Xyphon flaviceps (Riley, 1880)

Catanach, Therese A., Dietrich, Chris H. & Woolley, James B., 2013, A revision of the New World sharpshooter genus Xyphon Hamilton (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae), Zootaxa 3741 (4), pp. 490-510 : 497-498

Xyphon flaviceps (Riley, 1880)

( Figs 3 A, 4A)

Diedrocephala flaviceps Riley, 1880

Tettigonia flaviceps (Riley, 1880) : Johnson & Fox (1892) Carneocephala flaviceps (Riley, 1880) : Nottingham (1932) Xyphon flaviceps (Riley, 1880) : Hamilton (1985)

Diagnosis. This relatively large species (female 5.0– 6.3 mm; male 4.5–5.0 mm resembles X. fulgidum in having the forewing venation densely reticulate, but differs in having larger ocelli which are separated by a distance of less than 7 times the ocellar width and located on the head less than 2 times the ocellar width from the edge of the crown.

Head. Clypellus-frontoclypeus junction in lateral view evenly convex (57%) or distinctly angular (43%). Frontoclypeus mottled yellow and tan. Crown rounded (96%) or angular (4%); white band usually present but broken by face color (65%), less commonly absent (22%) or complete (13%); dark markings absent; orange pigment present; in lateral view concave (17%) or flat (83%). Distance from ocelli to lateral margin of crown no more than 2 times ocellar width; distance between ocelli no more than 7.5 times ocellar width.

Thorax. Pronotum lacking dark green to brown circular markings at anterior margin; circular indentations absent; midline concolorous with lateral parts (83%) or white (17%). Color of mesonotum green. Visible part of mesonotum unmarked. Proepisternum with posterior edge regular.

Forewings. Mostly green (78%) or gray (22%); anal veins green (96%) or pale blue (4%). Apex with many crossveins.

Legs. Hind femur macrosetal formula 2+1 (96%) or 2+1+1 (4%). Plantar surface of hind tarsosome with paleate setae variable, most commonly 1–3 (65%) or less commonly 4–5 (17%) or absent (9%).

Abdomen. Sterna of male mostly yellow.

Male genitalia. Pygofer with basolateral setae scattered. Subgenital plate with small and scattered macrosetae. Aedeagal shaft in ventral view ovoid, broad (83%) or narrow (17%); in lateral view with dorsal process acute and compressed (8%) or not (92%); dorsal process wider than tall (92%) rarely taller than wide (8%); ventral flange not distinct. Paraphyses in dorsal view forming oval (42%) or circle (58%). Style with single seta.

Material examined. We coded 14 males and 9 females. Approximately 1,000 additional specimens were examined.

Host plants. Collected from cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum ), cucumber ( Cucumis sativus ), alfalfa ( Medicago sp.), beebalm ( Monarda sp.), prickly Russian thistle ( Salsola tragus ), miscellaneous flowers, weeds, and pasture.

Distribution. Eastern and central United States from Gulf Coast to Wisconsin and Atlantic coast to New Mexico. Also found in Mexico.

Primary type. Two cotypes located in the USNM were examined. One of these specimens is here designated as the lectotype. The lectotype, a male in good condition, appears to have been removed from a series of X. flaviceps all mounted on single pin. It was chosen as the lectotype because it is in good condition and is the only specimen from the series that is individually mounted. Verbatim label data: “Feb, 9/76 / Texas// injuring wheat + oats / Texas Jan 1 76 ”. The lectotype is here designated to fix the identity of the species based on the best preserved male specimen in the original type series.

Other notes. This species was at one time incorrectly synonymized by Ball with X. reticulatum , so it is common to see determination labels reflecting this.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Xyphon species, lateral views. A, X. flaviceps; B, X. fulgidum; C, X. gillettei; D, X. nudum; E, X. reticulatum; F, X. triguttatum; G, X. spadice sp. nov.