Tryella graminea, Moulds, 2003

Moulds, M. S., 2003, An Appraisal of the Cicadas of the Genus Abricta Stål and Allied Genera (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadidae), Records of the Australian Museum 55, pp. 245-304 : 285-286

Tryella graminea n.sp.

Figs. 24, 57a,b, 87, 92, 93

Types. Holotype 3, K179859, Torrens Creek township , 90 km E of Hughenden, N Queensland, 3.ii.1981, M.S. & B.J. Moulds, AM . Paratypes as follows: NORTHERN TERRITORY—3 33 (one genitalic preparation no. AB31), 3♀♀, Ayers Rock , 3.ii.1984, MBM ; 1♀, Sixteen Mile Creek , N of Alice Springs, 29.i.1984, MBM ; 233, 2♀♀, Burt Ck , 55 km N of Alice Springs, 24.i.1984, MBM ; 533, 1♀, 5 km S of Taylor Ck, 47 km NE of Barrow Creek township , 23.i.1984, MBM ; 13, Tennant Creek township , 22.i.1984, MBM ; 433, 10 km W of Soudan Hsd , 21.i.1984, MBM ; 433, 25 km NW of Avon Downs Hsd , 21.i.1984, MBM ; all in MSM. QUEENSLAND—2 33, K179860 and K179861, 2♀♀, K179862 and K179863, Mt Isa , 20.i.1984, MBM ; all in AM. 233, 2♀♀, Mt Isa , 20.i.1984, MBM ; all in BMNH. 333, 1♀, 85 km SSW of Burketown , 19.xii.1986, MBM ; 1♀, “ Gregory Downs ”, S of Burketown, 6.xii.1982, A. Walford-Huggins ; 533 (one genitalic preparation no. AB11), Delta Downs Stn. , E of Karumba, 16.xii.1987, MBM ; 433 (one genitalic preparation no. AB106), 3♀♀, vicinity Lawn Hill Creek , Lawn Hill NP, 31.x.1996, K.A. Kopestonsky ; 833 (one genitalic preparation no. AB32), 4♀♀, nr Thorntonia Hsd , 120 km ENE of Camooweal, 21.xii.1986, MBM ; 233, 80 km NW of Mt Isa , 20.i.1984, MBM ; 2633 (one genitalic preparation no. AB30), 18♀♀, Mt Isa , 20.i.1984, MBM ; 5433, 31♀♀, Selwyn mine, 160 km SE of Mt Isa, 1,6,7,16,17,23. ii.1995, 13.iii.1995, T . Woodger ; 933 (one genitalic preparation no. AB33), Malbon, 50 km SSW of Cloncurry, 14.iii.1991, T . Woodger ; 13, 45 km E of Cloncurry, 5.i.1987, MBM ; 533, 2♀♀, 50 km E of Cloncurry , 19.i.1984, MBM ; 13, 10 km W of Torrens Creek township, E of Hughenden , 7.i.1987, MBM ; 4933 (one genitalic preparation no. AB29), 15♀♀, Torrens Creek township , 90 km E of Hughenden, 3.ii.1981, 18.i.1984, MBM ; 1433, 1♀, Noonbah Hsd , SW of Longreach, 24°07'S 143°11'E, 25,26. i.1998, 4,9. ii.1998, A. Emmott ; 1233, 4♀♀, Alpha , 10.ii.1981, MBM ; 13, Warrego River , 15 km NNE of Charleville, ii.1994, C. Dollery; all in MSM . 233, 2♀♀, Mt Isa , 20.i.1984, MBM ; all in QM.

Other material examined. SOUTH AUSTRALIA —1 3, Oodnadatta [no other data] ( SAM).

Etymology. From the Latin graminis meaning grass and referring to the habitat of the species.

