Goniagnathus (Tropicognathus) zeylanicus, Viraktamath & Gnaneswaran, 2009

Viraktamath, C. A. & Gnaneswaran, R., 2009, Three new species of Goniagnathus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from the Indian subcontinent with description of a new subgenus, Zootaxa 2224 (1), pp. 51-59 : 57-59

Goniagnathus (Tropicognathus) zeylanicus sp. nov.

Figs 5, 6 , 19–24 .

Coloration similar to that in G. nepalicus but slightly darker with less intensity of reddish brown coloration. Head with anterior marginal creamy yellow band interrupted by dark brown patches, additional transverse stripe of connected dark brown spots posterior to submarginal solid dark brown stripe. Fore femora with three ill defined stripes dark brown.

Male genitalia: Pygophore with caudal lobe rounded, ventral and cephalic margins concave, without apodemes; dorsal appendage half as long as pygophore, caudally narrowed and slightly ventrally curved. Fused subgenital plate broad, rather rectangular, with straight caudal margin. Style with apex of apophysis bifid, mesal lobe shorter and more slender than outer lobe. Aedeagus with shaft bent dorsally at mid-length, with a pair of ventral and a pair of lateral appendages at point of bend; ventral pair of appendages longer than lateral pair and slightly exceeding apex of shaft; gonopore apical.

Female: Seventh sternite broader than long, caudo-lateral angles sub-prominent, hind margin shallowly concave with a median insinuation.

Measurements: Male 6.0 mm long, 2.5–2.6 mm wide across eyes; female 6.6 mm long, 2.6 mm wide across eyes.

Material examined: Holotype male, SRI LANKA: Galagethara , 30.i.2007, R. Gnaneswaran ( UASB) . Paratypes: 1 male, 1 female, data as for holotype ( BMNH, IAUP) .

Ramarks: G. zeylanicus externally resembles, G. fumosus , as they share the similar shape of the fused subgenital plate. However, in G. fumosus the styles exceed subgenital plate which is not the case in G. zeylanicus and the structure of the aedeagus in the two species is entirely different. This species resembles G. (T.) concavus in having both the dorsal and the ventral processes of aedeagal shaft arising at the same level, but differs from it in the shape and direction of the ventral process (compare Figures 22 and 13 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Habitus and face of species of Goniagnathus (Tropicognathus). 1&2. G. (T.) anufrievi sp. nov.; 3&4. G. (T.) nepalicus sp. nov.; 5&6. G. (T.) zeylanicus sp. nov.

FIGURES 19–24. Goniagnathus (Tropicognathus) zeylanicus sp. nov. 19. Pygophore lobe, lateral view; 20. Fused subgenital plate and style, dorsal view; 21. Style, lateral view; 22. Aedeagus, lateral view; 23. Aedeagus, caudal view; 24. Female seventh sternite.

FIGURES 7–13. Species of Goniagnathus (Tropicognathus): G. (T.) anufrievi sp. nov. 7. Pygophore lobe, lateral view; 8. Fused subgenital plate and style, dorsal view; 9. Aedeagus and part of style, lateral view; 10, 11. Dorsal and ventral views of apex of aedeagus; 12. Female seventh sternite. G. (T.) concavus: 13. Aedeagus lateral view (both dorsal and ventral processes of aedeagal shaft are paired).