Yanganaka ariecornia, Löcker, Birgit, 2015

Löcker, Birgit, 2015, Revision of the Australian species of Aka White, 1879 (Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae) with the description of a new genus, Zootaxa 3956 (2), pp. 199-223 : 220-221

Yanganaka ariecornia sp. nov

( Figs 6 D–F, 17)

Zoobank Registration: http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A0256F01-D5B6-44BA-BADE-A86E9DCD90BD

Types. Holotype, ♂, AUSTRALIA, Tas: McPartlan Pass, 5256300N 0438000E, +/- 25m, Grid/Sample: ARE 2, Method: S, 10.viii.1999 (M. Driessen) (AMS K.437130). Paratypes, Tas: 1 ♂, same data as holotype except for Grid/Sample: ARW6, Method: P, 23.vii.2000.

Etymology. The Latin term „aries“ means „ram“ and „cornus“ means „horn“. Named after a thick spine on the aedeagus which resembles the horn of a ram.

Colour. Vertex mid to dark brown, carinae sometimes paler. Face including carinae mid brown; slightly darker near carinae. Pro- and mesonotum displaying various shades of brown with paler carinae. Forewings light brown to whitish, with a dark brown spot anterior to pterostigma; tubercles and veins dark, in distinct contrast to cells; pterostigma whitish. Abdominal sternites light to mid brown. Legs light brown sometimes with a few darker marks.

Morphology. Body length: ♂ 4.1–4.2 mm.

Head: Vertex 1.1–1.2 x wider than long; median carina of vertex covering full length of basal compartment of vertex; angle formed by caudal border of vertex broadly obtuse. Frons 1.3 x longer than wide; maximum width of frons no more than 2 x apical width; position of maximum width around frontoclypeal suture or slightly dorsad of centre of frontoclypeal suture; median carina forked in basal (near frontoclypeal suture) third to half of frons. Median ocellus absent. Anteclypeus with very indistinct median carina. Head including eyes slightly narrower than pronotum. Subapical segment of rostrum 1.7–1.9 x longer than apical segment.

Thorax: Mesonotum with distinct or indistinct sublateral carinae. Forewing short, curved to fit body, only slightly raised in posterior part of thorax. Forewing 2.8 x longer than wide; costal margin with 12–14 very distinct tubercles; tubercles aligned alongside veins, but reaching to some extent into cell area; tubercles dark, some underlaid by a larger dark circle, therefore appearing large and distinctly in contrast to cells; tubercles not bearing setae; Sc+R+M near basal cell fused, forming a minute common stem Sc+R+M or Sc+R fused, M emerging separately from basal cell; fork of ScRA+ RP about same level as fork CuA1+CuA2; distance tegula to ScR+M fork distinctly (about ½ to ¾) shorter than distance between this fork and ScRA+ RP fork; position of r-m distinctly basad of fork MA+MP; fork MA+MP situated between apical 1/8 and 1/4 of forewing; icu at same level or slightly distad of apex of clavus; RP apically bifid or trifid; MA unforked, bifid of trifid; MP unforked or bifid; nodus of yvein more or less in centre of clavus; y-vein with A1 only very slightly elevated; 7–9 apical cells. Hind leg: 1st tarsomere with 8 apical teeth and no platellae but with 4 fine setae; 2nd tarsomere with 7–8 apical teeth and no platellae but with 4–5 fine setae.

Male genitalia: Anal tube rounded, forming only one lobe as in Figs 17 C,D. Pygofer and genital styles as in Figs 17 E–G. Aedeagus ( Figs 17 A,B): Phallotheca left laterally with an almost straight spine (a), ventrally with a very thick, curved spine (b) and right laterally with a thick, s-shaped spine (c). Flagellum unarmed, pear-shaped.

Remarks. Yanganaka ariecornia slightly resembles A. issidopsis in the shape and curvature of the forewing. However, in Y. ariecornia the forewing is much less raised than in A. issidopsis .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Aka tasmani (specimen from Thumbs Parallel Gully): A habitus; B, C head. Yanganaka ariecornia: D, E head; F habitus. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 17. Yanganaka ariecornia: A aedeagus ventral; B aedeagus right lateral; C – D anal tube; E pygofer; F – G genital styles.