Pyrops clavatus ( Westwood, 1839 )

Constant, Jérôme & Pham, Hong-Thai, 2017, Review of the clavatus group of the lanternfly genus Pyrops (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoridae), European Journal of Taxonomy 305, pp. 1-26 : 10-18

Pyrops clavatus ( Westwood, 1839)

Figs 2–3 , 7 , 9 B–G, 10–15

Fulgora clavata Westwood, 1839: 139 , pl. 12, fig. 1 (types in OUMNH) [described, illustrated, compared with P. pyrorhynchus (Donovan, 1800) , the latter mentioned as the junior synonym Fulgora pyrorhina Westwood, 1839 )].

Hotinus ponderosus Stål, 1854: 244 (type in NHRS) [described and mentioned as close to P. clavatus ; synonymized by Distant (1906)].

Fulgora woodii Ollenbach, 1929: 279 , pl. 1, fig. 13 (types in NFIC) [described, illustrated and mentioned as very near to Pyrops clavatus ; synonymized by Lallemand (1963)].

Fulgora nigripennis Chou & Wang in Chou et al., 1985: 33 , fig. 4 (type in NWAFU) [described in Chinese, illustrated, compared to P. clavatus ], 37 (briefly described in Esperanto, host plant) syn. nov.

Fulgora clavata mizunumai Satô & Nagai, 1994: 312 , figs 3, 12 (type in EUM) [described, illustrated, compared to P. clavatus ] syn. nov.

Pyrops clavata – Burmeister 1845: 4 [transferred to Pyrops ]. — Schaum 1850: 64 [listed] — Kirby 1885: 211 [mentioned from India and briefly described]; 1892: 211 [idem]. — Nagai & Porion 1996: 26 [catalogued; distribution]; 31 [very close to Fulgora nigripennis Chou & Wang, 1985 ], pl. 18, figs 227–228 [illustrated].

Hotinus clavatus – Adams 1847: 204 [compared with P. sultanus (Adams & White, 1847) ]. — Walker 1851: 267 [list of specimens in BMNH]; 1858: 41 [ clavatus as the type and single member of a group within Hotinus ]. — Stål 1854: 244 [close to Hotinus ponderosus Stål, 1854 ]. — Costa 1864: 82 [listed from Assam].

Fulgora (Hotina [sic!]) clavata – Westwood 1848: 7, pl. 3, fig. 1 [described, illustrated].

Hotinus ponderosus – Walker 1858: 315 [listed from Hindustan]. — Distant 1906: 191 [junior synonym of P. clavatus ( Westwood, 1839) ].

Fulgora clavata – Butler 1874: 98 [placed in a section of Fulgora with white hind wings; list of specimens in BMNH; mention of “ ludicrous ” cephalic process; probable senior synonym of “ Fulgora ponderosa ”]. — Gadeau de Kerville 1881: 43 [listed as light-producing insect (erroneous)]. — Atkinson 1885: 130 [catalogued; described; distribution; intraspecific variation]. — Schmidt 1905: 354 [catalogued]. — Distant 1906: 191; fig. 83 [keyed; described; habitus, side of head and frons illustrated; senior synonym of Hotinus ponderosus Stål, 1854 ]. — Schumacher 1915: 129 [compared with Fulgora chimara Schumacher, 1915 ]. — Distant 1918: 198 [listed from “Indochina”], 200 [compared with P. atroalbus ( Distant, 1918) ]. — Paiva 1919: 373 [mentioned from Garo Hills, N India; notes on biology]. — Baker 1925: 348 [type of the clavata group in Fulgora ], 361 [key to the species of the clavata group; described], pl. 4, fig. 1 [lateral aspect of habitus illustrated]. — Ollenbach 1929: 280 [compared with Fulgora woodi Ollenbach, 1929 ]. — Lallemand 1963: 71 [type of 5 th group of Fulgora ], 88 [keyed; described; catalogued; senior synonym of Hotinus ponderosus Stål, 1854 and Fulgora woodi Ollenbach, 1929 ]; pl. 10, figs 4–7 [lateral view of head and male genitalia of type illustrated]. — Satô & Nagai 1994: 312 [compared with Fulgora clavata mizunumai Satô & Nagai, 1994 ].

Fulgora ponderosa – Butler 1874: 98 [probable junior synonym of P. clavatus ]. — Gadeau de Kerville 1881: 43 [listed as light-producing insect (erroneous)]. — Atkinson 1885: 131 [catalogued; described; distribution; probable variety of P. clavatus ].

Fulgora ponderosus – Matsumura 1913: 54 [close to P. watanabei ( Matsumura, 1913) ].

Laternaria clavata – Metcalf 1947: 193 [catalogued; distribution]. — Allnatt 2013: 45, fig. 1 [illustrated from Assam].

