Phaiojassus, Dietrich & Magalhães & Takiya, 2020

Dietrich, Christopher H., Magalhães, Raysa Brito de & Takiya, Daniela M., 2020, Revision of the endemic Malagasy leafhopper tribe Platyjassini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Iassinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 695, pp. 1-89 : 20-23

Phaiojassus gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:21A6CADD-C0DF-4BDC-88EB-D6FAFF6B84A7

Figs 1 F–L, 5, 16M–O

Type species

Phaiojassus acutus sp. nov.

Etymology

The genus name, a masculine noun, combines the Greek ʻ phaios ʼ (ʻduskyʼ) with ʻ- jassus ʼ, a common suffix for genera in this subfamily, and refers to the usually dark dorsal coloration.

Diagnosis

This genus may be distinguished by the following combination of features: body medium-sized; dorsum usually mostly brown with contrastingly paler forewing costa; vertex not overlapping anterolateral margin of eye, crown transversely striate anteriorly; forewing without supernumerary crossveins; hindwing veins R4+5 and M1+2 confluent preapically but separate near apex; hind femur macrosetal formula 2+ 2+1; style elongate and slender, without denticuli; aedeagus usually with unpaired preapical process on shaft.

Description

HABITUS. Medium sized platyjassines (6.7–9.6 mm). Color variable, usually heavily marked with dark brown.

HEAD. Crown declivous, slightly convex, with numerous well delimited transverse striations over entire length, anterior margin well delimited by parallel transverse carinae but not spatulate, forming only slight ledge over dorsal part of face, without anterolateral extension over eye; ocelli anteromesad of eyes, closer to eyes than to midline. Frontoclypeus moderately convex, with median dorsal depression; antennal ledge oblique, not overlapping frontoclypeus; lateral frontal suture extended to crown margin above antennal ledge; gena slightly emarginate below eye and relatively broad more ventrad, completely concealing proepisternum; lorum small, flat; anteclypeus slightly convex, lateral margin strongly divergent distally; ostrum broad, not extended beyond front trochanters.

THORAX. Pronotum declivous, in profile continuing contour of crown, much wider than head, lateral margins strongly divergent posteriorly, transverse striations well delimited. Forewing without supernumerary crossveins, appendix broad and extended to wing apex, inner apical cell relatively long. Hindwing veins R4+5 and M1+2 confluent preapically, then separate near apex. Front femur rows IC and AV well delimited, with stout setae of similar sizes, somewhat irregular; dorsal surface of tibia rounded, PD with three or more widely spaced macrosetae. Hind femur macrosetal formula 2 +2+1, tibial row AD usually with one smaller seta between each successive pair of macrosetae; tarsomere I plantar row single.

ABDOMEN. Male pregenital sternite distinctly longer than sternite VII, posterior margin truncate or slightly emarginate. Male pygofer base band-like, dorsally without median posterior projection; lobe fused to base, with numerous macrosetae in distal half, processes and spines absent, ventral margin with sparse group of fine setae. Subgenital plate with median longitudinal row or band of macrosetae, dorsolateral margin with sparse long fine setae. Style apophysis very slender, without ventral denticuli, apex curved dorsomesad, with acute dorsal preapical angle. Connective stem long, arms weakly developed, anterior margin convex.Aedeagus with atrium V-shaped in posterior view, shaft slightly to strongly asymmetrical, one or more unpaired basal or prepical processes usually present. Female pregenital sternite with posterior margin truncate, with median notch. First valvulae slender, tapered, dorsal sculpturing strigate. Second valvulae slender, tapered, with two indistinct, widely spaced preapical dorsal teeth.

Remarks

This genus is structurally similar to Pseudocurtara gen. nov., but differs in the mostly uniform dark brown dorsal coloration, absence of paired black spots on the crown and lack of reticulate venation in the forewing.

