Rufitidia forficata

Song, Yuehua & Li, Zizhong, 2009, First record of the leafhopper genus Rufitidia Dworakowska (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) from China, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 2306, pp. 66-68 : 67

Rufitidia forficata Song & Li sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–11 )

Vertex ( Fig. 1 ) yellow, with two small dark brown spots, whitish towards eyes. Coronal suture short, about 1/2 vertex middle length, a brownish patch on midline at apex of vertex. Pronotum anterior region and lateral regions yellow or brownish yellow, with irregular dark brown or black patterns; central part and posterior region from brownish to dark brownish. Face ( Fig. 2 ) frontoclypeus brownish, with areas of yellowish or whitish. Forewing ( Fig. 3 ) semitransparent, brownish white; clavus and adjacent areas darker. Hind wing submarginal vein not extended to wing apex ( Fig. 4 ).

Abdominal apodemes ( Fig. 5 ) large, extending to 4th sternite.

Male genitalia: Pygofer lobe ( Fig. 6 ) broad, with small group of microsetae at ventro-cephalic angle of lobe and others scattered near caudal margin. Dorsal appendage ( Fig. 6 ) immovably fused to margin, curved ventrally, slightly branched at apex, not extended beyond pygofer apex. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 7 ) elongated, acutely narrowing at apex, with 3 macrosetae not far from terminal part. Setosity near base absent. Style slim, apex sharp; preapical lobe small, cheliform. Aedeagus ( Figs. 9, 11 ) articulated to connective. Aedeagal shaft slightly curved dorsally in lateral view, with pair of small branched processes near base. Gonopore apical, on ventral surface. Connective ( Fig. 11 ) Y-shaped, arms long, central lobe absent, stem short and inflated.

Length: 3.3 mm.

Material examined: Holotype male: CHINA, Guizhou Prov. Mt. Leigong, Lianhuaping, 1400-2180 m, 15~16- (Nine)-2005, coll. Yuehua Song. Paratypes: one male, same data as holotype.

Remarks: The new species has all the general characteristics of Rufitidia trinotata Dworakowska, 1994 , but can be distinguished from the latter by (1) absence of terminal aedeagal processes; (2) pair of branched processes arising more distad along aedeagal shaft; (3) gonopore apical; (4) connective without central lobe between two arms; (5) abdominal apodemes large, extending to 4th sternite.

Etymology: The specific name is derived from the Latin word “ forficata ” (bifurcate, branched), referring to the new species aedeagal shaft with a pair of small bifurcate processes subbasally ( Figs. 9, 10 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 - 11. Rufitidia forficata sp. nov. 1. Head and thorax, dorsal view. 2. Face. 3. Forewing. 4. Hind wing. 5. Abdominal apodemes. 6. Pygofer lobe, lateral view. 7. Subgenital plate. 8. Style. 9. Aedeagus, ventral view. 10. Aedeagus, lateral view. 11. Connective.