Brevialavenosa Sanborn, 2021

Sanborn, Allen F., 2021, A New Genus and Species of Neotropical Taphurini Distant, 1905 (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea: Cicadidae: Cicadettinae) from Brazil with a Note on the Taxonomic Position of Prosotettix Jacobi, 1907, Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 123 (1), pp. 190-198 : 190-194

Brevialavenosa Sanborn , new genus

http://zoobank.org/E1013072-23FF-422F-8057-EB0C4F546DD5

( Figs. 1–8 )

Type species.— Brevialavenosa aurepilosa Sanborn , new species, here designated.

Included species. — The genus is currently represented only by the type species Brevialavenosa aurepilosa Sanborn , new species.

Diagnosis.—The forewing cubitus anterior 1 vein being longer distal to the division, hindwing cubital cell 1 being much wider distally than cubital cell 2, the six apical cells in the hindwings, lack of timbal covers, the small, narrow opercula that curve towards the midline but remain well separated medially and do not cover the tympanal cavity, undeveloped pygofer distal shoulders, the presence of small upper pygofer lobes, the large flat basal pygofer lobes, the absent uncus, well developed claspers, classify the new species as a member of the Taphurini Distant, 1905a ( Marshall et al. 2018).

The new genus can be distinguished from each of the New World genera of Taphurini . Brevialavenosa new genus can be distinguished from Chalumalna Boulard, 1998 , a monotypic genus only known from St. Martin in the Lesser Antilles, by the head being only slightly wider than the mesonotum and the truncated postclypeus barely extends beyond the supra-antennal plates in Chalumalna . The long, posteriorly angled eyes, prominent postclypeus with a distinct central sulcus long forefemora spines distinguish Dorachosa Distant, 1892 . Broad forewings with a thickened and angulate costal margin are characteristic of Dulderana Distant, 1905b . Elachysoma Torres, 1964 presents a truncated head and postclypeus, forewings that are more than three times longer than broad, the abdomen is about as long as the distance between the anterior postclypeus and posterior cruciform elevation, the anterior lateral angle of the pronotal collar is angled ventrally, the posterior margin of the timbal cavity is straight and is not concave dorsolaterally, the male opercula are well developed forming an L-shape rather than curving mediad smoothly, and male sternite VIII is truncated in that genus. The forewings of Imbabura Distant, 1911 are also about three times longer than broad and hindwings have four apical cells distinguishing it from the new species. The large, expanding, hood-like terminus of the aedeagus quickly distinguishes the very similar Malloryalna Sanborn, 2016 from the new species along with forewing radial and radiomedial crossveins being about the same length, the posterior timbals are not strongly angled mediad, the epipleurites are reflexed ventrally, and the pointed basal pygofer lobes are separated from the ventral pygofer margin. Psallodia Uhler, 1903 is characterized by a strongly curved basal costal margin, the highly arched forewing cubital cell, and the seven hindwing apical cells. Species of Taphura St̊al, 1862 present a costal margin strongly bent at the node, the highly arched forewing cubital cell, the postclypeus lacks a central sulcus, the abdomen length is about the same as the length between the apex of the postclypeus and posterior cruciform elevation, the timbals are small, and the male pygofers are characterized by elaborate processes ( Sanborn 2017). The last New World genus currently classified in the Taphurini ( Prosotettix Jacobi, 1907 ) is reassigned below to a more suitable tribe. As a result of the inability to classify the specimens in a currently known genus, a new genus is proposed here for the new species.

Description.—Small sized cicada (body length about 15–16 mm, wing span about 43–46 mm), body covered with long pile.

Head: Wider than mesonotum, head and postclypeus smoothly triangular, dorsal postclypeus with curved apex, distance between lateral margin of eyes wider than anterior pronotal collar, vertex at area of ocelli about as long as frons, lateral ocelli closer to each other than to eyes, higher than median ocellus in frontal view, lateral vertex narrower than eye, supra-antennal plate reaching about two-thirds distance to eye, meeting postclypeus at right angle, dorsal postclypeus about half length of dorsal head, postclypeus flattened on ventral side forming a central carina with indistinct central sulcus, rostrum reaching to posterior coxae.

Thorax: Pronotum shorter than mesonotum, lateral surfaces parallel, anterior margin of lateral angles of pronotal collar curved ventrally, lateral margins of pronotal collar confluent with adjoining pronotal sclerites, mesonotum covering dorsal metanotum, metanotum extending laterally beyond wing groove, cruciform elevation with small posterior depression.

