Aphalara ritteri, Burckhardt & Cort & Queiroz, 2020

Burckhardt, Daniel, Cort, Giulia Dalle & Queiroz, Dalva Luiz de, 2020, Jumping plant lice of the genus Aphalara (Hemiptera, Psylloidea, Aphalaridae) in the Neotropics, ZooKeys 980, pp. 119-140 : 119

Aphalara ritteri sp. nov. Figures 1 , 2A-C , 3E-H , 4B, D , 5E-H, M, N , 6E-H , 7E, F, K , 8B, C, F, I

Type locality.

Brazil, Paraná state, Curitiba municipality, Tingui Park, -25.3887/3953, -49.3061/3062, 910-920 m a.s.l.

Type material.

Holotype: Brazil • ♂; PR, Curitiba, Parque Tingui, -25.3887/3953, -49.3061/3062; 910-920 m a.s.l.; 31 Jan. 2016; D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz leg.; Persicaria hydropiperoides , #189(12), planted park vegetation and remnants of Araucaria forest edge; UFPR, dry mounted. Paratypes: Brazil • 1 ♀; PR, Cerro Azul, BR-476, km 69; -25.0685, -49.0877; 1080 m a.s.l.; 18-19 Apr. 2013; D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz leg.; #106(-), Atlantic forest; NMB-PSYLL0006671; NMHB, in 70% ethanol • 10 ♂, 5 ♀; PR, Curitiba, Parque Atuba; -25.3816, -49.2033; 890 m a.s.l.; 12 Feb. 2013; D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz leg.; Persicaria hydropiperoides , #92(5), planted park vegetation, river bank and remnants of Atlantic forest; NMB-PSYLL0006666; NHMB, in 70% ethanol • 5 ♂, 4 ♀, 6 immatures; PR, Curitiba, Parque Barigui; -25.4269, -49.3134; 910 m a.s.l.; 4 Dec. 2012; D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz leg.; Persicaria hydropiperoides , #85(11), planted park vegetation and edge of remnants of Araucaria forest; NMB-PSYLL0006667, NMB-PSYLL0006679, NMB-PSYLL0006680; NHMB, slide mounted, in 70% ethanol • 5 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 immature; PR, Curitiba, Parque São Lourenço; -25.3816, -49.2650; 930 m a.s.l.; 5 Dec. 2012; D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz leg.; Persicaria hydropiperoides , #86(4), planted park vegetation; NMB-PSYLL0006668; NHMB, in 70% ethanol • 2 ♀; PR, Curitiba, Parque Tanguá; -25.3816, -49.2850; 930 m a.s.l.; 6 Feb. 2013; D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz leg.; Persicaria hydropiperoides , #90(12), old mine redone as park with seminatural biotopes, mixed Atlantic and Araucaria forest; NMB-PSYLL0006670; NHMB, in 70% ethanol • 3 ♂, 1 ♀; PR, Curitiba, Parque Tingui; -25.3950, -49.3050; 870 m a.s.l.; 10 Dec. 2012; D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz leg.; Persicaria hydropiperoides , #88(7), planted park vegetation and edge of remnants of Araucaria forest; NMB-PSYLL0006669; NHMB, in 70% ethanol • 17 ♂, 19 ♀; same data as holotype; NMB-PSYLL0004614, NMB-PSYLL0006661 to NMB-PSYLL0006665, NMB-PSYLL0006695, NMB-PSYLL0006696; NHMB, UFPR, dry and slide mounted, in 70% ethanol • 3 ♂, 1 ♀, 5 immatures, 5 skins; PR, Curitiba, Parque Tingui; -25.3950, -49.305; 870 m a.s.l.; 13 Jul. 2020; D.L. Queiroz leg.; Persicaria hydropiperoides ; NHMB; in 70% ethanol • 11 ♂, 8 ♀, 2 immatures; PR, Tunas do Paraná, Parque Campinhos; -25.0376/0424, -49.0899/1003; 870 m a.s.l.; 8 May 2014; D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz leg.; Persicaria hydropiperoides , #137(2), edges of transitional Araucaria /Atlantic forest, park; NMB-PSYLL0006673 to NMB-PSYLL0006678; NHMB, dry and slide mounted, 70% in ethanol • 7 ♂, 14 ♀, 18 immatures, 1 skin; RS, Cambará do Sul, Parque Nacional de Aparados da Serra, Macieira; -28.1233, -50.1333; 980 m a.s.l.; 24-27 Jan. 2016; D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz leg.; Persicaria punctata , #186(15), edge of Araucaria and Atlantic forests, Baccharis scrub, swamp; NMB-PSYLL0006688 to NMB-PSYLL0006691; NHMB, slide mounted, in 70% ethanol • 1 immature; RS, Passo Fundo, Área da Brigada Militar; -28.2396, -52.3403; 720 m a.s.l.; 26 Jun. 2013; D.L. Queiroz leg.; #515, degraded vegetation; NMB-PSYLL0006697; NHMB, slide mounted • 12 ♂, 14 ♀, 6 immatures, 30 skins; SC, Urubici, Parque Nacional de São Joaquim, 2-3 km from Vacas Gordas to Santa Barbara; -28.1317, -49.6533; 1280 m a.s.l.; 20 Jan. 2016; D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz leg.; Persicaria hydropiperoides , #188(3), scrub along road, riverine vegetation; NMB-PSYLL0006682 to NMB-PSYLL0006687, NMB-PSYLL0006759, NMB-PSYLL0006672; NHMB, dry and slide mounted, in 70% ethanol.

