Cofana spiculata, Krishnankutty & Viraktamath, 2008

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 : 44

Cofana spiculata sp. nov. ( Figs. 6 , 44–51 )

Length: male, 6.5–6.8 mm. Dark brown species. Crown with anterior margin narrowly pointed. Crown with median apical black spot and two medium sized round spots each near lateral clypeal sutures that extending to ocelli, disk of crown with central rhomboid large black spot. Pronotum with distinct central longitudinal brown line extending to scutellum, anterior portion with discontinuous brown patches arranged transversely and posterior margin with two pale black round spots on either side of central line ( Fig. 44 ). Clypellus with central pale brown longitudinal line. Genae with brown markings. Forewing dark brown ( Fig. 6 ).

Male genitalia. Pygofer with caudo-dorsal angle slightly produced dorsally, caudal margin almost straight ( Fig. 47 ). Style in dorsal view stouter than in C. lineata , apex pigmented, in lateral view bluntly pointed ( Fig. 50, 51 ). Aedeagal shaft in lateral view broadly flattened, triangular, longer than dorsal apodeme, dorsal margin of shaft straight and smooth, ventral margin denticulate towards base; dorsal apodeme not well developed near apex, close to shaft along its length ( Fig. 45 ); in caudal view shaft broad near base, abruptly narrowed beyond mid length ( Fig. 46 ). Abdominal apodemes long, slender reaching mid length of fourth segment ( Fig. 49 ).

Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet, spiculata , refers to spiny projections along the posterior margin of aedeagal shaft.

Material examined. Holotype male, India: Kerala, Meppadi , 18.x. 1975, 690 m (C.A. Viraktamath) [ UAS] . Paratypes: 2 males, data as for holotype [ BMNH, INHS] .

Distribution. India (Kerala).

Remarks. This species can be easily distinguished from the other species of Cofana by its external dark brown coloration and the shape of the aedeagal shaft that is broadly flattened, triangular, with spiny projections along the posterior margin.

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 44–51. Cofana spiculata sp. nov., 44, head; 45, lateral view of aedeagus; 46, caudal view of aedeagus; 47, dorsal view of pygofer; 48, ventral view of subgenital plate; 49, male abdominal apodeme; 50, dorsal view of style; 51, lateral view of apex of style.