellus. Antennae placed somewhat at level with anterior margin of eye in facial view. Scutellum 1.07X as long as pronotum, transverse depression distinct and nearly reaching lateral margin. Pronotum 1.8X longer than broad and 1.1X longer than vertex ( Fig. 14 ). Forewing without appendix.

Male genitalia: Pygofer lobe slightly oval, with several macrosetae posteriorly, ventral process long tapering at apex, with 4 microsetae at middorsal region ( Fig. 21 & 22 ). Subgenital plate broader at base than at apex and with one row of stout macrosetae ( Fig. 23 ). Style with apical process elongate and curved laterally; lateral lobe welldeveloped with group of small setae ( Fig. 17 ). Connective Y-shaped with stem 2X as long as arms, apex expanded ( Fig. 18 ). Aedeagus C-shaped, proximal half well sclerotized; distal half membranous, narrowed gradually to apex, preatrium with short forked process and pair of longer lateral processes with very short spine like branch; pair of processes arise from dorsolateral side from caudal margin with anterior and posterior arms ( Fig.19–20 ).

Measurements. Male 4.7 mm long, 1.1 mm wide across eyes, 0.72 mm wide across hind margin of pronotum.

Material examined. INDIA: Meghalaya: Jaintia Hill District: ♂ Umkiang (25°6'29"N 92°21'42"E, 1379 M), 19.viii.2011, from grasses, Shakti Singh, Manipur: ♂ Tupul (24°46'29"N 93°39'46"E), 07.vii.2012, Mercury vapour lamp, Roni, K. (NPC).

Host. Grasses

Remarks. This is an interesting species resembling C. axona from China but distinct in some characters as given in the description by Zhang & Yang (1990). Upon examination of its type material from China through courtesy of Dr. Wu Dai it was observed that the paratypes have aedeagus with dorsal and basal paired processes bifurcate but Zhang & Yang reported asymmetrical dorsal processes which is trifurcate and tetrafurcate. Habitus, aedeagus, pygofer, subgenital plate and style are well illustrated herein and these will add to its original description by Zhang & Yang (1990).

Chudania delecta Distant ( Figs. 24–33 )

Chudania delecta Distant 1908: 268

Material examined. INDIA: Uttarakhand: 2 ♂ & 1 ♀, Pithoragarh, (29° 34' 60N 80° 13' 0E, 1644 M). 03.v.2010, grasses, Shakti Singh; West Bengal: 1 ♂, Darjeeling (27°03'N, 88°18'E, 1524 M), Phoobsering, Lebong Patridge, without coll.,. x.1910, Det. K. A. Rahman (NPC)

Remarks. This species exhibits some intraspecific variation in the male genitalia. In our specimens, the ventral aedeagal process 6 branched but Viraktamath and Wesley reported 3–5 branches. Such intraspecific variation is usual within species. The figures given herein will add to the earlier description by Distant (1908) and Viraktamath & Wesley (1988)

Acknowledgements

We are extremely grateful to Prof. C. A. Viraktamath for going through an earlier version of the manuscript, and his critical comments and to Dr. Wu Dai for confirming the species after examining the type specimen of C. axona in the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University Insect Museum, China.

References

Dai, W. & Zhang, Y. (2005) A new species of Chudania Distant (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Nirvaninae) from China. Zootaxa, 1057, 61–64.

Dietrich, C.H. (2004) Phylogeny of the leafhopper subfamily Evacanthinae with a review of Neotropical species and notes on related groups (Hemiptera: Membracoidea: Cicadellidae. Systematic Entomology, 29, 455 –487. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0307-6970.2004.00250.x

Dietrich, C.H. (2011) A remarkable new genus of Nirvanini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Evacanthinae) from Southeast Asia. Zootaxa, 2970, 63–67.

Distant, W.L. (1908) Rhynchota: Homoptera and Appendix. In: Bingham, C.T. (Ed.), The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Vol. 4. Taylor and Francis, London, xv + 501pp.

Knight, W.J. (1965) Techniques for use in the identification of leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Entomologist's Gazette, 16, 129 –36.

Li, Z.Z. & Chen, S. (2005) A checklist and keys to species of the genus Sophonia (Insecta: Auchenoryncha: Cicadelidae: Nirvaninae) in China with description of two new species. Journal of Natural History, 39 (1), 71–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0022293031000155331

Oman, P.W. (1949) The Nearctic leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). A generic classification and checklist. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Washington, 3, 1–253.

Viraktamath, C.A. & Wesley, C.S. (1988) Revision of the Nirvaninae (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) of the Indian subcontinent. Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs, 12, 182 –223.

Walker, F. (1870) Catalogue of the Homopterous insects collected in the Indian Archipelago by Mr. A. R. Wallace, with descriptions of new species. Linnaeus Society of London, Journal of Zoology, 10, 276 –330. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1869.tb00663.x

Webb, M.D. & Viraktamath, C.A. (2004) On the identity of an invasive leafhopper on Hawaii (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Nirvaninae). Zootaxa, 692, 1–6.

Zhang, Y.L. & Yang, C.K. (1990) Revision of the genus Chudania Distant. In: Zhang, Y.L. (Ed.), A Taxonomic Study of Chinese Cicadellidae (Homoptera). Tianze Eldonejo, Shaanxi, Yangling, pp. 55–69.

Figures

FIGURE 14 – 23. Habitus, face and genitalia male Chudania axona Zhang & Yang 14, 15. Habitus, dorsal and lateral view; 16. Face; 17. Style; 18. Connective; 19, 20. Aedeagus, lateral and caudal view; 21, 22. Pygofer and pygofer process; 23. Subgenital plate.

FIGURE 24 – 33. Habitus, face and genitalia male Chudania dilecta Distant 24, 25. Habitus, dorsal and lateral view; 26. Face; 27. Style; 28. Connective; 29, 30, 31. Aedeagus, lateral, dorsal and caudal view; 32. Subgenital plate, 33. Pygofer.