Protonesis Spinola 1850b:125

Zahniser, J. N. & Nielson, M. W., 2012, An extraordinary new genus and three new species of Acostemmini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from Madagascar with comments on the morphology and classification of the tribe, Zootaxa 3209 (1), pp. 28-52 : 44-45

Protonesis Spinola 1850b:125 new placement

( Figs. 59–61 )

Type species: Protonesis delegorguei Spinola 1850b:125

Description. Length of holotype, sex unknown 7.1 mm.

General color dark reddish-brown with black markings (Figs 59,60). Face mostly black with some reddishbrown markings including a pair of lateral longitudinal stripes on the frontoclypeus. Crown somewhat lighter in color; with central black spot; with black next to eyes; with thin black transverse stripe anteriorly; carina at anterior margin reddish brown ( Fig 59 ). Pronotum reddish-brown with mottled black coloration. Mesonotum with irregular black maculae anteriorly. Forewing reddish brown; with anterior half of costa and anterior portions of R and M veins darkly colored; R1 and R2+3 broadly and darkly colored; anterior margin of clavus darkly colored. Ventral sclerites black or nearly so. Profemur reddish-brown with black markings. Meso- and metafemur mostly black. Pro- and mesotibia lightly colored.

External morphology as in Caelidioides.

Abdomen of holotype is missing.

Material studied. Holotype. Port Natal.

Remarks. Evans (1947) listed Protonesis “of uncertain position” in Cicadellidae . Linnavuori (1970) placed the genus in Coelidiinae , but it was later removed and left unplaced to subfamily by Nielson (1975).

Protonesis delegorguei is morphologically very similar to Caelidioides tristis (as identified here), but it is larger and its coloration is different, indicating that it is a different species than C. tristis . Because the abdomen of the holotype is missing it is difficult at this time to determine if the two are congeneric. For now, both Protonesis and Caelidioides are recognized as valid monotypic genera pending further study. The locality reported on the label of the type of P. delegorguei is Port Natal (=Durban, South Africa). Except for Acostemma lucida (Schaum) and Dardania granulosa Stål , no specimens of Acostemmini including those genera transferred to the tribe here are known from the African continent. The locality reported on the type label suggests either an expansion of the known range of the Protonesis / Caelidioides group or an incorrect label.

Figures

FIGURES 59–62. 59–61, Protonesis delegorguei Spinola, 59. dorsal habitus; 60, lateral habitus; 61. face. 62, Caelidioides tristis (Signoret), face.