Key to species of Phaiojassus gen. nov. (males)

1. Dorsum dark brown, except for pale continuous marginal band along forewing costa ( Fig. 1F )...2

– Dorsum ochraceous or dark brown, forewing costa without pale band, if present, discontinuous ( Fig. 1 H–I).........................................................................................................................................6

2. Aedeagus with single acute process preapically..............................................................................3 – Aedeagus with two processes preapically........................................................................................4

3. Aedeagus apex well sclerotized and acute ( Fig. 5D ) ............. Phaiojassus acutus gen. et sp. nov. – Aedeagus apex membranous and blunt ( Fig. 5 BB) ....... Phaiojassus unispinosus gen. et sp. nov.

4. Forewing with pale costal area distinctly narrower near midlength than basally and preapically ( Fig. 1K ) ................................................................................. Phaiojassus undulatus gen. et sp. nov. – Forewing with pale costal area nearly uniform in width throughout length.................................5

5. Spines of aedeagal shaft asymmetrical, one large and one small ( Fig. 5F, H ) ..................................... ............................................................................................... Phaiojassus bispinosus gen. et sp. nov. – Spines of aedeagal shaft both small, symmetrical ( Fig. 5T ) ... Phaiojassus spatulatus gen. et sp. nov.

6. Dorsum uniformly ochraceous, without dark brown pattern ( Fig. 1I ) ................................................ .................................................................................................... Phaiojassus grandis gen. et sp. nov.

– Dorsum dark brown with two triangular stramineous areas along forewing costal margin ( Fig. 1H ) .............................................................................................. Phaiojassus constrictus gen. et sp. nov.

Figures

Fig. 1. Platyjassini, dorsal and lateral habitus of males. A. Pachyjassus alatus sp. nov. B. Pachyjassus basifurcatus sp. nov. C. Pachyjassus ranomafanensis sp. nov. D. Pallijassus stenospatulatus (Evans, 1959). E. Petalojassus ochrescens sp. nov. F. Phaiojassus acutus sp. nov. G. Phaiojassus bispinosus sp. nov. H. Phaiojassus constrictus sp. nov. I. Phaiojassus grandis sp. nov. J. Phaiojassus spatulatus sp. nov.K. Phaiojassus undulatus sp. nov. L. Phaiojassus unispinosus sp. nov. M. Pictojassus kirindiensis sp. nov. N. Pictojassus productus sp. nov. O. Pictojassus tulearensis sp. nov. P. Platyjassella ancora sp. nov. Q. Platyjassella andohahelensis sp. nov. R. Platyjassella attenuata sp. nov. S. Platyjassella cormorana sp. nov. T. Platyjassella emarginata sp. nov. U. Platyjassella immaculata sp. nov. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 5 (next page). Phaiojassus gen. nov. – A–D. Phaiojassus acutus sp. nov. A. Genital capsule, lateral view. B. Genitalia, lateral view. C. Same, ventral view. D. Aedeagus, posterior view. – E–H. Phaiojassus bispinosus sp. nov. E. Genital capsule, lateral view. F. Genitalia, lateral view. G. Same, ventral view. H. Aedeagus, posterior view. – I–L. Phaiojassus constrictus sp. nov. I. Genital capsule, lateral view. J. Genitalia, lateral view. K. Same, ventral view. L. Aedeagus, posterior view. – M–P. Phaiojassus grandis sp. nov. M. Genital capsule, lateral view. N. Genitalia, lateral view. O. Same, ventral view. P. Aedeagus, posterior view. – Q–T. Phaiojassus spatulatus sp. nov. Q. Genital capsule, lateral view. R. Genitalia, lateral view. S. Same, ventral view. T. Aedeagus, posterior view. – U–X. Phaiojassus undulatus sp. nov. U. Genital capsule, lateral view. V. Genitalia, lateral view. W. Same, ventral view. X. Aedeagus, posterior view. – Y–BB. Phaiojassus unispinosus sp. nov. Y. Genital capsule, lateral view. Z. Genitalia, lateral view. AA. Same, ventral view. BB. Aedeagus, posterior view. Photos not to scale.