Vartatopa bifurcata, Viraktamath, C. A., 2004

Viraktamath, C. A., 2004, A revision of the Varta­Stymphalus generic complex of the leafhopper tribe Scaphytopiini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from the Old World, Zootaxa 713, pp. 1-47 : 22

Vartatopa bifurcata sp. nov.

Figs 43 , 125–133 .

Predominantly bluish green with red stripes. Lateral margins of vertex with a red stripe with a more anterior black dot, posterior half orange. Face green with yellow margins. Pronotum anteriorly and laterally orange yellow, rest bluish green with four red stripes. Scutellum pale orange with two obscure orange stripes. Front wing bluish green with red stripes as in Fig. 43 .

Male genitalia: Cephalic region of pygophore with prominent tergal apodemes, tergum with dorsal marginal thickening which is broken at point of articulation with segment X, beyond this with a mesal inflexion which holds the body of aedeagus in place. Segment X stout, dorsal half sclerotized, with a caudo­ventral bifid process. Subgenital plate and valve as in generic diagnosis. Aedeagus placed more dorsally, most of shaft placed beyond dorsal margin of pygophore. Aedeagus broadest in middle, with anteriorly directed welldeveloped dorsal apodeme, shaft abruptly turned dorsally almost at right angles, narrowed distally with a pair of lateral toothlike processes at mid length and another pair adjacent to gonopore, antero­dorsally compressed, spatulate near apex, gonopore subapical with a narrow laminar ridgelike extension on either side; preatrium of aedeagus produced into ventro­caudally directed paraphyses.

Measurements: Male 6.9 mm long, 1.4 mm wide across hind margins of head, 1.6 mm wide across hind margin of pronotum.

Material examined: THAILAND: holotype ɗ, Nakhon Rat., Chasima, Chasm Sunat, 23.ix.1987, O. Somsri ( BMNH).

Remarks: A. bifurcata can be distinguished by the marginal red stripe to vertex, robust body and by the characteristic male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 41 – 48. Red or orange stripes on front wings of Varta­Stymphalus complex. 41 – 42. Vartalapa curvata sp. nov.; 43. Vartatopa bifurcata sp. nov.; 44. Xenovarta harpago sp. nov.; 45. Xenovarta acuta sp. nov.; 46. Xenovarta cylindrica sp. nov.; 47. Xenovarta compressa sp. nov.; 48. Xenovarta ankusha sp. nov.

FIGURES 125 – 133. Vartatopa bifurcata gen. et sp. nov.: 125. Head and thorax; 126. Same, profile; 127. Face; 128. Male genital capsule, lateral view; 129. Fused subgenital plate and valve; 130. Anal collar process and aedeagus, caudal view; 131. Apophysis of style; 132. Aedeagus, lateral view; 133. Same, ventral view.