Diagnosis.

Adults. General body colour dark brown to almost black in males, brown to dark brown in females. Forewing with clavus dark brown or almost black, contrasting from surroundings. Head with small anteorbital tubercles; anterior tubercles small, rounded; outer anterior margin weakly concave. Clypeus long, tubular, visible in dorsal view. Forewing 2.6-2.9 × as long as wide; surface spinules relatively fine, in males leaving narrow or wide spinule-free stripes along the veins, arranged in squares or rhombi, in females leaving narrow or no spinule-free stripes along the veins, arranged in squares or rhombi. Paramere, in profile, lamellar with medium-sized, claw-like antero-subapical inner process, which is shallowly incised, postero-apical edge medium-sized. Distal portion of aedeagus with curved shaft. Female proctiger strongly incised in the middle forming a hardly curved apical process; circumanal ring expanded into a large, apron-shaped, transverse, laterally rounded area distally. Subgenital plate with apex slightly indented, in ventral view. Valvula dorsalis distinctly curved dorsally. Fifth instar immatures. Body 1.5-1.6 × as long as wide. Antenna 0.4 × as long as forewing pad. Outer circumanal ring angular laterally, relatively weakly convex postero-laterally.

Description.

Adults (Figs 1A-C ; 3E-H ). Colour. General body colour dark brown to almost black in males, brown to dark brown in females. Vertex ochreous with slightly oblique dark band on either half of vertex. Clypeus dirty yellowish. Antennal segments 1 and 2 brown, 3-8 yellow, strongly contrasting from dark brown segments 9 and 10. Pronotum with three ochreous dots on either half. Mesopraescutum with yellow posterior margin and a narrow lighter longitudinal stripe in posterior half; mesoscutum with three narrow longitudinal yellow stripes on either side. Femora brown, tibiae and tarsi yellow. Forewing transparent, membrane often yellow or fumate, veins light to dark brown; stripe along vein Cu1b and clavus dark brown or almost black, contrasting from surroundings. Young specimens lighter, sometimes orange or light brown.

Structure. Head (Fig. 4B ), in dorsal view, slightly wider than pronotum, slightly narrower than mesoscutum. Vertex subtrapezoidal with indented foveal pits; anteorbital tubercles small; anterior tubercles small, rounded; outer anterior margin weakly concave; lacking macroscopic setae on vertex. Preocular sclerite small. Lateral tubercle on ventral head surface small, flattened, indented basally (Fig. 4D ). Clypeus tubular, apex visible from above, usually widest apically and slightly constricted subapically. Antenna 1.2-1.5 × as long as head width, relative length of flagellar segments from base to apex as 1.0: 0.6: 0.6: 0.5: 0.5: 0.5: 0.4: 0.4; relative length of segment 10 and terminal setae as 1.0: 0.9: 1.0. Metatibia 0.7-0.8 × as long as head width, with an open crown of 9-11 strongly sclerotised apical spurs. Forewing (Fig. 5E-H ) oblong oval, 3.5-4.3 × as long as head width, 2.6-2.9 × as long as wide; cell cu1 low, vein Cu1a evenly curved. Surface spinules exhibiting sexual dimorphism, more spaced in males, denser in females; relatively fine, present in all cells; in males leaving narrow or wide spinule-free stripes along the veins, arranged in squares or rhombi (Fig. 5M ); in females leaving narrow or no spinule-free stripes along the veins, arranged in squares or rhombi (Fig. 5N ). Costal margin of hindwing with 1-3 setae proximal to costal break and 6-11 ungrouped or indistinctly grouped setae distal to costal break.

Terminalia. Male proctiger 0.3 × as long as head width, posterior lobes relatively short and wide, less than twice as long proctiger. Paramere, in profile, lamellar with medium-sized, claw-like antero-subapical inner process, which is shallowly incised, postero-apical edge medium-sized, inner face with a few scattered setae (Fig. 6E, F ). Distal portion of aedeagus with curved shaft, semi-circular apical inflation with a small hook directed antero-ventrad (Fig. 6G, H ). Female terminalia (Fig. 7E ) relatively short; proctiger 0.6-0.7 × as long as head width, strongly incised in the middle forming a hardly curved apical process; circumanal ring expanded into a large, apron-shaped, transverse, laterally rounded area distally (Fig. 7K ). Subgenital plate 0.6 × as long as proctiger, in profile, cuneate; apex slightly indented, in ventral view (Fig. 8B ). Valvula dorsalis distinctly curved dorsally (Fig. 7F ).

