Scaris tristis, (Signoret)

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 : 40-44

Caelidioides tristis (Signoret) *

( Figs. 41–58 , 62 )

= Caelidioides carinatum Signoret 1880 b: 206

*specimens examined here are tentatively identified as C. tristis , see discussion below.

Description. Length of male 5.4–5.9mm, female 6.1mm.

General color (Figs. 41,42) black to dark brown with yellowish or ochraceous highlights, some specimens more heavily pigmented than others. Crown anteriorly with pair of yellowish/ochraceous spots, sometimes continuing to posterior part of crown. Face mostly black. Frontoclypeus laterally with longitudinal yellowish/ochraceous strips. Sometimes with spots of lighter coloration dorsolaterad and ventrad of lorae or medially on clypellus. Mesonotum and scutellum mostly black, posterior margin ochraceous, posteriorly with median longitudinal ochraceous line, sometimes lighter coloration more extensive. Forewings hyaline; veins mostly black; veins lighter in some areas; iridescent; dark coloration around veins R1 and R2+3, at the wing apex, and along commissural margin near clavus apex. Sternum black. Pro-, meso-, and metafemora and metatibia black; pro- and mesotibiae yellowish.

Head. Head narrower than pronotum; eyes lying dorsad of lateral carinae of pronotum (Figs. 41,42,53). Crown narrow, width less than width of eye; texture rugose medially to glabrous laterally and anteriorly; with median longitudinal carina; with transverse ridge posteriad of anterior carina ( Fig. 41 ). Anterior margin of head with single distinct carina between ocelli. Frontoclypeus texture coarsely striate to glabrous below anterior carina, transitioning to shagreen below epistomal suture; with median longitudinal carina for most of length (Figs. 55,62). Clypellus strongly expanding apically; not surpassing normal curve of gena; apex gently insinuated; with longitudinal median carina (Figs. 55,62). Lorae wider than clypellus at base; ventral margins very distant from genal margin (Figs. 55,62). Antennal ledges distinctly carinate ( Fig. 62 ). Antennal pits near lower corners of eyes (Figs. 55,62). Genae with fine erect seta laterad of laterofrontal suture; slightly insinuate laterally below eyes (Figs. 55,62).

Thorax. Pronotum produced anteriorly; texture transversely striate, with small tubercles (Figs. 41,53). Mesonotum texture glabrous to very finely shagreen.

Wings. Forewings tectiform; apices not overlapping; appendix very small; inner anteapical cell closed; with crossvein between A1 and claval suture; with A1-A2 crossvein (Figs. 41,42,57). Hind wing venation of typical deltocephaline type; with 4 apical cells; r4+5 - m1+2 crossvein oblique; m3+4 - cuA crossvein perpendicular.

Legs. Profemur row AV with short stout setae occupying ~3/4 length from base; AV1 long, distinct; intercalary row with ~6 fine setae in one row distally, proximally with 5–6 longer thicker setae more widely spaced; row AM with AM1 and with 3–4 additional proximal setae. Protibia dorsal surface rounded; row AD with apical seta; row PD with numerous (~10) setae. Mesotrochanter with stout apical AV and PV setae. Mesofemur row AV with numerous short stout setae. Metafemur apical setae 2+2+1. Metatibia row PD setae not alternating strongly in length; row AD macrosetae with smaller intercalary setae; row AV setae reaching base of tibia; pecten setae darkly colored, strong, of even length. Metatarsomere I plantar surface with two rows of very small stout setae; pecten with 5 platellae.

Female. Pygofer with one pair of macrosetae subapically. Ovipositor protruding beyond pygofer apex. First valvifers lightly fused anteriorly. First valvula convex ( Fig. 50 ); dorsal sculpturing pattern concatenate ( Fig. 49 ). Second valvula teeth large, triangular, serrated; extending ~3/4 length of valvula (Figs. 51,52). Third valvula with few macrosetae near apex.

