Deremeces, Sanborn, 2021

Sanborn, Allen F., 2021, The cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea: Cicadidae) of Madagascar including a new tribe, five new genera, twelve new species, four new species synonymies, five revised species status, ten new combinations, new tribal assignments for four genera, one new subtribe synonymy, a checklist and key to the species, Zootaxa 4937 (1), pp. 1-79 : 58-59

Deremeces n. gen.

Type species.— Deremeces andringitraensis n. gen., n. sp. (7 km W of Sendrisoa, N of Andringitra National Park , 21° 57.96’S, 46° 55.95’E, elev 1485 m, Fianarantsoa Province, southeastern Madagascar)

Species included.— Deremeces andringitraensis n. gen., n. sp.

Etymology.—The name is a combination of Dere – (Gr. dere, neck, throat) and – meces (Gr. mekos, length) in reference to the elongated pronotum of the only known species of the genus. The genus is feminine.

Description

Small sized cicada (body length about 12.55 mm, wingspan about 31.6 mm). Head not as wide as mesonotum, head and postclypeus triangular, eyes round, just wider than anterolateral pronotum, not as wide as pronotal collar lateral angle, anterolateral vertex narrow, supra-antennal plate reaching most of distance to eye, vertex at area of ocelli shorter than frons, lateral ocelli about same distance from each other as to eyes, higher than median ocellus in frontal view, supra-antennal plate postclypeus at oblique anterior angle, dorsal postclypeus about half as long as dorsal vertex, slightly wider than long, postclypeus inflated ventrally, broadly sulcate, rostrum reaching posterior of middle coxae. Pronotum about as long as mesonotum anterior to cruciform elevation, dorsal pronotal collar width much less than diameter of eye, lateral part of pronotal collar adpressed to pronotum, lateral angles of pronotal collar dilated with curved apex, cruciform elevation smoothly arched posteriorly, central dome wider than long. Dorsal metanotum exposed, metanotum extends laterally beyond wing groove. Fore femora with three spines, primary spine adpressed to femur, tarsi three-segmented, meracanthus triangular, curved mediad, extending over anterior operculum. Male operculum completely encapsulating meracanthus, domed laterally, almost covering tympanal cavity not reaching to anterior of abdominal sternite II, medial margins separated. Fore wings and hind wing hyaline with eight and six apical cells respectively, fore wings about 2.78X longer than broad, pterostigma absent, infuscation absent. Fore wing basal cell about five times longer than broad, fore wing cubitus anterior slightly arched distally, medial cell wider than cubital cell, medial cell angled around base of ulnar cell 3, median and cubitus anterior veins arising separately from basal cell, radial and radiomedial crossveins obliquely angled, medial and mediocubital crossveins straight, mediocubital crossvein intersects cubitus anterior 1 so that distal portion is shortest. Hind wing without infuscation, base of median and radius posterior veins fused, width of distal cubital cell 1 greater than width of distal cubital cell 2, anal cell 3 about two-thirds length of anal cell 2, anal vein 3 curving to distal terminus. Abdomen length greater than distance from anterior postclypeus to posterior cruciform elevation, abdominal tergites 2 and 3 longer than tergites 4–7, tergite 3 widest, lateral margins narrowing posteriorly to genitalia, sternite II with anterior extension over posterior tympanal cavity, epipleurites rounded to ventral surface. Timbal cover absent, timbal exposed, timbal extending below wing base, tympana almost concealed by opercula. Male sternite abdominal VIII V-shaped when viewed from posterior with rounded posterior margin. Pygofer distal shoulder well developed, curving posterolaterad to terminal point, dorsal beak broadly triangular with rounded terminus longer than anal styles, pygofer upper lobe absent, pygofer basal lobe well-developed extending about half pygofer length with triangular apex, adpressed to lateral pygofer, median uncus lobe undivided, dominating uncus, broad, concave, with rounded posterolateral margins, distal margin sinuate, lateral uncus lobes reduced, lateral flange about half length of uncus, claspers absent, male aedeagus tubular spatulate distally.

Measurements (mm).—Length of body: 12.55; length of fore wing: 13.90; width of fore wing: 5.00; length of head: 1.95; width of head including eyes: 3.50; width of pronotum including suprahumeral plates: 4.30; width of mesonotum: 3.80.

Diagnosis.— Deremeces n. gen. can be distinguished from Anopercalna by the presence of well-developed opercula in species of the new genus quickly. The inflated and anteriorly extended postclypeus quickly distinguishes species of Cephalalna Boulard, 2006a . The angled fore wing medial cell wing distinguishes Deremeces n. gen. from Malagasia , Anopercalna , Malgachialna Boulard, 1980b , Viettealna Boulard, 1980a , Ligymolpa Karsch, 1890 , and Malgotilia Boulard, 1890b . The postclypeus extending anterior to the supra-antennal plates distinguishes the new genera from Malgachialna and Viettealna . The lack of infuscation in the fore wings distinguishes the new genus from Viettealna and Malgotilia , Ligymolpa can be distinguished by the fore wing basal cell being about twice as long as broad, the narrow central sulcus extending onto the dorsal postclypeus, and the pygofer distal shoulder forming a finger-like extension on either side of the uncus.

The South African genera Nyara Villet, 1999 and Quintilia Stål, 1866 are the other genera currently assigned to the Malagasiini . Nyara can be distinguished by the bulbous postclypeus, parallel sides of the pronotum, curved costal margin along the fore wing ulnar cell, the elliptical fore wings, and the greater posteromedial angle to the timbal. Quintilia can be distinguished by the fore wings being about three times longer than broad, fore wing apical cells 1 and 2 about the same length, the basal cell being about twice as long as wide, there may be infuscation or coloration in the wings, postclypeus not extending or barely extending beyond supra-antennal plate, and the conical abdomen.

Distribution.—The only known species of the genus is endemic to Madagascar.