Description

Male ( Figs. 24, 57a, 92, 93). Head. Black; postclypeus ferruginous, often black or tending so around perimeter; anteclypeus black, often with an indistinct light brown patch centrally on midline not visible to naked eye. Rostrum brown basally becoming black apically, reaching bases of hind coxae. Antennae black. Without obvious pubescence above but nearly always bearing considerable silver pubescence below that sometimes extends onto anteclypeus and margins of postclypeus. Thorax. Pronotum ochraceous with extreme lateral margin capped brown; a broad ferruginous to black fascia on dorsal midline, this fascia spreading laterally both at its anterior end against pronotal margin as far as eyes, and at its posterior end against pronotal collar; pronotal collar either black or ferruginous or a mixture of both. Mesonotum pale to very dark ferruginous sometimes with a large blackish area anterior of cruciform elevation and a blackish fascia above wing groove; cruciform elevation often tending yellowish brown rather than ferruginous. Thorax above usually lacking pubescence but nearly always covered by silver pubescence below. Wings. Hyaline. Fore wings always with a zigzag infuscation following basal veins of apical cells 2 and 3 and usually extending to 4; an indistinct infuscation also often present near wing apex at end of vein R1b; venation brown, costa pale muddy yellow or orange brown; basal membrane similar in colour to costa although usually brighter; basal cell faintly tinged amber or sometimes nearly hyaline; costa and veins lacking pubescence visible to naked eye. Hind wing usually with a small infuscation at distal end of vein 2A that sometimes extends part way along its length but some specimens entirely lacking infuscation; venation brown; plaga off-white and usually hidden by a weak amber suffusion on basal half or so of anal lobe. Legs. Medium to light brown; without markings. Opercula. Muddy pale yellow often partly suffused with black; usually covered by fine silver pubescence not obvious to naked eye; clearly separated exposing apex of sternite I and barely concealing tympanal cavities. Abdomen. Tergites brown; some individuals with anterior half of tergite 2 partly or entirely black, dorsal anterior half or more of tergites 3–8 black and 8 also sometimes black along posterior margin. Sternites brown, usually with a diffused dark brown midline. Abdomen above and below without obvious pubescence. Tymbals ( Fig. 24). Usually 10 long tymbal ribs, otherwise as for generic description. Genitalia ( Figs. 92, 93). Pygofer brown; upper pygofer lobes in lateral view broad, upper margin sometimes distinctly curved outwards in central region, distal end upturned with a broad pointed apex, in ventral view angled slightly inwards before midpoint; basal lobes with a broad webbing fusing outer and inner lobes, in lateral view outer lobe just a short fingerlike projection beyond webbing. Uncal lobes scoop-like and gently upturned at their distal ends; lateral processes of uncus in lateral view nearly equal in length to upper pygofer lobes, usually a little constricted near base and angled slightly upwards beyond constriction, apex broadly rounded. Conjunctival claws simple, sharply pointed, directed laterally. Flabellum a large rounded lobe across entire ventral surface. Palearis low and rounded, near distal end of theca.

Female ( Fig. 57b). Colour and markings similar to male. Abdominal segment 9 medium brown, often with dorsal beak dark brown and sometimes with dark brown patches mainly dorsally. Ovipositor sheath black and clearly extending beyond dorsal beak.

Measurements. n = 1033, 10♀♀ (includes smallest and largest of available specimens). Length of body: male 15.5– 19.0 (17.1); female 15.7–18.4 (17.5). Length of fore wing: male 19.1–21.9 (20.3); female 19.4–23.1 (21.1). Width of head: male 5.2–5.7 (5.4); female 5.2–5.7 (5.5). Width of pronotum: male 5.8–6.5 (6.2); female 5.8–6.9 (6.4).

Distinguishing features. A reasonably distinctive species that always has an obvious zigzag infuscation on the fore wing, a pale pronotum that contrasts markedly with a much darker mesonotum and darkened pronotal midline. The fore wings are broader and shorter than most other Tryella species with a fore wing length to hind wing length ratio clearly less than 2:1 (approximately 1.7:1).

Within the geographic range of graminea the most similar species are T. ochra and T. castanea and some individuals of T. willsi . Both ochra and castanea rarely have bold zigzag infuscations on the fore wings and, unlike graminea , ochra has a fore wing/hind wing length ratio approaching 2:1 and castanea entirely lacks amber suffusion on the hind wing anal lobe. Those individuals of T. willsi with dark reddish brown on the thorax above instead of the usual black, differ from graminea in having a fore wing/hind wing ration at least 1.8:1.

Tryella graminea is the only Tryella species with distinct colour morphs (fore wing costa and fore wing basal membrane either orange or pale yellow).

Distribution ( Fig. 87). CentralAustralia south from Tennant Creek in Northern Territory to Oodnadatta in South Australia and west to Ayers Rock, and north-west and central Queensland from the Gulf of Carpentaria to Charleville. Adults emerge after heavy summer rains and are often locally common. There are records from late October to mid March.

Habitat. Native and introduced grasses, where adults tend to form local populations. Long, partly dead grass appears to be favoured.