Orosius aegypticus Ghauri, 2019

El-Sonbati, Saad A., Wilson, Michael R. & Al Dhafer, Hathal M., 2019, Revision of the leafhopper genus Orosius Distant, 1918 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Opsiini) in the Arabian Peninsula with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 4565 (1), pp. 37-48 : 39-43

Orosius aegypticus Ghauri stat. rev.

( Figs 1–4 , 21–23 , 33–35 , 45–47 )

Orosius aegypticus Ghauri, 1966: 250

Description. In addition to generic characters, the specific characters are:

Body length: 3.0 mm.

Male genitalia: Pygofer broadly rounded posteriorly, with irregular setae over posterior half ( Fig. 35 ); valve is free to pygofer, triangular shape, articulation of valve with pygofer pointed ( Fig. 46 ); subgenital plate with one row of macrosetae near margin, with stout membranous finger-like process on mesal edge of posterior margin ( Fig. 34 ); style bent, inflated at base, with strong apex, very weak developed preapical lobe ( Fig. 33 ); connective articulated with aedeagus close to U shape very reduced ( Fig. 23 ); anal tube appendages articulated to posterodorsal margin of pygofer laterally, form end like spine, arising from base of anal tube ( Fig. 45 ); aedeagal shafts arising from inflate base, Shafts branches extent with parallel, apices of branches slightly curved inward, lateral view with bulbous base a abruptly narrowed next to base, branches almost equal the base, with significant curve preapically, with pointed apex ( Figs 21–22 ).

Female genitalia: female 7th sternite approximately 3 times as broad at base as long medially, with sinuous posterior margin, posterior margin with lobe with slightly median V-shape notch in middle ( Fig. 47 ); numerous macrosetae on pygofer.

Specimens examined: Holotype ♂. EGYPT: Siwa , 12.v.1935, (J. Omer-Cooper), Armstrong College Expedition BM. 1935-354, in ( BMNH), holotype ♂ bearing a determination label Orosius cellulosus Lindberg. by W. Wagner, 1955. Additional specimens: 1♂ KSA: Al Aflag, Al Naifiyah, Farshet Sheaal: 22°24.591’N, 46°35.555’E, 594m, 15. X. 2015, Light trap, H. Al Dhafer, M. Abdel-Dayem, A. El-Torky; A. El-Gharbawy, A. Soliman.

Distribution: Egypt ( Ghauri, 1966), Saudi Arabia (present study).

Ecology and biology. This species considered very rare. The only two records of this species suggest that the May in Egypt and October in Saudi Arabia may be a suitable time to collect more of this species ( Fig. 60 ) and to discover more on the ecology and biology of this species.

Diagnosis: O. aegypticus can be easily separated from all other members in the genus Orosius by: style, connective and aedeagus. Style bent, inflated at base, with strong apex, very weak developed preapical lobe ( Fig. 33 ); connective articulated with aedeagus close to U shape very reduced ( Fig. 23 ); aedeagal shafts arising from inflate base ( Figs 21–22 ).

Comments. Orosius aegypticus was described by Ghauri (1966) from a single male from Egypt. While considering it a distinct species based on the aedeagus structure Ghauri considered that it might be an aberrant form of Orosius albicinctus . However, the same form of aedeagus was recorded from Pakistan ( Khatri & Webb, 2010, Khatri, et al., 2011) based on a single male and was concluded to be a valid species. Female specimens were also assigned to be this species. Fletcher et al. (2016) used some of these females in their molecular analysis of Orosius in Australia. These specimens aligned to albicinctus and on this result they based their proposed synonymy of aegypticus with albicinctus . It cannot be certain that these females were conspecific with the male recorded as aegypticus . They could just have easily been albicinctus . Since we have now found male Orosius specimens in KSA that are identical with the aegypticus type we consider that the species should continue to be regarded as distinct. Clearly further molecular analysis based on males may resolve the position.

Figures

FIGURES 1–20. Genus Orosius spp., 1‾4. O. aegypticus Ghauri, 1966 stat. rev., 1, dorsal view; 2, lateral view; 3, dorsal view of head and thorax; 4, face; 5‾8. O. albicinctus Distant 1918, 5, dorsal view; 6, lateral view; 7, dorsal view of head and thorax; 8, face; 9‾12. O. cellulosus (Lindberg, 1927), 9, dorsal view; 10, lateral view; 11, dorsal view of head and thorax; 12, face; 13‾20, O. viraktamathi sp. n., 13, dorsal view (from KSA); 14, lateral view (from KSA); 15, dorsal view of head and thorax (from KSA); 16, face (from KSA), 17, dorsal view (from Oman); 18, lateral view (from Oman); 19, dorsal view of head and thorax (from Oman); 20, face (from Oman).

FIGURES 21–32. 21‾23. O. aegypticus Ghauri, 1966 stat. rev., 21, Aedeagus dorsal view, 22, Lateral view; 23, Connective; 24‾26. O. albicinctus Distant 1918, 24, Aedeagus dorsal view, 25, Lateral view; 26, Connective; 27‾29. O. cellulosus (Lindberg, 1927), 27, Aedeagus dorsal view, 28, Lateral view; 29, Connective; 30‾32. O. viraktamathi sp. n., 30, Aedeagus dorsal view, 31, Lateral view; 32, Connective.

FIGURES 33–44. 33‾35. O. aegypticus Ghauri, 1966 stat. rev., 33, Style, 34, Subgenital plate; 35, Pygofer; 36‾38. O. albicinctus Distant 1918, 36, Style, 37, Subgenital plate; 38, Pygofer; 39‾41. O. cellulosus (Lindberg, 1927), 39, Style, 40, Subgenital plate; 41, Pygofer; 42‾44. O. viraktamathi sp. n., 42, Style, 43, Subgenital plate; 44, Pygofer.

FIGURES 45–56. 45‾47. O. aegypticus Ghauri, 1966 stat. rev., 45, Anal tube, 46, Valve; 47, ♀ 7th sternite; 48‾50. O. albicinctus Distant 1918, 48, Anal tube, 49, Valve; 50, ♀ 7th sternite; 51‾53. O. cellulosus (Lindberg, 1927), 51, Anal tube, 52, Valve; 53, ♀ 7th sternite; 54‾56. O. viraktamathi sp. n., 54, Anal tube, 55, Valve; 56, ♀ 7th sternite.

FIGURES 57–62. 57‾58. Distribution of Orosius spp, 57, World distribution, 58, Local distribution; 59‾62. Habitats of Orosius spp. 59, Type locality: Rhodet Khorim, KSA. 60, Type locality: Al Aflag, Al Naifiyah, Farshet Sheaal, KSA. 60, Baha: Shada Al Ala Protectorate, KSA. 62, Type locality: Al-Dakheliah Gov., Samail, Al-Afiah, Oman.