Pintalia painensis, Hoch & Bartlett & Ferreira, 2025

SANTOS, JÚLIO CÉSAR DO CARMO VAZ, HOCH, HANNELORE, BARTLETT, CHARLES R. & FERREIRA, RODRIGO LOPES, 2025, Revision of the type series of the original species placed in the genus Pintalia Stål, 1862 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae), and description of 12 new species from Brazilian caves, Zootaxa 5678 (1), pp. 1-96 : 13-14

Pintalia painensis -group

Diagnosis. This group can be distinguished mainly by characters of the male terminalia. However, some other characters are also useful for identification. Vertex moderately large, with apical transverse carina smaller than the subapical carina; apical compartment large, wider than long, moderately long medially; caudal margin triangular, slightly concave laterally with a small basal emargination; in frontal view with apical transverse carina straight. Frons approx. 1.9–2.4 times wider in the largest width than at the apically; frontoclypeal suture bent upwards medially, laterally straight. Tegmina (forewings) with pt large and sub rectangular, weakly, or well angled distally; fork of ScP+RA and RP moderately closer to bc than fork CuA1 and CuA2; rm-1 proximally, together, or distally to first MP fork; mcu-1 distally to first MP fork. Hind wing with RP bifid, MP trifid with petiolate anastomosis in MP3+4 + CuA1 distally forked (Y-type), CuA1 and CuA2 bifid. In ventral view, males with segment viii, complete, or separated medially. Hind tibia with 3–4 lateral spines, spines closest to the femur well small; 6 apical teeth as provided for the genus. 1 st tarsomere with 7 apical teeth. 2 nd tarsomere with 8 apical teeth, and with 1–3 platellae, in some species absent or in a smaller number on one of the legs (asymmetric bilaterally).

Male terminalia. Pygofer bilaterally symmetrical; in lateral view, usually without lateral process, when present, laterally flattened (thin) vs. broad in Pintalia constellaris -group; dorsal margin concave, caudal margin usually straight, in some species slightly irregular. in ventral view, ventromedian process triangular, usually as wide as long. Anal tube long, tubular dorsally and excavated ventrally, developed and flattened distally with apex truncate and irregular, usually straight laterally and slightly asymmetrical in most species; in dorsal view, occurs a narrowing near the base but gradually elongates again to the apex; epiproct and paraproct short; in dorsal view epiproct triangular, and laterally with two small bent down margin; paraproct rounded, narrow laterally and slightly larger than the epiproct distally. Genital styles moderately or weakly wide distally, excavated ventrally and with small bent margins to the ventral region; basal opening between the genital styles, in diamond-shaped usually moderately small. Aedeagus display 5–7 spines; aedeagal shaft tubular, and usually wider apically near to flagellum; aedeagal shaft with 3–4 spines; usually a long or wider spine occurs laterally on the apex of the aedeagal shaft; ventral ridge absent. Flagellum usually with 2–6 spines in right laterally.

Female terminalia. Anal tube long, in dorsal view rounded medially, with apex truncated; in lateral view with lateral margin slightly projected and straight, ventrally produced two third basal and a third apical excavated and apically produced again; epiproct and paraproct thin and short; epiproct triangular in dorsal view with lateral margin near to the base slightly developed and bent down; paraproct in dorsal view rounded. Gonocoxae VIII truncated, usually with rounded lateral carinae and irregular; in caudal view, it shows straight carinas moderately distant from the margin, closer to the genital segment, and distant medially or close to the ovipositor. Ovipositor large, in lateral view, sabre-shaped, curved upwards dorsally surpassing the anal tube.

Species here assigned to this group: P. painensis sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov., P. dorensis sp. nov., P. muiri sp. nov.

Distribution. BRA. Minas Gerais State ( Fig. 77 ).

