Ariasa egregia ( Uhler, 1903 ), 2016

Sanborn, Allen F., 2016, Five new species, a new genus and a new record of cicadas from French Guiana with four new combinations and three new synonymies (Insecta, Hemiptera, Cicadoidea, Cicadidae), Zoosystema 38 (2), pp. 177-199 : 179

Ariasa egregia ( Uhler, 1903) n. comb.

( Fig. 2 )

Cicada egregia Uhler, 1903: 5 .

TYPE LOCALITY. — Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — “ Rio de Janiero // Cicada / egregia , /Uhler. / Type.” ♀ ( CMNH).

DISTRIBUTION. — Specimens have been reported previously from Brazil ( Uhler 1903).

REMARKS

While examining species in an attempt to identify the new species of Ariasa described here, I determined that Cicada egregia Uhler, 1903 should actually be assigned to the genus Ariasa . I have studied a syntype specimen of Cicada egregia in the CMNH. The species has not been discussed in the literature other than the original description ( Uhler 1903) or being catalogued by Henshaw (1903), Distant (1906a, 1912), Metcalf (1963b) or Sanborn (2013). Following Distant’s (1906a) key, Cicada egregia is determined to be a member of the genus Ariasa . Further comparison to other Ariasa species , including the new species described here and A. bilaqueata ( Uhler, 1903) that is similar to C. egregia and was originally described ( Uhler 1903) in the genus Cicada along with C. egregia but was transferred subsequently to Ariasa ( Sanborn 2007) , and the generic description for Ariasa ( Distant 1905) confirm the reassignment to Ariasa . The head being wider than the mesonotum, globose, sulcate postclypeus, trapezoidal pronotum, parallel and oblique radial and radiomedial crossveins, three segmented tarsi, triangular opercula, incomplete timbal cover enclosing only the lateral timbal cavity, and the abdomen being as long as distance from apex of head to cruciform elevation are all found in the type and specimens in the author’s collection. The structure of the uncus in particular, which is significantly different than other Fidicinini , also places the species in Ariasa . Cicada egregia is hereby transferred to the genus Ariasa to become Ariasa egregia ( Uhler, 1903) n. comb.

Figures

FIG. 2. — Ariasa egregia (Uhler, 1903) n. comb. Syntype ♀ (CMNH). Scale bar: 2 cm.