Drabescus stramineus Distant, 1908

Viraktamath, C. A., Webb, M. D. & Yeshwanth, H. M., 2022, Review of the leafhopper genus Drabescus Stål (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) in the Indian subcontinent with description of one new species, Zootaxa 5128 (2), pp. 225-247 : 246

Drabescus stramineus Distant

Figs. 4A–E .

Drabescus stramineus Distant 1908: 306–307 , fig, 196; Zhang & Webb 1996: 25, pl. 1, fig. 2.

Female pregenital segment. Posterior margin of sternite VII conically produced medially, with median very narrow lightly sclerotized area in distal half, in basal region grooved, median projection slightly shorter than length of sternite preceding it; median area dark brown widening posteriorly, lateral angles slightly posteriorly produced ( Fig. 4D ).

Measurements. Female 9.6 mm long, 3.5 mm wide across eyes and 3.2 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum.

Material examined. LECTOTYPE ♀, INDIA: “Nilgiri (Hampson)” “Distant Coll. 1911-383” ( BMNH).

Remarks. This species, known only from the female, was described from an unspecified number of specimens (syntype (s)) with the following data: “Nilgiri Hills (Hampson)”. The extant type was examined and figured by Zhang & Webb (1996, plate 1, fig. 2) and designated as lectotype. The species has been adequately described by Distant (1908) except for the female pregenital segment (described above). It can be readily recognised by the colour pattern on the pronotum (see genus Remarks) and by the yellow patch on the sides of the abdomen, seen through the forewings ( Figs 4 AB). Similar coloured undetermined specimens of different species have been seen from the Pacific (BMNH). It is similar in appearance to D. limbaticeps but differs in having a slightly medially longer crown and differently shaped posterior margin of the female sternite VII.

Figures

FIGURES 4 A–G. Species of Drabescus from Indian subcontinent. D. stramineus Distant, lectotype female: A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, face and thoracic sternites, ventral view; D, abdomen ventral view; E, data labels; F. Drabescus sp., nymph; G. D. limbaticephs (Stål), adult in natural habitat.