Male. Pygofer sclerotized dorsally to nearly midlength; nearly straight ventrally; apex digitate; without macrosetae except apex of each side with one thick distinct seta (Figs. 46,47). Valve fused to subgenital plates, but line of inflection still evident; produced medially; with broad notch on each side ( Fig. 48 ). Subgenital plates fused basally, separated for apical 2/3; without macrosetae; somewhat broad, gradually rounded laterally to point meeting mesial margin ( Fig. 48 ). Connective stout; cross-shaped; anterior arms widely divergent, broad; with blunt anteromedial lobe; stem not particularly long, apex expanded ( Fig 45 ). Style linear; basal part long; preapical lobe bluntly pointed with dorsolateral flange; apophysis incrassate, diamond-shaped in broad view, denticulate apically ( Fig. 45 ). Aedeagus with base anteriorly-posteriorly compressed, with lateral lobes in caudal view; shaft arising ventrally from stalked base, laterally compressed, bladelike, with ventroapical spine, dorsal side of shaft membranous and exposing gonoduct, gonopore apical; with pair of broad claw-like process arising from dorsal part of base (Figs. 43,44). Segment X very broad; sclerotized dorsally; partly sclerotized laterally; lightly sclerotized ventroapically (Figs. 46,47).

Material examined. 5 specimens deposited at CAS , 4 at INHS. 1 ♂: MADAGASCAR: Province Fianarantsoa, Miandritsara Forest, 40 km S Ambositra, 20°47.56’S 47°10.54’E, 27 December 2005, California Acad of Sciences , collector: Rin'ha Harin’Hala, malaise trap, in low altitude rainforest, elev 825m, MA-29-39 . 1 ♂: MADAGASCAR: Province Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana , radio tower at forest edge, elev 1130 m, 8– 15 November 2001, 21°15.05’ S 47° 24.43’E, collector: R . Harin’Hala California Acad of Sciences , malaise, mixed tropical forest, MA-02-09B-02 . 1 ♂: same locality as previous, 10–14 January 2002, MA-02-09B-11. 1 f#: same locality as previous, 12–19 March 2002, MA-02-09B-20 . 1 ♂: same locality as previous, 11–21 January 2004, MA-02-09B-84 . 2 ♂: MADAGASCAR: Province Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana, Belle Vue at Talatakely , elev 1020 m, 28 Nov–6 Dec 2001, 21°15.99’ S 47°25.21’E, collector: R . Harin’Hala, California Acad of Sciences , malaise, secondary tropical forest, MA-02-09C-05. Genomic DNA was extract from one of these specimens and it is completely cleared, stored in glycerine, and bears a DNA Voucher label with the number DEL 133 . 1 ♂: same locality as previous, 12–19 February 2002, MA-02-09C-16 . 1 ♂: same locality as previous, 19–26 February 2002, MA-02-09C-17 .

Remarks. Attempts to locate the type specimens of C. tristis (Signoret) were unsuccessful. Signoret (1880) included figures of the head and thorax, face, forewing, and external views of the male abdomen ( Figs. 53–58 ), and Evans (1954) provided figures of the head and thorax. The specimens in hand are consistent with these figures, and especially convincing is the coloration of the forewing with dark shadows on veins R1 and R2+3, at the wing apex, and along the commissural margin near the apex of the clavus and the shape of the male pygofer (Figs. 46,58). Also, this is by far the most common member of this genus group in the recent samples from Madagascar. Nine specimens were found compared to only 1 each of Acostemella rubra, Alocoelidia fulva , A. maurae , A. chasei , and Iturnoria insulana . The common occurrence of this species might suggest that it is more likely to have been discovered by previous workers. Nevertheless, Signoret’s (1880) figure of the subgenital plates ( Fig. 56 ) suggests that the plates are separated for their entire length, differing from the specimens examined for this study; thus our identification must be considered tentative until the type material can be located.

Some variation in the male genitalia was observed among specimens. In some, the ventral process at the apex of the aedeagus is smaller and the style apophysis slightly less incrassate.

Figures

FIGURES 41–52. Caelidioides tristis (Signoret) (tentative identification). 41–48: male; 49–52: female. 41. dorsal habitus; 42. lateral habitus; 43. aedeagus, caudally; 44. aedeagus, laterally; 45. connective and style, ventrally; 46. pygofer, laterally; 47. pygofer, dorsally; 48. valve and subgenital plates, ventrally; 49. detail of 1st valvula dorsal sculpturing; 50. 1st valvula; 51. detail of 2nd valvula teeth; 52. second valvula.

FIGURES 53–58. Caelidioides tristis (Signoret), figures from Signoret (1880). 53. head and pronotum, dorsal view; 54. head, lateral view; 55. face; 56. male abdomen, ventral view; 57. forewing; 58. male abdomen, lateral view.

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