Faltala catalanoae, Zahniser, 2021

Zahniser, James N., 2021, Revision of the New World leafhopper tribe Faltalini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) and the evolution of brachyptery, Zootaxa 4954 (1), pp. 1-160 : 57-58

Faltala catalanoae n. sp.

( Figs. 32 , 38 )

Diagnosis. F. catalanoae can be distinguished from other species of Faltala by the male pygofer with ventral lobe rounded apically and extending very far beyond dorsal half of pygofer, subgenital plate quadrate with lateral margin straight and apex broadly truncate, style apophysis slightly widened before attenuated apex and directed laterally, aedeagal relatively thick and arising dorsally from base of aedeagus, aedeagus branched toward apex and roughly T-shaped in lateral view.

Body. Male, 3.4–3.5 mm. Female, 4.1–4.5 mm.

Color. As in genus description.

Male. Pygofer incised dorsally about 2/3 total length; ventral lobe very long and relatively wide, extending very far beyond dorsal half of pygofer, rounded apically; caudal tooth situated on top of ventral lobe; ventral margin undulate; without macrosetae. Valve triangular; constricted before apex. Subgenital plate quadrate; lateral margin straight; apex truncate; with numerous small setae laterally and apically. Style preapical lobe broadly rounded; apophysis widened near base, attenuated to apex; apex directed laterally. Aedeagus base robust; shaft relatively thick, arising dorsally from base; branched apically; with shaft recurved anterad; with process slightly longer than shaft from point of divergence directed posteroventrally and constricted preapically. Phragma forming a small sclerotized rectangular plate articulating with dorsal rim of aedeagal base, with dorsal and lateral margins concave; with a pair of hemispherical setose bulbs caudodorsad of rectangular plate.

Female. Sternite VII with roundedly pointed lateral lobes; posterior margin excavated about 1/5 length of lateral lobe; excavated margin transverse, relatively straight; cleared specimens revealing pigmented pattern of sternite VIII; uncleared specimens mostly ivory to tawny in color, without distinct dark brown color pattern.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: 1♂, ARGENTINA, Entre Ríos, P.N. El Palmar, Mirador Ao., 15-II-2014, 21 m., 31.89149ºS 58.24071ºW, AR14-27, J.N. Zahniser [ MLPA]. 8♂, 9♀, 4n, same data as holotype [ INHS, MLPA, USNM]. 1♂, URUGUAY, Maldonado Dept., R 109 6km SE Aiguá , 5-II-1989, CW. & L. O’Brien & G. Wibmer [ USNM].

Distribution. F. catalanoae is known from Argentina (Entre Ríos Prov.) and Uruguay (Maldonado Dept.).

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Dra. María Inés Catalano (Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires) who generously facilitated a collecting trip to Argentina in 2014.

Remarks. F. catalanoae was included in a phlyogenomic study of Membracoidea ( Dietrich et al. 2017, as “ Faltala n. sp. ”). Specimens from Argentina (El Palmar) were collected on grasses.

Figures

FIGUIRE 32. Faltala catalanoae n. sp. (A–B, D–H, J) standard views; A1, female; A2 & B, male; A3, nymph.

FIGUIRE 38. Distribution of Faltala.