Yelahanka canaraica, Viraktamath & Webb & Yeshwanth, 2021

Viraktamath, C. A., Webb, M. D. & Yeshwanth, H. M., 2021, Leafhopper subfamily Ledrinae of the Indian subcontinent: 1. Description of Yelahanka gen. nov. (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with seven new species and new combinations, Zootaxa 4915 (4), pp. 451-480 : 454

Yelahanka canaraica sp. nov.

Figs 1 A–D, 6 A–B, 8 A, 9 A–D, 10 A–I.

Reddish brown with yellowish white markings. Crown yellowish white with posterior region reddish brown slightly widening laterally. Face yellowish brown, with dark brown lateral areas dorsad of antennal bases. Pronotum reddish brown, anterior half slightly darker in shade and interrupted by yellowish white on short longitudinal ridges, posterior margin also slightly darker. Mesonotum more or less yellowish brown with raised crests paler. Forewing inner margin including clavus and apical margin with brown broad band, rest of wing hyaline with brownish tinge. Ventral areas of thorax and abdomen yellowish brown and in one specimen with distinct reddish tinge.

Head deflected slightly downwards, crown shorter in male compared to female, 0.35 (male) to 0.45 (female) times as long as wide between eyes. Ocelli in female about as close to each other as to adjacent eye but in male closer to each other than to adjacent eye. Pronotum anteriorly foveate, foveae interrupted by short ridges, posterior region gibbous, lateral margin divergent posteriorly, anterior margin more or less straight, posterior submargin tuberculate with tubercles sometimes running into transverse rows, about 2.4 (male) to 1.8 (female) times as long as crown. Mesonotum punctate, slightly shorter than median length of pronotum; mesoscutum with lateral longitudinal short crest on either side of median line and scutellum with median longitudinal crest. Forewing outer claval vein raised and keeled from base to point of separation from inner claval vein distally, distal region raised and corrugated; inner margin of forewing raised with corrugated surface to obliquely truncate wing tip. Hind tibia with 2 macrosetae on row PD.

Male genitalia. Pygofer slightly longer than height in lateral view, with rounded caudal angle; ventral process short, somewhat stout, arising on ventroposterior region close to dorsal margin and exceeding dorsal margin. Subgenital plates exceeding pygofer in lateral view, with conically rounded apex. Style with slightly broader midregion, distal end of apophysis broadened, ventrally curved into short blunt beak-like process. Aedeagus with well-developed dorsal apodeme, shaft long, curved dorsally and then anteriorly of uniform width for most part in lateral view and broadened in distal quarter both in lateral and posterior view, with angular ventrally directed projection, without other processes; gonopore apical. Segment X with ventroposterior extension almost as long as anal style in lateral view.

Female. Female sternite VII and valvula I as in generic description. Valvula II with three teeth, more proximal tooth short and the second one longest ( Fig. 9D ).

Measurements. Male 5.0– 5.4 mm long, 1.9–2.0 mm wide across eyes and 2.1–2.2 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum. Female 6.3 mm long, 2.2 mm wide across eyes and 2.4 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE, ♂, INDIA: Karnataka: Dakshina Kannada: Vittla , 60m, 20 o 45.814’N, 74 o 06.095’ E, 29.ix.2011, A. N. Reddy, light trap ( UASB) . PARATYPES: INDIA: 1♂ same data as holotype ( BMNH), 1♂ same data as holotype except 20.xi.2008, Yeshwanth, H.M.; 1 ♀, Kerala: KFRI , Nilambur, 11 o 18.086’N, 76 o 15.037’ E, Yeshwanth ( UASB) .

Etymology. The species is named after the Canara region from where it has been collected.

Remarks. Y. canaraica sp. nov. is very distinctive among the species of Yelahanka in having three crests on the mesonotum in both sexes and also has very distinctive coloration.

Figures

FIGURES 1 A–J. Species habitus of Yelahanka gen. nov. A–D, Y. canaraica sp. nov.: A–B, male, dorsal and lateral views; C–D, female, dorsal and lateral views. E–F, Y. kodaiensis sp. nov., male, dorsal and lateral views. G–H, Y. montana sp. nov., male, dorsal and lateral views. I–J, Y. nepalica sp. nov., male, dorsal and lateral views.

FIGURES 9 A–L. Ovipositors of species of Yelahanka gen. nov. A–D, Y. canaraica sp. nov., valvula I (A–B) and valvula II (C–D); E–H, Y. kodaiensis sp. nov., valvula I (E–F) and valvula II (G–H); I–L, Y. punctata (Walker), valvula I (I–J) and valvula II (K–L).