Psithyristria ridibunda, Lee, Young June & Lit, Ireneo L., 2015

Lee, Young June & Lit, Ireneo L., 2015, A new cicada species of the genus Psithyristria Stål, 1870 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadinae: Psithyristriini) from Luzon, Philippines, with a key to the 15 species, Zootaxa 3948 (2), pp. 296-300 : 297-300

Psithyristria ridibunda sp. nov.

( Figs 1–3 )

Holotype. male, Philippines, “P.I.: LUZON: Quezon: 1,100 m. ASL, // Mt. Banahao de Lucban:Balikatan // 21.vi. 1998 // I. L. Lit, Jr./O.L.Eusebio” (printed white label), “UPLBMNH HEM-02499” (printed white label), deposited in UPLBMNH.

Paratypes. 1 male, same data as holotype (printed white label), “UPLBMNH HEM-02497” (printed white label), deposited in UPLBMNH; 1 male, same data as holotype (printed white label), “UPLBMNH HEM-02498” (printed white label), now deposited in the National Institute of Biological Resources in Incheon, Korea.

Etymology. The specific name is a Latin adjective referring to “laughing”, an allusion to the sound generated by the males of this cicada species usually right after sunset. Some local residents or guides are afraid of this sound as they think the laughter is from unseen laughing dwarves, fairies, or witches.

Measurements (n = 3 males). Length of body: 27.5 (27.0–28.0); length of head and thorax together: 11.3 (11.0– 11.6); length of abdomen: 16.3 (16.0– 16.8); width of head including eyes: 6.7 (6.6–6.7); width of mesonotum: 7.9 (7.7–8.2); width of posterior margin of abdominal tergite 3: 7.9 (7.6–8.1); length of forewing: 33.2 (32.4–34.4); width of forewing: 13.8 (13.6–14.2); wing span: 73.0 (70.7–74.6).

Diagnosis. This species is very closely allied to Psithyristria incredibilis Lee & Hill, 2010 . Similarly to P. incredibilis , this species also has the extreme of the characteristic forewing venation of the genus, with median + cubitus anterior (M+CuA) extremely long, more than one-third as long as the entire forewing. However, this species is distinguished from P. incredibilis by the following characteristics: forewing cubital cell distinctly larger (in area) than radial cell (about as large as radial cell in P. incredibilis ); operculum long rectangular with inner and lateral corners rounded (semicircular in P. incredibilis ); medial branch of uncal lobe much shorter than lateral branch and with two apical spines (about as long as lateral branch and with single spine in P. incredibilis ).

Description of holotype. Head: Light green with the following marks: median fuscous spot enclosing lateral ocelli, with its anterior end extending to and enclosing median ocellus and its posterior end reaching posterior margin of head; a pair of indistinct brown spots between ocelli and compound eyes, with their lateral sides widely connected with compound eyes. Distance between lateral ocelli and compound eyes longer than distance between lateral ocelli. Antennae brown to dark brown. Postclypeus scarcely swollen, without distinct marks. Anteclypeus, lorum, and gena without distinct marks. Rostrum ochraceous but fuscous apically.

Thorax: Pronotum light green with castaneous marks. Inner area with the following marks: a pair of median longitudinal fasciae broadened at both anterior and posterior ends; a pair of large patches covering most part of inner area from paramedian fissures to lateral margins of inner area. Pronotal collar with a pair of dark brown spots at sublateral corners. Anterolateral pronotal collar weakly developed and not dentate. Lateral corner of pronotal collar much developed. Mesonotum reddish brown, covered with silvery hairs especially on lateral and posterior parts, with median longitudinal fuscous fascia abruptly broadened posteriorly to reach anterior margin of cruciform elevation and with the following light green marks: a pair of delicate and indistinct fasciae along parapsidal suture, branching out to inner margin of submedian sigilla; a pair of obliquely longitudinal delicate and indistinct fasciae on anterior parts of lateral sigilla, with their anterior ends reaching anterior margin of mesonotum; a pair of broad patches along lateral margins of mesonotum. Cruciform elevation mostly brown with small green parts laterally. Thoracic sternites ochraceous with irregular green parts. Legs greenish ochraceous to ochraceous with apically black claws. Fore femur with primary spine, secondary spine, and a very tiny subapical spine, brown to fuscous.

Wings: Wings hyaline. Forewing median 2 (M 2) and M 3 derived from ulnar cell 3. M 4 derived from medial cell. Ulnar cell 3 about 2.5 times as large as ulnar cell 2. Cubital cell distinctly larger than radial cell. Medial cell about half as large as cubital cell. M 1 + 2 distinctly curved anteriorly. Distinct infuscations present on radial (r), radiomedial (r-m), and medial (m) crossveins, bases of apical cells 1, 3, and 4, and cubitus anterior 1 (CuA 1) and CuA 2. An elliptical infuscation appearing on each hind margin of radius anterior 2 (RA 2), radius posterior ( RP), and median 1–4 (M 1–4). Cubital cell with nine wrinkles inside, which are obliquely horizontal and more conspicuous than in congeners. Medial cell with four wrinkles inside, which are rather longitudinal. Smoky distal suffusion present inside and along apical margins of apical cells 1–7. Basal cell tinged with ochraceous. Basal membrane and hind wing jugum reddish orange.

Operculum: Greenish ochraceous, obliquely rectangular with inner and lateral corners rounded and scarcely reaching posterior margin of sternite II. Opercula widely separated.

Abdomen: Abdomen much longer than head and thorax together; covered with silvery, ochraceous, or fuscous hairs. Tergites 2–6 ochraceous with a median longitudinal broad fuscous fascia. Posterior margins of tergites 3–5 narrowly reddish orange. Tergites 7 and 8 fuscous. Tergites 3–6 with irregular fuscous spots laterally. Posterior margin of tergite 3 about as wide as mesonotum. Timbal cover ochraceous with fuscous patch posteriorly; long, slender, slightly longer than twice the width, with roundish apex. Timbal largely exposed. Abdominal sternites mostly ochraceous except for fuscous sternite VII. Posterior margins of sternites III–VI reddish orange.

Genitalia ( Figs 2–3 ): Pygofer barrel-shaped in ventral view. Uncal lobes widely separated at base; each terminating in two thin branches: medial branch much shorter than lateral branch, with a pair of tiny apical spines; lateral branch inwardly curved, with single tip. Aedeagus very thin. Distal shoulder of pygofer well extended distally and acutely pointed. Dorsal beak triangular.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Psithyristria ridibunda sp. nov., male, holotype, Luzon, Philippines (UPLBMNH): A, dorsal habitus; B, ventral habitus.

FIGURE 2. Male pygofer of Psithyristria ridibunda sp. nov., paratype, Luzon, Philippines: A, ventral view; B, lateroventral view; C, lateral view.

FIGURE 3. Ventral view of uncal lobe of Psithyristria ridibunda sp. nov., holotype, Luzon, Philippines.