Measurements (5 ♂, 5 ♀, in mm). Head width 0.50-0.58; antenna length 0.68-0.74; forewing length 1.82-2.40; male proctiger length 0.14-0.16; paramere length 0.16-0.18; length of distal portion of aedeagus 0.14-0.18; female proctiger length 0.36-0.44.

Fifth instars immature (Figs 1D , 8F ). Colour. General body colour, when alive, with yellowish to brown sclerites and yellow membranes; in ethanol straw-coloured to light brown, membranes yellow, dorsally slightly darker than ventrally.

Structure. Body 1.5-1.6 × as long as wide. Head, antennae and legs with slender lanceolate setae. Antenna 0.4 × as long as forewing pad. Tarsal arolium slightly longer than claws, rounded, without unguitractor and pedicel (Fig. 8C ). Forewing pads large with marginal lanceolate setae of irregular length; humeral lobe well developed. Caudal plate irregularly rounded posteriorly, dorsally with sparse microscopic setae, margin with lanceolate setae. Outer circumanal ring angular laterally, relatively weakly convex postero-laterally, consisting of two unequal rows of pores (Fig. 8I ).

Measurements (8 immatures, in mm). Body length 1.60-1.88; antenna length 0.30-0.36; forewing pad length 0.72-0.86; caudal plate length 0.48-0.58.

Eggs (Fig. 1F, G ). Yellow or light orange. Oblong oval, 2.5 × as long as wide; with short apical filament.

Etymology.

Named after Markus Ritter, Basel, Switzerland, in recognition of his support of the project on Brazilian psyllids as a president of the Pro Entomologia. A noun in the genitive case.

Distribution.

Brazil ( Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina).

Host plants, biology and habitats.

Persicaria hydropiperoides (Michx.) Small, P. maculosa Gray, P. punctata (Elliott) Small ( Polygonaceae ). The immatures induce leaf roll galls in which they live, usually one immature per gall. The galls are uniformly green or rarely reddish (Fig. 2A-C ). Sometimes aphids (Fig. 1E ), soft scales and thrips are found in the galls which may be there accidentally or for the nutritionally favourable conditions the galls offer. Eggs are laid on the margin of the leaf rolls. Adults, often together with immatures, were collected from December to February and April to July. It is currently not possible to decide whether this reflects the presence of well-defined generations or an artefact of insufficient collection. Recorded in humid areas in parks, riverine vegetation and Atlantic forest.

Affinities.

See under Aphalara ortegae sp. nov.

Figures

Figure 1. Aphalara ritteri sp. nov. A male B female C female on a gall D fifth instar immature with secretions (arrow) E skin in opened gall and aphid F, G egg on a gall.

Figure 2. Persicaria hydropiperoides (Michx.) Small A, C plants with galls by Aphalara ritteri sp. nov. B examples of galled and ungalled leaves D plant with flowers E plant growing along pond F artificial habitat in Parque Tingui, Curitiba, PR, Brazil with clusters of P. hydropiperoides (arrow).

Figure 3. Habitus of Aphalara spp. A-D Aphalara ortegae sp. nov. E-H Aphalara ritteri sp. nov. A, C, E, G male B, D, F, H female A, B, E, F lateral view C, D, G, H dorsal view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 4. Head of Aphalara spp. A, C Aphalara ortegae sp. nov. B, D Aphalara ritteri sp. nov. A, B dorsal view C, D ventral view. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

Figure 5. Forewing of Aphalara spp. A-D, I, J Aphalara ortegae sp. nov. E-H, M, N Aphalara ritteri sp. nov. K, L Aphalara persicaria Caldwell A, B, E, F, I, K, M male C, D, G, H, J, L, N female A, C, E, G venation B, D, F, H surface spinules I-N details of surface spinules. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A-H); 0.2 mm (I-N).

Figure 6. Male terminalia of Aphalara spp. A-D Aphalara ortegae sp. nov. E-H Aphalara ritteri sp. nov. I, J Aphalara persicaria Caldwell K, L Aphalara simila Caldwell A, B, E, F, I, K inner face of paramere, in profile; arrows point to apico-posterior lobe / angle C, D, G, H, J, L distal portion of aedeagus, in profile. Scale bar: 0.05 mm.

Figure 7. Female terminalia of Aphalara spp. A, B, I Aphalara ortegae sp. nov. C, D, J Aphalara persicaria Caldwell E, F, K Aphalara ritteri sp. nov. G, H, L Aphalara simila Caldwell A, C, E, G female terminalia, in profile B, D, F, H valvulae dorsales and ventrales, in profile I-L circumanal ring, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A, C, E, G, I-L); 0.05 mm (B, D, F, H).

Figure 8. Aphalara spp. A, D, G Aphalara ortegae sp. nov. B, C, F, I Aphalara ritteri sp. nov. E, H Aphalara persicaria Caldwell A, B female subgenital plate, in ventral view; arrow points to apex C tarsus with arolium and claws of immature D-F fifth instar immature, left body side G-I circumanal ring of fifth instar immature; arrows point to antero-lateral edge and postero-lateral margin. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A, B); 0.02 mm (C); 0.2 mm (D-F); 0.1 mm (G-I).