Nesophrosyne aakokohaikea

Bennett, Gordon M & O’Grady, Patrick M, 2011, Review of the native Hawaiian leafhopper genus Nesophrosyne (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with description of eight new species associated with Broussaisia arguta (Hydrangeaceae), Zootaxa 2805, pp. 1-25 : 18-19

aakokohaikea species subgroup

( Figs. 7 d–e & 9)

Diagnosis. Dark species, with pale coloration restricted to claval veins, scutellum, and posterior edge of crown. Pygofer apex bluntly pointed, rising at 1/3 height from base; basal lobe present, reduced. Aedeagal arms without thickening angular bend. Style with elongate, hooked thin posterior processes; preapical lobe flat. Endemic to Hawai’i Island.

Description. Dorsum: Dark species, appearing almost entirely black except for articulated pale pigmentation along claval veins. Crown dark, with thin pale line along length of posterior margin (see Figs. 7 d–e & 9a). Pronotum and mesonotum dark. Scutellum pale, usually with longitudinal dark line extending to posterior apex. Forewings predominately dark, with veins and cells mostly obfuscate. Clavus with veins irregularly pale, often with disjunct pigmentation at anterior intersection of claval veins; darkest forms with pale veins extending form commissural line as two thin lines curved anterad; palest species with pale pigmentation bleeding throughout clavus from center, appearing predominately pale.

Venter: Hind femora and base of tarsal segments dark, rest pale.

Genitalia: Pygofer ( Fig. 9 b) bluntly pointed at 1/3 height from base; ventral lobe reduced, edge flat and angled posteroventrad; dorsal edge flat; 12 macrosete. Aedeagus ( Fig. 9 c,f,g) with apodeme appearing pointed; aedeagal arms splayed widely. Style ( Fig. 9 e) with thin posterior hook approximately 1/3 length of style; preapical lobe flat with microsete, slightly slanted; medial lobe with nearly straight edge extending towards posterior processes; microsete present. Connective ( Fig. 9 d) anterior ends of arms straight and pointed.

Distribution. USA: Hawaiian Islands, Hawai’i, ~ 820m – 1520m, wet forest (see Fig. 3 ).

Etymology. The name chosen for this species subgroup is adopted from one of its constituent species.

Discussion. The aakokohaikea species subgroup is closely related to the broussaisiai species subgroup endemic to Maui ( Fig. 3 ), showing genetic sub-structuring according to volcanic mountains similar to the Maui species (COII % divergence avg. = 9.23%; Table 1). The Hawai’i Island sibling species are difficult to discern morphologically, as no consistent characters differentiate the lineages, except for subtle color variation on the clavus. Sampling for this study is limited to two geographic ranges or volcanic mountains: Kohala Range and Mauna Loa. Further investigation of other mountain ranges (e.g., Mauna Kea and Hualālai) would undoubtedly reveal other sibling species to be placed in the aakokohaikea species subgroup.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Partitioned Maximum Likelihood phylogeny of Nesophrosyne (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) species reconstructed in RAxML-VI-HPC v 7.2.5 under a GTR + I + Γ likelihood model with 100 bootstrap partitions. Gene partitions are according to the mitochondrial genome (COII, 16 s) and nuclear genome (H 3, Wingless). Subsections A & B highlight species relationships of newly described species occurring on the host plant Broussaisia arguta. A) Silhouette of full Maximum Likelihood phylogeny results. B) Nesophrosyne heopoko’s associated with other species on Kaua’i. C) Relationships of the species within the kanawao species group on Maui and Hawai’i. The numbers above branches are bootstrap support values.

FIGURE 7. Dorsal habitus of the species comprising the kanawao species group: A. N. broussaisiai, B. N. ogradyi, C. N. kaupoi, D. N. kanawao, and E. N. aakokohaikea.

FIGURE 9. Nesophrosyne aakokohaikea endemic to Hawai’i Island, Mauna Loa South Slope: a. dorsum; b. male pygofer; c. aedeagus ventral view; d. connective; e. style; f. aedeagus posterior view; and, g. aedeagus lateral view.