Thagria maldivensis (Distant) Nielson & Zahniser, 2012

Nielson, M. W. & Zahniser, J. N., 2012, On the unassigned species of the subfamily Coelidiinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Zootaxa 3279 (1), pp. 63-68 : 65

Thagria maldivensis (Distant) , new combination

( Fig. 1 , holotype of Jassus maldivensis Distant )

Jassus maldivensis Distant 1908 g: 328

Coelidia maldivensis (Distant) : Metcalf 1964: 64 [New combination]

Jassus maldivensis Distant : Nielson 1982:5 [species incertae sedis]

Length: female holotype 7.50 mm.; male unknown.

External morphology. General color light fuscous throughout with numerous light testaceous, irregular shaped markings on forewings; crown fuscous; eyes dark fuscous; pronotum fuscous with numerous testaceous bullae on surface; mesonotum fuscous with dark fuscous reticulations ( Fig. 1 ).Head large, narrower than pronotum; crown broad, about as wide as transocular width; eyes large, semiglobular; pronotum large, longer than median length of crown; mesonotum large, longer than pronotum, clypellus short, base narrow, flat, apex flared apically.

Distribution. Oriental region, Maldive Islands

Material examined. [ Type specimen, holotype female] Jassus maldivensis Dist. / Type / Goideus, Maldives, Gardiner, 20.VI.1900 /Distant Coll., 1911-383 .

Remarks. The type specimen was compared with female specimens of several known species in each of five coelidiine genera from southern India and Sri Lanka, regions nearest to the Maldive Island group. The type is most similar to species in the genus Thagria . The general habitus and facial features, in particular, resemble this genus more closely than those in Taharana Nielson , Olidiana , Mahellus Nielson or Calodia Nielson , the only other known genera in the region. The diagnostic features in Thagria include the following: crown more produced, usually shorter and broader, lateral margins slightly more convex toward convergence with base; forewing appendix poorly developed; base of clypellus often inflated, often broader than clypeus at juncture of the clypeal suture, rarely narrower. However, the validity of maldivensis and its relationship to other known thagriiine species is problematical and will not be resolved until male and associated female specimens are found.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Dorsal habitus of type specimens of Coelidiinae. 1, Jassus maldivensis Distant; 2, Jassus atkinsoni Distant; 3, Coelidia perineti Evans; 4, Bythoscopus guttatus Walker; 5, Coelidia disintegrans Walker; 6, Coelidia costalis Walker.