Tetramelasma litopyx, Stiller, 2011

Stiller, M., 2011, A new leafhopper genus and four new species from the Grassland Biome of South Africa (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae), Zootaxa 2794 (1), pp. 35-51 : 38-41

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2794.1.2
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5294712
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E3291C-1C42-9244-5C8D-FD9EC76E550E
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Tetramelasma litopyx
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Tetramelasma litopyx View in CoL sp. n.

( Figs 1a–i View FIGURE 1 ; 2a–l View FIGURE 2 )

Diagnosis. Male pygofer with reduced ventral lobe ( Fig. 1d View FIGURE 1 ), median process reduced with apex at most with three short points. Pygofer lobe broadly rounded, short, slightly narrower than pygofer ( Fig. 1d View FIGURE 1 ). Aedeagus always protruding well beyond margin of pygofer lobe ( Fig. 1a&d View FIGURE 1 ). Plate with posterior margin extending as far as posterior margin of pygofer lobe, lateral subapical margin emarginate, posterior margin rounded ( Fig. 1c&d View FIGURE 1 ). Sternite 7 of female semicircular, with posterior margin almost straight or curved slightly into shallow notch ( Fig. 2b–e View FIGURE 2 ).

Etymology. Compound word in Greek, litos, simple, pyx, rump, referring to the simple shape of the pygofer. Gender feminine.

Colour. Male & female. Pale greyish yellow, with paired markings on apex of vertex. Vertex with large, similar sized, wedge-shaped and circular markings ( Fig. 2a View FIGURE 2 ); disc with brownish marking. Two pairs of brownish bands on pronotum. Tegmina with pale yellowish veins, apical cells distally lined with fuscous marking. Females submacropterous ( Fig. 2a View FIGURE 2 ), males macropterous.

Male. Hind wing. About ½ as wide as tegmina, ¾ as long, jugal lobe reduced ( Fig. 1i View FIGURE 1 ); transverse vein in medial cell towards the end of the radial and cubital veins, between R4+5 and median vein unique.

Dimensions. (n=65) Length from apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 3.0– 3.2 mm; length from apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.6–2.9 mm; median length of vertex 0.4 mm; length of vertex next to eye 0.3 mm; median length of pronotum 0.3 mm; maximum width across head 0.9–1.0 mm; width across pronotum 0.8–0.9 mm; ocellar diameter 28 µm; ocellocular distance 35–45 µm.

Genital capsule. Pygofer with reduced ventral bulbous lobe ( Fig. 1d View FIGURE 1 ), medial margin with spine-like process reduced, apex at most with three minute, sclerotized points. Posterior pygofer lobe broadly rounded, short ( Fig. 1d View FIGURE 1 ). Plate with posterior margin extending as far as posterior margin of pygofer lobe, lateral subapical margin emarginate, dorsal sclerotized process Y- to L-shaped ( Fig. 1c View FIGURE 1 ). Aedeagus with shaft tubular, slightly curved dorsad ( Fig. 1g &h View FIGURE 1 ), gonopore subapical, dorsal; shaft protruding beyond pygofer ( Fig. 1d View FIGURE 1 ). Style apophysis elongate, medial margin serrate, base wide (about two times wider than width of apex), apex rounded ( Fig. 1f View FIGURE 1 ).

Female. Hind wing. About ½ as wide as tegmina, ¾ as long, jugal lobe reduced (similar to Fig. 2f View FIGURE 2 ); transverse vein between R4+5 and median vein absent.

Dimensions. (n=39) Length from apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 3.0– 3.4 mm; length from apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 3.1–3.4 mm; median length of vertex 0.5 mm; length of vertex next to eye 0.3 mm; median length of pronotum 0.3–0.4 mm; maximum width across head 1.0– 1.1 mm; width across pronotum 0.9 mm; ocellar diameter 28 µm; ocellocular distance 38–47 µm.

Genitalia. Sternite 7 with lateral third prominently sclerotized, medial, V-shaped area not sclerotized. Posterior margin medially with shallow, wide V-shaped notch, margin laterad of notch rounded, lateral distal apex pointed ( Fig. 2b–d View FIGURE 2 , Wapadsberg, Fig. 2e View FIGURE 2 , between Molteno and Steynsburg). Valvula 1 lanceolate ( Fig. 2g View FIGURE 2 ), microsculpture imbricate ( Fig. 2i View FIGURE 2 ). Valvula 2 finely serrate ( Fig. 2h&k View FIGURE 2 ). Valvula 3 as in Fig. 2l View FIGURE 2 , fine setae at apex ( Fig. 2j View FIGURE 2 ).

