Cofana unimaculata (Signoret)

Krishnankutty, Hu. M. & Viraktamath, Ra. A., 2008, Notes on the leafhopper genus Cofana Melichar (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae) from India with description of two new species, Zootaxa 1874 (1), pp. 35-49 : 47

Cofana unimaculata (Signoret) ( Figs 8 , 60–68 )

Tettigonia unimaculata Signoret, 1854a: 26 .

Tettigonia punctum Taschenberg, 1884a: 445

Kolla mimica Distant, 1908 g: 225

Kolla tripunctifrons Banks, 1910a: 51

Tettigoniella differentialis Baker, 1914a: 420

Tettigoniella hopinensis Distant, 1918b: 3

Cofana unimaculata Young, 1979: 7

Cofana karjatensis Ramakrishnan, 1985: 129 . [Holotype, India, IARI, examined], New synonymy

Length: male, 5.9–6.0 mm; female, 6.7–7.0 mm. Light greenish white species. Crown with anterior margin more narrowly pointed, lacks median apical black spot, two medium sized round spots each near lateral clypeal sutures that extending to ocelli, disk of crown with central elongate black spot. Pronotum without distinct central longitudinal brown line, with distinct punctures forming a transverse band separating pale anterior portion from dark posterior portion ( Fig. 60 ). Clypellus and genae unmarked. Forewing often creamy white ( Fig. 8 ). In some specimens, light greenish.

Male genitalia. Pygofer moderately produced with rounded caudo-dorsal margin and obliquely truncate caudal margin ( Fig. 63 ). Style in dorsal view short with distinct lateral lobe on shank, apical apophysis with denticles ( Fig. 67 ). Aedeagal shaft slender, elongate with smooth dorsal and ventral margin; in caudal view uniformly broad throughout its length with round apex ( Figs 61, 62 ). Abdominal apodeme long, slender, extending beyond fourth segment ( Fig. 65 ).

Female genitalia. Hind margin of seventh sternite convex medially produced with caudal margin truncate ( Fig. 68 ).

Material examined. India: Karnataka: 5 females , Dharwar , ex. wheat, 25.ix.1977 (C.A. Viraktamath); 1 female , Halebid–Belur , 11.xi.1978 (C.A. Viraktamath); 1 male , India: Karnataka, Jog falls , 35 km, 18.xi.1976 (B. Mallik); 3 females , India: Karnataka, Mudigere , 22.v.1976 (K.D. Ghorpade); 2 males, 1 female , Bangalore, Hebbal , 16.vii.1982 (Ananthamurthy); 1 female , India: Karnataka, Mudigere , 971 m, 2.vi.1978 (C.A. Viraktamath); 1 female , India: West Bengal, Calcutta , 17.iv.1975 (C.A. Viraktamath); 1 male , West Bengal, Kalyani , 4.vi.2005 (C.A. Viraktamath) [ UAS, INHS]. Holotype male of C. karjatensis , India: Maharashtra, Karjat , xi.1981, paddy field, light trap ( IARI); Paratypes of C. karjatensis : 9 males, 9 females , same data as in holotype [ IARI] .

Distribution. Australia, Madagascar, New Guinea, Oriental region and Tropical Africa ( Young, 1979).

Remarks. The type of C. unimaculata (in NMW) is a female, in relatively poor condition and therefore it is difficult to see characters properly (M.R. Wilson personal communication). Our interpretation of this species is based on the female and male specimens collected from West Bengal (Calcutta and Kalyani respectively), place from which the type specimen comes. The absence of a median apical spot on the crown is the most distinguishing character that separates C. unimaculata from other species of the genus Cofana Melichar. Key features such as shape of female seventh sternite and male abdominal apodemes described by Ramakrishnan (1985) to differentiate C. karjatensis from C. unimaculata are found not to be discrete. In the absence of more convincing evidence, we treat this species as synonym of C. unimaculata .

C. unimaculata is a common species on rice in Asia ( Wilson & Claridge 1991).

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. 1–2, Cofana bidentata n.sp., male & female; 3, Cofana lineata (Distant); 4, Cofana nigrilinea (Stål); 5, Cofana spectra (Distant); 6, Cofana spiculata sp. nov.; 7, Cofana subvirescens (Stål); 8, Cofana unimaculata (Signoret).

FIGURES 60–68. Cofana unimaculata (Signoret)., 60, head; 61, lateral view of aedeagus; 62, caudal view of aedeagus; 63, dorsal view of pygofer; 64, ventral view of subgenital plate; 65, male abdominal apodeme; 66, dorsal view of connective; 67, dorsal view of style; 68, female seventh sternite.