Solonaima monteithia, Erbe, Petra & Hoch, Hannelore, 2004

Erbe, Petra & Hoch, Hannelore, 2004, Two new species of the Australian planthopper genus Solonaima Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae), Zootaxa 536, pp. 1-7 : 4-7

Solonaima monteithia n. sp.

(Figs 5, 13–18)

Type material. Holotype – male (head missing), Lamington Nationalpark, Queensland, 28. Jan.– 3. Feb., G. Monteith, U.Q.I.C. Female unknown.

Description. Generally dark brown. Tegmen translucent, with conspicuous dark brown markings along distal and proximal crossveins and inner apical cell, pterostigma distinct. Total length is not measurable since in the only known specimen of the species the head is missing. Body length (anterior margin of pronotum to tip of abdomen: 3.6 mm).

Thorax. Mesonotum in midline about 6.3 times the length of pronotum. Hind legs missing. Tegmen about 2.6 times as long as wide. Longitudinal veins inconspiciously papillate.

Male genitalia. Genital segment in lateral aspect relatively broad with all margins rounded. Anal segment nearly ovate, hood­like and slender. Parameres comparatively broad at base, apically dilated, dorsal tip acute and directed cephalad. Basal part of aedeagus ventrally with two prominent terete spines arising from a common basis, directed basad. Basal part of aedeagus with dorsal portion differentiated into a subapical fold and a bulbous protrusion basad of it, both forming a groove for a long, slender, terete spine, which arises subapically on the right side of the aedeagal basis, in repose passing through the groove to the left side. Distal part of the aedeagus with a long, massive spine, arising at midlength of distal part and is curved basolaterad to the left side. Distal part of aedeagus apically granulate.

Female genitalia. Female unknown.

Etymology. Named in honor of our colleague Geoff Monteith, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, who collected the only known specimen of this species.

Remarks. We base our decision to describe this taxon as a new species on the configuration of the male genitalia which does not appear to lie inside the range of variability of any of the other Solonaima species where male specimens are available. S. ornata Hoch, 1988 , the only Solonaima species which was described on the basis of a single female differs from other congeners by an obsolete median carina of the frons and a distinct color pattern of the tegmina. Although the head configuration is unknown in S. monteithia , the color pattern of the tegmina differs significantly; thus we assume that S. monteithia and S. ornata belong to separate reproductive entities.