Laternaria clavata var. ponderosa – Metcalf 1947: 193 [catalogued; distribution; considered as a variety of clavatus (erroneous)].

Laternaria woodi – Metcalf 1947: 208 [catalogued].

Pyrops clavata mizunumai – Nagai & Porion 1996: 26 [catalogued]; pl. 18, figs 222, 224, 226 [illustrated].

Pyrops clavatus – Liang 1998: 42 [catalogued; new combination (erroneous)].

Pyrops clavatus mizunumai – Liang 1998: 42 [catalogued; new combination (erroneous)].

Diagnosis

The species is immediately recognized by the following combination of characters:

(1) Cephalic process red-brown to black, often black with apex red-brown, and strongly inflated apically

( Figs 2 D–G, 3C, E). (2) Abdomen red ventrally ( Figs 2B , 3B ). (3) Tegmina largely black on disc in the dark forms ( Fig. 1 A–B); in the pale forms, tegmina bluish

white on disc without black spots in costal area ( Fig. 3 A–B, D).

Etymology

clavatus (adj., Latin): clavate. The name refers to the shape of the cephalic process.

Material examined

Type material

BANGLADESH: Lectotype, ♂ of Fulgora clavata Westwood, 1839 , here designated to provide a reference standard for the species (examined from photographs, Fig. 10 ) [Silhet] [ Fulgora clavata Westw. Trans. Lin. Soc. 18. P. 139 Pl 12 Fig 5 .] [Type] [Type Hem: 596 1/2 Fulgora clavata Westwood, Hope Dept. Oxford ] ( OUMNH).

BANGLADESH: Paralectotype, ♀ of Fulgora clavata Westwood, 1839 (examined from photographs, Fig. 11 ) [Silhet] [ Fulgora clavata Westw. Monogr. M. Hope , Sylhet] [W] [Type] [Type Hem: 596 2/2 Fulgora clavata Westwood, Hope Dept. Oxford ] ( OUMNH).

INDIA: Holotype, ♀ of Hotinus ponderosus Stål, 1854 ( Fig. 12 ) [Ind or] [Saund] [ ponderosus Stål ] [ NHRS-HEMI000000198 ] ( NHRS).

MYANMAR: Syntype, ♂ of Fulgora woodii Ollenbach, 1929 (examined from photographs, Fig. 13 ) [Paga-yo, Tavoy, 27.I.20, O.C. Ollenbach] [Type] [ Fulgora woodii (Ollen) ♂ n sp., O.C. Ollenbach det.] ( NFRI).

CHINA: Holotype, ♂ of Fulgora nigripennis Chou & Wang, 1985 (examined from photographs, Fig. 14 ) [ Fulgora nigripennis Chou, Wang & Huang “ identified by Io Chou, August 1982 ”] [“ Host plant: coffee ”] [HOLOTYPE] ( NWAFU). – Parts in italics between “ ” were translated from Chinese by D. Qin. The specimen was collected in Ruyuan, Guangdong Province in May 1975 by Lizhong Hua (D. Qin pers. comm., Jun. 2016).

THAILAND: Holotype, ♂ of Fulgora clavata mizunumai Satô & Nagai, 1994 (examined from photographs, Fig. 15 ) [Doi Pui, Chiang Mai (N Thailand) May 1987] [Holotype Fulgora clavata mizunumai ] ( EUM).

Additional material

INDIA: 1 ♀, Darjeeling (Himalaya), 1869, Higgins ( RBINS); 1 ♀, Kurseong, no date, R.P. Wery ( RBINS).

THAILAND: 5 ♂♂, 15 ♀♀, Chiang Mai, Dec. 2007, local collectors ( RBINS).

VIETNAM: 1 ♀, Ha Giang, Jul. 2009, local collectors ( RBINS); 2 ♀♀, Cuc Phuong National Park, 20°19′00″ N, 105°36′30″ E, 19–23 Jul. 2011, day collecting, on tree trunk, leg. J. Constant and J. Bresseel ( RBINS); 2 ♀♀, Cuc Phuong N.P., 25 May 2005, leg. H.T. Pham ( VNMN); 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, Lao Cai Prov., Sa Pa Mt, 1800 m, Oct. 2014, leg. Than Le Luong ( RBINS); 1 ♀, Vinh Phuc Prov., Me Linh Station, 12 Aug. 2011, leg. H.T. Pham ( VNMN); 3 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀, Ba Vi N.P., 21°4′4″ N, 105°21′30″ E, 25–29 Jun. 2015, 1000 m, leg. H.T. Pham ( VNMN); 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, Ba Vi N.P., 21°4′4″ N, 105°21′30″ E, 25–29 Jun. 2015, 600 m, leg. J. Constant and J. Bresseel ( RBINS); 1 ♀, Nghe An Prov., Pu Mat N.P., 18°59′ N, 104°40′ E, Jul. 2014, local collector ( RBINS); 1 ♀, Tuyên Quang Prov., Cham Chu Nature Reserve, 22°12′ N, 105°6′ E, 8–12 Jul. 2015, leg. J. Constant and J. Bresseel ( RBINS); 2 ♂♂, same data, leg. H.T. Pham ( VNMN); 1 ♀, Quang Binh Prov., Phong Nha-Ke Bang N.P., U Bo, 17°32′14″ N, 106°9′4″ E, 550 m, leg. H.T. Pham ( VNMN); 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, Son La Prov., Copia Nature Reserve, 21°22′12″ N, 103°30′42″ E, 20–23 Jul. 2016, J. Constant and J. Bresseel ( RBINS).

