Macropsis validiuscula Dubovsky, 1966

Tishechkin, Dmitri Yu., 2014, Taxonomic study of Central Asian species of the genus Macropsis Lewis, 1836 (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae: Macropsinae). II: Redescriptions of poorly known species, new synonyms, and description of a new willow-dwelling species, Zootaxa 3815 (1), pp. 103-118 : 104-108

Macropsis validiuscula Dubovsky, 1966

Figs. 2–7 , 17–46

Description. Body green or brownish yellow to brown, apex of crown without black spot in all specimens studied ( Figs. 2–6 ). Forewings semihyaline, of same colour as body or infumose, darkest on clavi and in apical parts. Green colour form ( Figs. 2, 5 ) is most abundant in all localities studied.

Abdominal apodemes of 2nd tergite in male narrow, separated by broad rounded notch, with more or less rounded tips slightly bent inwards (Figs. 17–20). Sternal apodemes as a rule with expanded bases and wide lobes, strongly convergent or even somewhat overlapping with each other (Figs. 21–25).

Pygofer processes almost straight or slightly bent forward (Figs. 29–30). Penis in side view rather long and narrow (Figs. 26–28). Styles as in other poplar- or willow-dwelling Macropsis species (Figs. 31–33). 2nd valvulae of ovipositor with 1+2 or 2+2 preapical teeth (Figs. 34–36).

FIGURES 17–36. Macropsis validiuscula Dubovsky. 17–20―male abdominal apodemes of the 2nd sternite; 21–25—the 2nd tergite; 26–28―penis, lateral view; 29–30―pygofer process, lateral view; 31–33―end of style; 34–36―the 2nd valvulae of ovipositor.

Body length (including tegmina): ♂, 4.4–4.8 mm; ♀, 5.0–5.6 mm.

Nymph almost hairless, green to yellowish-green with minute brown dots ( Fig. 7 ).

M. validiuscula , M. graminea (Fabricius, 1798) and M. suspecta Tishetshkin, 1994 form a group of closely related poplar-feeding species. M. validiuscula differs from two other species by the absence of black frontal spot and by the shape of 2nd abdominal apodemes. In addition, these three species are allopatric. M. graminea occurs in Europe including European Russia, in Northern Caucasus, Transcaucasia, North Iran (Elburs Mtn. Range), Northern and Eastern Kazakhstan, in southern part of West Siberia and in North America (introduced). The range of M. suspecta includes North Tien-Shan Mts. (Northern shore of Issyk-Kul’ Lake, Kyrgyzstan), South-Eastern Kazakhstan (Dzhungarskiy Alatau Mtn. Range), South Siberia from Altai Mts. to Transbaikalia, South Yakutia, the Russian Far East, and adjacent regions of China. M. validiuscula up to now was found only in West Tien Shan and Hissar-Darvaz Mts.

Host. Populus spp. from the section Aigeiros including both native ( P. afganica ) and introduced ( P. nigra var. pyramidalis ) species and hybrids (P. x jablokowii).

Calling signal. In poplar-feeding Macropsis species no clear-cut distinction exists between calling and courtship signals. As a rule, single male produces simple signal (calling in the strict sense), but occasionally it can produce more complex signal containing additional components. Courting male sitting close to female produces only complex signal.

Simple calling of M. validiuscula is a phrase lasting from 2 to 8–10 s ( Figs. 37–38, 40–42 ). Complex signal ( Figs. 39, 43–46 ) consists of the same phrase as a simple one ( Figs. 43–44 ), followed by low-amplitude trill sounding like monotonous buzz (the second half of the oscillogram on Fig. 44 and the first half of the oscillogram on Fig. 45 ) and a succession of alternating long and short pulses ( Fig. 46 ).

Material examined. 1— Kyrgyzstan, Chatkal Mtn. Range, Sary-Chelekskiy Biosphere Nature Reserve, environs of Arkyt Village, D. Tishechkin, from Populus x jablokowii: 20. VII. 2008, 6 ♂, 34 ♀, calling signals of 3 ♂ recorded on disk at 20–21o C; 2. VII. 2009, 14 ♂, 4 ♀, 5 nymphs; 3. VII. 2011, 3 ♂, 3 ♀, calling signals of 3 ♂ recorded on disk at 21o C; from P. afganica : 30. VI – 6. VII. 2009, 6 ♀; 12. VII. 2011, 1 ♀; from P. nigra var. pyramidalis , 8. VII. 2009, 1 ♀ ( ZMMU). 6― Kyrgyzstan, Ferghana Mtn. Range, environs of Arslanbob Town (type locality), from “black poplar”, G. Anufriev, 14. VII. 1991, 6 ♂, 7 ♀, 1 nymph ( ZMMU), 4 ♂, 22 ♀, 1 nymph (coll. Anufriev). 7― Kyrgyzstan, Ferghana Mtn. Range, environs of Kara-Alma Village, from “black poplar”, G. Anufriev, 19. VII. 1991, 3 ♀ ( ZMMU), 6 ♀ (coll. Anufriev).

Distribution. West Tien Shan Mts. (foothills and midlands of Karatau, Karzhantau, Chatkal and Ferghana Mtn. Ranges) and Hissar-Darvaz (Turkestan and Hissar Mtn. Ranges).

Remark. Interpretation of this species is based on the original description and investigation of material from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 16. Macropsis validiuscula Dubovsky: 2 – 4 ― female lateral view; 5 – 6 ― male; 7 — nymph; M. vicina (Horvath): 8 ― female lateral view; 9 – 10 ― male; M. iliensis Mityaev: 11 ― male lateral view; 12 ― nymph; M. tienschanica sp. n.: 13 ― male lateral view; 14 ― nymph; M. elaeagnicola Dubovsky: 15 ― male lateral view; 16 ― nymph.

FIGURES 37 – 46. Macropsis validiuscula Dubovsky, oscillograms of male calling signals. 37 – 38, 40 – 42 ― simple form of calling signal, 39, 43 – 46 ― complex form. Faster oscillograms of the parts of signals indicated as “ 40 – 46 ” are given under the same numbers.