Notes. Fennah (1945) grouped some species due to the anal tube developed distally, bent down in approx. 90° (e.g., P. bicaudata- group), bent in approx. 45° (e.g., P. albolineata- group), and to the shape of the genital styles. Here we have grouped all the new species with distally developed anal tube, with spines on the flagellum and genital styles weakly or moderately wide distally. A review of the species described by Muir 1934, and Fennah 1945 is indicated to properly allocate them to groups or new genera. Some species deposited in ISLA may have a morphology very similar to the morphology described for Pintalia painensis- group, however the flagellum does not present spines.

Morphology. Body length: 3.9–5.3 ♂ mm (n=18). 5.0– 5.8 mm ♀ (n=6).

Head. Vertex with apical compartment Square and large, in dorsal view with apical transverse carina usually almost straight and slightly irregular, totally developed ( P. painensis sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.), or slightly evanescent laterally ( P. dorensis sp. nov., P. muiri sp. nov.); the subapical carina can be concave ( P. dorensis sp. nov., P. muiri sp. nov.) or bent medially ( P. painensis sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.); approx. 1.9–2.4 times wider in the largest width than apically.

Thorax. Pronotum narrow, inconspicuous median carina and moderately developed but evanescent submedian carina behind the eyes. Tegmina (forewings) mostly hyaline with a dark brown spots, with four rounded spots in nodal region ( P. painensis sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.) or with one irregular spot ( P. dorensis sp. nov., P. muiri sp. nov.) or two irregular spots ( P. lundi sp. nov.); rm-1 ahead to first fork MP ( P. painensis sp. nov.) together ( P. dorensis sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov., P. muiri sp. nov.) or distally ( P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.) and mcu-1 occurred distally to first MP fork ( P. dorensis sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov., P. muiri sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.). Posterior legs, hind tibia with three lateral spines ( P. dorensis sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov.) or four lateral spines ( P. painensis sp. nov., P. muiri sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.); 1 st tarsomere with two apical teeth external slightly larger, and two medially with approx. the same size; 2 nd tarsomere with 1–2 lateral apical teeth well larger ( P. painensis sp. nov., P. dorensis sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov.) or slightly larger ( P. muiri sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.) and with 1–3 platellae.

Male terminalia. Pygofer bilaterally symmetric, laterally with a developed process, rounded and thin ( P. dorensis sp. nov.), very large and rounded ( P. muiri sp. nov.) or moderately rounded ( P. painensis sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.). Anal tube in dorsal view, very narrow near to the base ( P. dorensis sp. nov., P. painensis sp. nov.) or slightly narrow ( P. lundi sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov., P. muiri sp. nov.). Genital styles moderately wide distally ( P. dorensis sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.) or weakly wide distally ( P. painensis sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov., P. muiri sp. nov.); basal opening of styles usually moderately small and diamond-shaped ( P. painensis sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov., P. dorensis sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.) or weakly distinct, slightly rounded laterally and triangular elongated apically ( P. muiri sp. nov.). Aedeagus with a large spine on the right side of the apex of aedeagal shaft( P. painensis sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov., P. muiri sp. nov., P. dorensis sp. nov.) or a large spine on the left lateral of the apex of aedeagal shaft( P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.); in left lateral view with one spine ( P. painensis sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov., P. muiri sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.) or two spines ( P. dorensis sp. nov.); in right lateral view with one short spine ( P. lundi sp. nov., P. montalvaniensis sp. nov., P. dorensis sp. nov.) or two short spines ( P. painensis sp. nov.). Flagellum with two spines ( P. muiri sp. nov., P. lundi sp. nov.), one of them bifid ( P. lundi sp. nov.), with three spines ( P. painensis sp. nov., P. dorensis sp. nov.) or four spines ( P. montalvaniensis sp. nov.).

Female terminalia. Female terminalia very similar between species with little change in size of the anal tube and gonocoxae VIII.

Figures

FIGURE 77. Distribution of Pintalia-groups in South America (A). Distribution of Pintalia painensis-group (B). Distribution of Pintalia pictipennis-group (C). Distribution of Pintalia constellaris-group (D). The extra records (not reported in the type and/or material examined) of Pintalia constellaris-group were obtained through the INaturalist platform (last access 25.x.2023), Pintalia constellaris available in: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/895204-Pintalia-constellaris.