Wings: Forewings and hindwings hyaline. Forewings and hindwings with eight and six apical cells respectively, forewings about 2.85–2.99X longer than broad, apical infuscation on forewing, forewing costal margin smoothly curved to node, basal cell about 3X longer than broad, median and cubitus anterior veins arising separately from basal cell, costa and radius + subcostal vein close together, radius anterior 1 aligned with subcostal vein, forewing cubitus posterior + anal vein 1 fused in part, forewing cubitus anterior straight almost to divergence, forewing cubitus anterior 1 vein longer distal to division by mediocubital crossvein, radius anterior and radius posterior arise from same side of node, forewing radial crossvein shorter than radiomedial crossveins causing bend in radius anterior 2 and radius posterior veins, radiomedial crossvein also short producing bend in radius posterior and median vein 1, radial crossvein forming right angle to radius anterior 2 and radius posterior veins, radiomedial crossvein angled with connection to radius anterior 2 more proximal than connection to median vein 1, all crossveins straight. Hindwing radius posterior and median veins fused at base, cubitus posterior and anal vein 1 unfused, distal end of anal vein 3 curved, hindwing cubital cell 1 much wider distally than distal cubital cell 2.

Legs: Forefemora with three spines, primary spine longest, secondary spine almost as long as primary spine, both oblique, tertiary spine very small, upright, tarsi three-segmented, meracanthus broadly triangular, extending to about middle of operculum.

Male opercula: Small, narrow, curving towards midline but remaining well separated medially, lateral and posterior margins smoothly curved, not covering tympanal cavity completely, extending to middle of sternite II medially, not encapsulating meracanthus.

Abdomen: About as long as distance between apex of head and posterior of cruciform elevation, lateral margins parallel at base, abdomen begins narrowing posteriorly to genitalia at tergite 6. Timbal cover absent, completely exposing timbal, depression in posterior timbal cavity margin on dorsolateral tergite 2, timbal extending below wing base, posterior timbals strongly angled mediad, tympana not concealed by opercula. Male sternite VIII open Ushaped when viewed from posterior with curved posterior margin. Epipleurites not reflexed ventrally. Pygofer distal shoulder undeveloped, smoothly curved, dorsal beak broadly triangular, pygofer upper lobe small, pygofer basal lobe well-developed, large, flat, extending less than half the length of pygofer, adpressed to pygofer, uncus absent, claspers well developed, aedeagus with terminal membrane and a pair of recurved appendages, restrained by claspers near its base. Female is unknown.

Etymology.—The name is a combination of brevi - (L. brevis, short), - ala (L. ala, wing), and – venosa (L. venosa, vein) in reference to the proportionately short radial crossvein in the forewing of the species. The genus is feminine.

Discussion.—The combination of the body size, body covered with long pile, a triangular head wider than the mesonotum, supra-antennal plate reaching about two-thirds distance to eye, flattened ventral postclypeus forming a central carina with an indistinct central sulcus, parallel pronotal sides, ventrally curved anterior margin of lateral angles of pronotal collar, small posterior depression in cruciform elevation, forewings and hindwings with eight and six apical cells respectively, forewings about 2.85–2.99X longer than broad, apical infuscation on forewing, forewing radial crossvein shorter than radiomedial crossveins causing bend in radius anterior 2 and radius posterior veins, small, narrow, curving towards midline but remaining well separated medially, abdomen about as long as distance the between apex of head and posterior of cruciform elevation with lateral margins parallel at base, depression in posterior timbal cavity margin on dorsolateral tergite 2, posterior timbals strongly angled mediad, epipleurites not reflexed ventrally, large, flat pygofer basal lobe extending less than half the length of pygofer, and an aedeagus with terminal membrane and a pair of recurved appendages distinguish the genus from all others in the tribe. Malloryalna is most similar but can be distinguished by the forewing radial and radiomedial crossveins being about the same length, the posterior timbals are not strongly angled mediad, the epipleurites are reflexed ventrally, and the basal pygofer lobes are pointed and elevated from the ventral pygofer margin in that genus. The new genus can be distinguished from other genera in the tribe by possessing in combination a short forewing radial crossvein, apical infuscation, curving opercula, and an aedeagus with distal recurved spines.

Figures

Figs. 1–8. Brevialavenosa aurepilosa Sanborn, new genus, new species. 1, Holotype male habitus. Scale bar = 2 cm. 2, Holotype male dorsum. Scale bar = 2 mm. 3, Holotype male timbal. Scale bar = 1 mm. 4, Paratype male operculum. Scale bar = 2 mm. 5, Paratype male lateral view of genitalia. Scale bar = 1 mm. 6, Paratype male posterior view of genitalia. Scale bar = 1 mm. 7, Paratype male aedeagus. Scale bar = 1 mm. 8, Paratype male claspers. Scale bar = 1 mm.