Taphura maculata, Sanborn, 2011

Sanborn, Allen F., 2011, Checklist of the cicadas of French Guiana including new records and the description of nine new species (Insecta, Hemiptera, Cicadoidea, Cicadidae), Zoosystema 33 (3), pp. 377-418 : 411-414

Taphura maculata n. sp.

( Fig. 9 ; Table 9)

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype: “ FRENCH GUIANA / Belizone , Montagues de / Tortue, 427 mx/ 4°14’42”N 52° 35’06”W / 27 Jan.-6 Febr. 2003 / H. von Schmeling ”, 1 ♂ ( UGCA).

Paratypes: same data as holotype, 1 ♀ ( UGCA), 1 ♀ ( AFSC). — “FR. GUIANA: Hwy N2 to/ Regina, 67 km. s. of / Cayenne, 6-VI-1986 / E. G. Riley & D. A. Rider // LSAM / 0153907”, 1 ♂ ( LSAM). Tegmina and wings were stuck together and damaged during collection or processing.

ETYMOLOGY. — The species is named for the spots on the dorsal head.

DISTRIBUTION. — The species is only known from French Guiana.

DIAGNOSIS. — The male genitalia, particularly the bent upper pygofer lobe, quickly separate male specimens of T. maculata n. sp. from other species of Taphura as each species has highly unique genitalia.All species are generally similar in size and appearance. The spots on the head differentiate this species from all but T. boulardi n. sp.: the spots are connected into a “W” on the dorsal head of T.egeri n. sp. and the remaining Taphura species have transverse piceous marks across the dorsal head; if this transverse mark is incomplete, there are black marks laterally between the lateral ocelli and eye which are absent in T. boulardi n. sp. Taphura boulardi n. sp. specimens are larger and have piceous markings on the lateral disc of the pronotum. Females can be differentiated from the other species of Taphura species except T. misella ( Stål, 1854) , as the anal styles are found at the widest point of gonapophysis X, while the broadest portion of gonapophysis X is beyond the anal styles in the other species of Taphura . Sternite VII is doubly notched in T. egeri n. sp. and T. boulardi n. sp. but a single V-shaped notch in T. misella and T. maculata n. sp. Female T. misella can be differentiated from female T. maculata n. sp. by the transverse black marks on the dorsal head.

DESCRIPTION

Ground color tawny and ferruginous, may have been altered by chemical exposure during capture or transport.

Head slightly wider than mesonotum, tawny with fuscous spots posterior to median ocellus on vertex at level of median ocellus and posterolateral to lateral ocelli, ground color ferruginous tawny in one paratype. Ocelli golden or marked with rosaceus. Eyes golden. Ventral head ground color. Postclypeus ground color, darker on lateral surfaces, with eight transverse grooves. Short white pile on lateral postclypeus and anteclypeus in paratype. Anteclypeus ground color, one paratype with posterior half darker. Rostrum with ochraceous mentum, labium tawny becoming darker towards piceous tip, reaching to middle trochanters. Scape and annulus on distal pedicel ground color, remaining antennal segments fuscous.

Dorsal thorax ground color. Piceous mark along either side of ochraceous midline, curving anteriorly and posteriorly before margins, anterior extension expanding onto anterior disc anterior to paramedian fissure, smaller in paratypes. Small fuscous mark between anterior paramedian and lateral fissures. Pronotal collar ochraceous, lateral portion absent. Mesonotum ground color with darker submedian and lateral sigillae, darkness varies in paratypes. Metanotum ground color. Sparse, long golden pile between anterior arms of cruciform elevation. Ventral thoracic segments ground color, except darker basisternum 2, trochantin 2, basisternum 3, trochantin 3, and medial spot on episternum 2.

Tegmina and wings hyaline, tegmina with eight apical cells, hind wing with five apical cells. Venation ground color, becoming testaceous distally, except testaceous anal vein 2 + 3. Venation ferruginous ochraceous proximally in one paratype. Basal membrane gray. Hind wing venation ochraceous proximally, testaceous distally. Vanal fold, anal cell 3 and anal cell 2 along anal veins 2 and 3 gray.

Legs ground color, darker on central coxae, trochanters, femora, distal tibiae and distal pretarsus. Fore femora with four oblique spines, becoming smaller distally. Pretarsal claws fuscous, base green in one paratype. Tibial spurs and comb ground color with piceous tips.

Opercula ground color. Male operculum with lateral margin straight curving to obliquely angled posterior margin to rounded medial margin and straight anteromedial margin, reaching to middle of tympanal cavity. Medial margin extending to medial margin of meracanthus. Meracanthus ground color, not reaching anteromedial margin of operculum. Female operculum with notched lateral margin, slightly curved posterior margin, terminating medially at meracanthus reaching to anterior margin of sternite II.

Abdomen ground color, darker areas on lateral tergites and sternites in one paratype.Timbal with six ribs.

Male pygofer ground color with fuscous dorsal beak and margin between dorsal beak and upper lobe of pygofer. Pygofer upper lobe extended and bent dorsally at approximate right angle. Median uncus lobes very small around fuscous anal styles. Aedeagus dark tawny, proportionately large.

Female genitalia ground color, abdominal segment 9 darker on lateral base and ventrally along medial margin at base, gonocoxite IX darker at constriction around gonapophysis VII. Sternite VII with a single notch, darker than other sternites.Dorsal beak extending to level of anal styles. Dorsal beak produces acute angle with posterior margin of abdominal segment 9. Ovipositor sheath extends beyond dorsal beak.

Measurements: see Table 9.

Figures

FIG. 9. — Taphura maculata n. sp.: A, holotype ♂ and paratype ♀ habitus; B, holotype ♂ dorsum; C, holotype ♂ timbal; D, holotype ♂ operculum; E, paratype ♀ operculum; F, holotype ♂ lateral view of genitalia; G, paratype ♂ posterior view of genitalia; H, paratype ♀ lateral view of genitalia; I, paratype ♀ ventral view of genitalia. Scale bars: A, 1 cm; B-I, 1 mm.