Ayesha spathulata, ( Stål, 1870 ) (Stal, 1870)

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 : 2630

10. Ayesha spathulata, ( Stål, 1870)

( Figure 8 )

Cosmopsaltria (Cosmopsaltria) spathulata Stål, 1870: 709 [TL: Philippines].

Material examined

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 female , Palawan, 3 km north of Nagtabon , dry coastal forest, 220 m, 09°57.015′ N, 118°39.275′ E, 12 December 2007, J.H. Lourens ( IRSN) .

Distribution

Philippines (including Palawan), Malaysia ( Sarawak) and Indonesia (Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Natuna Islands).

Remarks

This species is newly recorded from Palawan. The three species in the genus Ayesha , namely Ayesha serva ( Walker, 1850) , Ayesha spathulata ( Stål, 1870) and Ayesha operculissima (Distant, 1881) , are very closely allied to each other and hard to distinguish by external morphology. Their taxonomic status and possible synonymies will be discussed separately in a future paper.

Figures

Figure 8. Ayesha spathulata, (Stål, 1870), female, Palawan, 2007 (IRSN). (A) Dorsal view; (B) ventral view.