Dundubia flava, Lee, 2009

Lee, Young June, 2009, A checklist of Cicadidae (Insecta: Hemiptera) in Palawan with five new species, Journal of Natural History 43 (41 - 42), pp. 2617-2639 : 2633-2636

13. Dundubia flava sp. nov.

( Figures 11 , 12 )

Type material

Holotype: male ( Figure 11 ), southwestern Palawan, Brgy Culasian Pinagar , primary forest edge, 37 m, 08°48.460′ N, 117°28.530′ E, 8–10 December 2007, J.H. Lourens ( IRSN) . Paratypes: three females, same data as holotype ( IRSN) ; one male, one female, southwestern Palawan, east of Tarusan Sandobal, Gangob limestone hill forest, 10 m, 08°37.184′ N, 117°28.216′ E, 6 December 2007, J.H. Lourens ( IRSN) ; one male, one female, southwestern Palawan, 5 km east of Port Barton , 110 m, 10°22.581′ N, 119°11.091′ E, 13–14 December 2007, J.H. Lourens ( IRSN) .

Etymology

The specific name is from Latin flavus meaning “gold-coloured” or “yellow” in reference to the colour of the forewing coastal vein.

Measurements of types (three males or five females)

Length of body: male 28.7 (26.7–31.1), female 25.4 (24.5–27.4); length of forewing: male 32.1 (29.6–35.0), female 33.5 (32.0–36.4); width of forewing: male 10.5 (9.9– 11.6), female 11.0 (10.7–11.4); width of head including eyes: male 7.9 (7.5–8.4), female 8.4 (7.8–9.0); width of pronotum: male 9.0 (8.5–10.0), female 9.8 (9.2–10.8); width of mesonotum: male 7.7 (7.1–8.5), female 8.3 (7.7–9.2); wingspan: male 70.8 (65.0–77.7), female 73.7 (70.6–79.1).

Diagnosis

This species is closely allied to Dundubia rufivena Walker, 1850 in having similarly small-sized body, spoon-shaped male operculum and narrow and acutely pointed uncal lobes but distinguished by the differently shaped uncal lobe which is swollen at about the middle and again pointed basal lobe of pygofer. Forewing vein R + Sc mostly yellow or golden.

Description of male ( Figure 11 )

Ratio of body length to head width about 3.65 (3.56–3.70). Head yellowish green. Distance between lateral ocelli and compound eyes wider than distance between two lateral ocelli. Postclypeus much swollen. Antennae ochraceous to brown. Ventral part of head green to yellowish green. Rostrum greenish ochraceous, scarcely fuscous apically; scarcely reaching anterior margin of hind coxae.

Pronotum yellowish green. Anterolateral pronotal collar slightly developed and roundly produced, not dentate. Mesonotum and cruciform elevation yellowish green. Ventral part of thorax light green or yellowish green.

Legs yellowish green except ochraceous tarsi and pretarsal claws. Pretarsal claws with fuscous apical part. Fore-femur with a tiny subapical spine as well as primary and secondary spines.

Wings hyaline. Forewing vein R + Sc mostly yellow or golden. Basal membrane and hindwing jugum mostly whitish yellow or golden.

Operculum ( Figure 12C ) mostly yellowish green with green patches subapically; spoon-shaped, with largest width about twice the smallest width; extending to posterior margin of sternite V, concavely sinuate on each side in about basal one-third, apex rounded. Two opercula apart from each other.

Abdomen long, obconical, much longer than distance from head to cruciform elevation; varied colour: green, brown or fuscous. Posterior margin of tergite 3 slightly wider than anterior margin of mesonotum. Timbal cover yellowish green with a green patch subapically; quarter round with lateral side oblique, but nearly straight. Timbal partly exposed in dorsal view. Ventral part of abdomen varied colour: greenish ochraceous, smoky brown or blackish.

Male genitalia ( Figure 12A,B ): pygofer rounded in ventral view. Uncus bifurcate; uncal lobe narrow but swollen at about middle, with its apex acutely pointed, not curved laterad in ventral view. Upper lobe of pygofer not prominent. Basal lobe of pygofer with apex pointed.

Description of female

Ratio of body length to head width about 3.04 (2.92–3.18). Operculum yellowish green; triangular; slightly passing posterior margin of sternite II. Ventral part of abdomen yellowish green to ochraceous. Abdomen about as long as or slightly shorter than distance from head to cruciform elevation. Abdominal segments 3–7 with a pair of lateral, sometimes indistinct, fuscous spots. Ovipositor sheath

ochraceous; not extending beyond anal styles. Dorsal beak longer than protruding part of ovipositor sheath.

Distribution

Philippines (Palawan).

Figures

Figure 11. Dundubia flava Lee, sp. nov., holotype, male, Palawan, 2007 (IRSN). (A) Dorsal view; (B) ventral view.

Figure 12. Male pygofer and abdomen of Dundubia flava Lee, sp. nov. (A) Male pygofer in ventral view; (B) male pygofer in lateral view; (C) male abdomen in lateroventral view.