Scaralina veracruzensis Yanega & Van Dam, 2024

Yanega, Douglas, Goemans, Geert, Dam, Matthew Van, Gómez-Marco, Francesc & Hoddle, Mark, 2024, Description of a new genus of North and Central American planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) with fourteen new species, Zootaxa 5443 (1), pp. 1-53 : 43-44

Scaralina veracruzensis Yanega & Van Dam , sp. nov.

( Figs 41 , 56 , 71 )

Etymology. This species is named for the Mexican state from which the only known specimen was collected.

Diagnosis. While this taxon somewhat resembles S. sullivani , which is also from Veracruz, it differs in many features. The pattern of coloration is different in many respects (e.g., sullivani has a paler face, many light abdominal markings, and lacks a strong black cell at the claval junction); the costal crossveins are completely evanescent basally, much as in obfusca and obrienae ; the frons in veracruzensis has rather little expansion of the lower lateral lobes, so the lateral margins of the frons are nearly straight, rather than concave; the latero-basal carina of the clypeus is evanescent distally, but complete in sullivani . The strongly contrasting pattern on the mesonotum, and greatly reduced basal forewing markings, coupled with the disproportionately enlarged wing cells also apparently make this taxon distinctive; however, we do acknowledge that these are all features which can vary somewhat within a species (see note regarding obrienae ), so it is possible that future collections of additional material will result in some change in the species diagnosis. The loss of the abdomen and accompanying dissection early during the study was very unfortunate, as we never had an opportunity to directly compare the male genital characters to other taxa such as sullivani or obfusca , but were instead limited to early notes that had been taken.

Description (male only; female unknown). Head ( Figs 41 , 56 ). Rim of vertex mostly pale; three very broad pale marks anteriorly, otherwise black; supra-ocular lobes pale apically; posterior rim mostly pale, except darkened adjacent to supra-ocular lobes; dark spots of vertex posterior in position; black markings very well-defined and restricted to lateral bands and posterior spots. Frons with a narrow pale upper margin, very dark just below this (pale markings at corner of frontal crease near ocellus evanescent), and the ground color below a little less dark, except for scattered fine black spots surrounding setal bases. Lateral margin of frons nearly straight, lower lobes not expanded. Clypeus extensively pale, with some dark markings, latero-basal carina evanescent distally. Rostrum typical for genus.

Thorax ( Fig. 56 ). Pronotum ground color pale, orange-tinted tan, dark markings generally very highly contrasting; post-ocular pronotal spots well-defined, large; midline of dorsal pronotal face pale, with black submedian bands curving laterally towards posterior, and anterolateral corners also black. Mesonotum center mostly pale, black markings relatively extensive otherwise; medial carina low; lateral carinae pale, almost straight, very slightly sinuate anteriorly or posteriorly; posterior mesonotal lobe rounded. Dorsal setae long. Legs as in generic diagnosis, markings also highly contrasting.

Wings ( Fig. 71 ). Forewings with dark markings on basal half of 1st claval vein somewhat interrupted; a narrow, continuous dark transverse patch from costa to clavus, at the level of the first branch of M (which is abbreviated relative to other species), and semi-translucent orange basal markings; postcostal cell black with well-defined, small, pale orange spots throughout; remainder of wing quite clear, with very limited, faint spotting. Costal crossveins relatively few, mostly straight or slightly arcuate but oblique, very obscure or absent basally; M with 2–3 main branches, crossveins between them mostly straight, widely spaced, making exceptionally large, elongate-rectangular cells; CuA with 3–4 branches, rarely more than 1 of these coming directly off of CuA, and the first branch typically precedes the claval vein juncture; greatest distance between Pcu and A 1 veins exceeds greatest distance between A 1 and wing margin; fused vein posterior to juncture very short. Hind wing hyaline except base, which is orange.

Note. Genitalia and abdomen lost after dissection so only preliminary notes were taken] Abdomen. Dorsum and venter nearly solid black.

Male terminalia. Gonostyli black apically. Setose bulge has two rows of spinose setae extending posteriorly (?).

Type material. Holotype, male: MEXICO: Veracruz: “Serra Pescados nr. Perote” [no date] ( ASULOB).

Distribution. So far known only from the type locality in central Veracruz, near the border with Puebla.

Figures

FIGURES 36–41. Faces of Scaralina species. (36) S. obfusca (male); (37) S. obrienae; (38) S. orientalis; (39) S. rileyi; (40) S. sullivani; (41) S. veracruzensis.

FIGURES 51–56. Heads and nota of Scaralina species. (51) S. obfusca (female); (52) S. obrienae; (53) S. orientalis; (54) S. rileyi; (55) S. sullivani; (56) S. veracruzensis.

FIGURES 69–72. Forewings of Scaralina species. (69) S. rileyi; (70) S. sullivani; (71) S. veracruzensis; (72) Scaralis (Alphinoides) inbio.