Material examined from photographs

INDIA: 1 ex., Assam, Mangaldai, 13 Aug. 2014, Mirza Galib (Facebook group: InsectIndia); 1 ex., Manipur, Loktak Lake, 9 Oct. 2014, Sougrakpam Neli (Facebook group: InsectIndia); 1 ex., Nagaland, Aug. 2012, Tarun Karmakar (Facebook group: InsectIndia); 1 ex., Upper Assam, Dibrugarh, Rungagora, no date, H. Stevens (Alnatt 2013: fig. 1).

VIETNAM: 1 ex. ( Fig. 9 B–C), Me Linh Biological Station, 12 Jul. 2015, on a trunk of Dimocarpus longan (Sapindaceae) , J. Constant.

Additional data from literature

INDIA: Garo Hills above Tura, 3000 ft ( Paiva 1919).

MYANMAR: Karen Hills ( Ollenbach 1929 – location of the second syntype of Fulgora woodi ).

Measurements and ratios

TL: ♂ (n = 5): 3.9 cm (3.7–4.0); LPr: 1.2 cm (1.1–1.3); TL: ♀ (n = 5): 5.1 cm (4.5–5.5); LPr: 1.35 cm (1.3–1.5); LTg/BTg = 2.47; BF/BPrH = 2.05; LPr/LF = 3.19; LPr/BPrH = 6.13.

Male genitalia

Pygofer higher than long, with posterior margin angularly bisinuate dorsally in lateral view ( Fig. 7A ). Anal tube slightly elongate, 1.1 times as long as broad in dorsal view, broader at 4/5 of total length ( Fig. 7C ); lateral margins very slightly sinuate and apical margin strongly concave in dorsal view ( Fig. 7C ). Gonostyli ( Fig. 7A ) elongate, 1.5 times as long as broad in lateral view; dorsal margin strongly rounded above lateral tooth and posterior margin rounded in lateral view ( Fig. 7A ).

Remarks

After examination of the photographs of the type specimens of Fulgora nigripennis Chou & Wang, 1985 and Fulgora woodii Ollenbach, 1929 , it was not possible to find any difference between those taxa and the types of P. clavatus and the recorded intraspecific variations of the species. Hence, the first is proposed as a junior synonym of Pyrops clavatus and the synonymy of the second under P. clavatus , as proposed by Lallemand (1963) and followed by Nagai & Porion (1996), is confirmed.

Ollenbach (1929) stated that the types of the species described in his paper would later be sent to the British Museum (currently BMNH) but he apparently never did so as none of the types of those species can be found in the BMNH collections (M. Webb pers. comm., 21 May 2013).

The examination of numerous specimens of P. clavatus , including large series from Chiang Mai ( Figs 2–3 ) and northern Vietnam, proved that the species shows important intraspecific colour variation of the cephalic process and wings: the tegmina vary from nearly completely black to nearly completely bluish white, the hind wings from white with black apex to completely white, usually tinged with blue or violet basally. The “subspecies” mizunumai described by Satô & Nagai (1994) only represents the paler extreme of the species and cannot be considered as a subspecies, as it occurs sympatrically with the intermediate and darker forms. It is therefore synonymized under P. clavatus . Specimens showing basally blue-tinged and violet-tinged hind wings were found in the same population, on the same tree in Copia, North Vietnam. The variation is not linked to the sex of the specimens as both males and females showed the two variations.

Biology

Paiva (1919) stated that the species was “ not uncommon at 3000 ft. Several specimens sometimes found on a single tree to which they return after disturbance ”. Our observations confirm this statement which is valid for most species of Pyrops we have observed so far. We have found P. clavatus feeding on several unidentified species of tree in Ba Vi National Park (north Vietnam); in Cuc Phuong National Park (north Vietnam), some specimens of P. clavatus were found on a big tree together with numerous Pyrops spinolae (Westwood, 1842) , while other trees of the same species and others around did not host any Pyrops specimens ( Fig. 9 F–G); at Me Linh Biodiversity Station (north Vietnam), P. clavatus was observed on a big Longan tree trunk ( Dimocarpus longan Lour. , Sapindaceae ) together with P. candelaria (Linnaeus, 1758) , P. lathburii (Kirby, 1818) and P. viridirostris ( Westwood, 1848) . In North Vietnam we found the species at altitudes ranging from 150 to 1200 m.