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, Eastern Cape Province. Wapadsberg Pass, Cradock, 31.946700S, 24.92035E, 1762 m, 20.iv.2006, M. Stiller, DVac, grazed grassland, common: Merxmuellera disticha , Merxmuellera sp. ( SANC). Paratypes. 92♂, 57♀, 12 nymphs. Eastern Cape Province. 1♀, Mountain Zebra National Park, Cradock, 25.75S, 32.41667E, 19.i.1984, J.G. Theron, sweeping; 3♂, 1♀, 2 nymphs, 20 km east of Steynsburg, 31.253550S, 25.9791E, 1646 m, 1.i.2006, sweeping, Merxmuellera ; 1♀, Penhoek between aliwal North and Queenstow 31.434800S, 26.689333E, 1854 m, 19.iv.2006, sweeping grazed pasture; 1♀, Penhoek, between Aliwal North and Queenstown, 31.434800S, 26.689333E, 1854 m, 19.iv.2006, sweeping grazed pasture; 1♂, north of Freredell, 31.341100S, 26.700083E, 1741 m, 19.iv.2006, DVac, Miscanthus sp. (Poaceae) ; 10♂, 5♀, 20 km east of Steynsburg, 31.253550S, 25.9791E, 1646 m, 20.iv.2006, DVac, Merxmuellera sp. ; 7♂, 8♀, Loodsberg Pass, summit, 31.836183S, 24.858767E, 1791 m, 20.iv.2006, DVac, Themeda triandra , some Merxmuellera sp. and other grass species; 1♂, 1♀, Loodsberg Pass, base, 31.81667S, 24.85E, 1690 m, 20.iv.2006, DVac, Merxmuellera sp. ; 26♂, 15♀, Ibid. holotype; 11♂, 16♀, 10 nymphs, between Molteno and Steynsburg, 31.41667S, 26.00E, 1617 m, 20.iv.2006, DVac, Merxmuellera sp. in grazed pasture; 1♂, Jeffrey’s Bay, 34.08333S, 24.91667E, 21.iv.2006, DVac, grazed pasture, Cenchrus ciliaris , Cynodon dactylon (Poaceae) dominant; 6♂, 5♀, The Range Farms Kandeboberg, 32.39026S, 23.83688E, 1746 m, 23.i.2011, sweeping grass; 2♂, Loodsberg Pass summit, 31.83598S, 24.86076E, 1807 m, 27.i.2011, DVac, grass and shrubs; 5♂, 1♀, Wapadsberg Pass, below summit towards Graaf Reinet, 31.93379S, 24.87117E, 1597 m, 27.i.2011, DVac, grazed pasture. Northern Cape Province. 4♂, 2♀, Oorlogspoort, 12.5 km east Noupoort, 31.20686S 25.07536E, 1752 m, 27.i.2011, DVac, road margin and grazed pasture; 5♂, 2♀, Oorlogspoort, 9.4 km east Noupoort, 31.201436S 25.044203E, 1786 m, 27.i.2011, DVac, road reserve and grazed pasture; all collected by M. Stiller, except where stated otherwise ( SANC, BMNH, INHS).

Remarks. The genitalia of Tetramelasma litopyx show little resemblance to that of any of the other described species of this genus. Colouration, shape and size however correspond well with the other species of Tetramelasma . The dark paired markings on the vertex of T. litopyx closely resemble the same pattern in Elginus furcillatus Stiller, 2009b (Paralimnini) .

In T. litopyx , the male does not have the enlarged ventral pygofer lobe, the broadly rounded posterior pygofer lobe and has the plate more elongate, reaching the as far posteriad as the apex of the posterior pygofer lobe. The other three species of Tetramelasma have enlarged posterior and ventral pygofer lobes and very short plates. The male is distinguished by the elongate plate, short pygofer lobe and the protruding aedeagus ( Fig. 1a View FIGURE 1 ), that are recognized in situ. Shared features in males are the marking on the vertex, tubular aedeagus and dorsal structure on the plate. The female sternite 7 has a straight posterior margin and is more sclerotized than in other species ( Fig. 2b–d View FIGURE 2 ). In the other three species the sternite 7 of the female is deeply and widely notched, with pointed lateral apices.

The record from Jeffrey’s Bay, that is a coastal locality, is doubtful as the specimen might have remained in the collection vial from the previous collections. Deformities due to parasitism by Strepsiptera and Dryinidae in this species were more common than in the other species of Tetramelasma . Out of 23 dissected males, 5 have a distinct Y-shaped connective but variably fused plate and valve and altered plate shape.