The species was also collected on coffee ( Coffea sp., Rubiaceae ) in southern China.

Distribution

Known from N India, Myanmar, N Thailand, S China and N Vietnam.

Very probably also present in Laos and maybe in Cambodia (see also Constant et al. 2016 for discussion on Fulgoridae from Cambodia).

Figures

Fig. 2. Pyrops clavatus (Westwood, 1839), ♀♀, Thailand, Chiang Mai, Dec. 2007 (RBINS). A–E. Dark specimen with cephalic process brown ventrally. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Habitus, left lateral view. D. Head and thorax, left lateral view. E. Head, normal view of frons. — F–G. Dark specimen with black cephalic process. F. Head and thorax, left lateral view. G. Head, normal view of frons. (D–G not to scale.)

Fig. 3. Pyrops clavatus (Westwood, 1839), ♀♀, Thailand, Chiang Mai, Dec. 2007 (RBINS). A–E. Pale specimen. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Head and thorax, left lateral view. D. Head, normal view of frons. E. Habitus, left lateral view. — F. Intermediate specimen with cephalic process black dorsally, habitus, dorsal view. (C–D not to scale.)

Figs 6–8. Pyrops clavatus group, male genitalia. 6. Pyrops atroalbus (Distant, 1918) comb. nov. — 7. P. clavatus (Westwood, 1839). — 8. P. watanabei (Matsumura, 1913). A. Pygofer, anal tube and gonostylus, left lateral view. B. Pygofer and gonostyli, posteroventral view. C. Anal tube and pygofer, dorsal view. Abbreviations: An = anal tube; G = gonostylus; Py = pygofer.

Fig. 9. Specimens of Pyrops clavatus group in nature. A. P. atroalbus (Distant, 1918) comb.nov. in Maerim District, N Thailand, 14 Mar. 2016 (photograph by P. Jirasuttayaporn). B–C. P. clavatus (Westwood, 1839) on a trunk of Dimocarpus longan (Sapindaceae) at Me Linh Biological Station, N Vietnam, 12 Jul. 2015 (photographs by J. Constant). D–E. P. clavatus (Westwood, 1839) in Cuc Phuong National Park, N Vietnam, 21 Jul. 2011 (photographs by J. Constant). F. The authors in the habitat of P. clavatus (Westwood, 1839) in Cuc Phuong National Park, N Vietnam, 21 Jul. 2011 (photograph by J. Bresseel). G. P. clavatus (Westwood, 1839) together with P. spinolae (Westwood, 1842), specimens in Cuc Phuong National Park, N Vietnam, 21 Jul. 2011 (photograph by J. Constant).

Fig. 1. Pyrops atroalbus (Distant, 1918) comb. nov., ♀, Vietnam, Quang Tri Prov., Da Krong Nature Reserve, 10 Jul. 2011 (VNMN). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Habitus, left lateral view. D. Head and thorax, left lateral view. E. Head, normal view of frons. F. Apex of cephalic process, frontal view. (D–F not to scale.)

Figs 10–12. Pyrops clavatus (Westwood, 1839) and synonymised species, type specimens. 10. Fulgora clavata Westwood, 1839, lectotype, ♂ (OUMNH, photographs by A. Spooner). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Labels and genitalia tube. C. Habitus, ventral view. — 11. F. clavata Westwood, 1839, paralectotype, ♀ (OUMNH, photographs by A. Spooner). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Labels. C. Habitus, ventral view. — 12. Hotinus ponderosus Stål, 1854, holotype, ♀ (NHRS, photographs by J. Constant). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Head and thorax, left lateral view. D. Head, normal view of frons. E. Labels. Wingspan: 88 mm.

Fig. 5. Pyrops atroalbus (Distant, 1918) comb. nov., holotype ♂ (BMNH, photographs by D. Croucher). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Labels.

Figs 13–14. Pyrops clavatus (Westwood, 1839), type specimens of the synonymised species. 13. Fulgora woodi Ollenbach, 1929, syntype, ♂ (NFIC, photographs by S. Singh). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Labels. Wingspan: 80 mm — 14. Fulgora nigripennis Chou & Wang, 1985, holotype, ♂ (NWAFU, photographs by D. Qin). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Habitus, lateral view. D. Labels. Total length: 37 mm.

Fig. 15. Pyrops clavatus (Westwood, 1839), holotype, ♂ of the junior synonym Fulgora clavata mizunumai Sato & Nagai, 1994 (EUM, photographs by H. Yoshitomi). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Labels. Wingspan: 75.4 mm.