Hecalus hamiltoni, Zahniser & Dietrich, 2013

Zahniser, James N. & Dietrich, Chris H., 2013, A review of the tribes of Deltocephalinae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 45, pp. 1-211 : 184-185

Hecalus hamiltoni sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1E2332E7-7260-41B4-81B5-70077EBA59C5

Fig. 28 A-B, D-I

Diagnosis

Males of H. hamiltoni can be distinguished from other species of the genus by the aedeagus with very distinctive long lamellate process arising ventromedially.All other species have shorter processes arising apically or subapically.

Etymology

This species is named in honor of Dr. K.G.A. Hamilton, who has contributed greatly to the taxonomy of North American Deltocephalinae and whose recent revision of the New World Hecalini facilitated the discovery of this species.

Type material

Holotype

♂, USA, CA, Riverside Co., Rt. 37 1 mi E jct 79, Aguanga 6, 75 m, N 33°27’18” – W 116°51’34”, 24 Apr. 1998, RA Rakitov & CH Dietrich sweeping, 98-035, coll. INHS.

Paratypes

1 ♂, USA, CA, San Diego County Rd., S 1 mile 15, 1479 m, 32°49’33” N – 116°29’45” W, 23 Apr. 1998, C.H. Dietrich, vacuum, 98-031; 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀ and 1 nymph, USA, CA, San Diego Co., Kitchen Crk. near Cibbets Flat Cmpgd., 32°46’54” N – 116°26’39” W, 23 Apr. 1998, C.H. Dietrich, vacuum, 98-029. Two additional nymphs from the last locality are stored in ethanol at INHS. All specimens deposited at INHS.

Description

SIZE. ♂ 5.7-5.8 mm, ♀ 7.5-8.9 mm.

COLOR. Generally yellow to orangish-yellow.

BODY. Head produced; narrower than pronotum. Crown slightly shorter than least width between eyes; texture completely shagreen, basal half more shiny.Anterior margin of head foliaceous; slightly upturned; in male, anterior margin colored white with fuscous above and below. Face of male mostly fuscous, lighter anteriorly and near sutures; face of female yellow. Legs and ventral sclerites of male fuscous to dark brown, of female yellow. Pronotum lateral margin longer than width of eye; carinate. Forewing of male reaching mid-length of pygofer, slightly darkened apically; forewing of female reaching apex of final pregenital tergite, not darkened apically; outer anteapical cell long, expanded apically; with several extra straight costal veins arising from outer anteapical cell. Hindwings of male smoky, of female not strongly colored.

MALE. Pygofer pointed dorsoapically; broadly rounded ventrally; narrowly incised dorsally, incision not reaching midlength of pygofer; with numerous macrosetae and some smaller setae. Subgenital plates long; uniseriate laterally and with some smaller scattered setae and short fine setae near apex. Connective Y -shaped; stem very short. Style very broad basally; preapical lobe distinct, rounded; apophysis slender, pointed apically. Aedeagus laterally compressed; shaft robust, serrate ventrally; gonopore apical; with pair of long lamellate processes arising ventromedially, extending dorsally and recurved; processes serrate ventrally. Segment X basal half sclerotized dorsally and laterally; apical half membranous. With small pair of sclerites in tissue connecting aedeagus and segment X.

FEMALE. Sternite VII broadly rounded; slightly undulate. Ovipositor protruding from pygofer.

Remarks

The aedeagal processes became somewhat more coiled after soaking in KOH.

Figures

Fig. 28. Hecalini (Hecalina). A–B, D–I. Hecalus hamiltoni sp. nov. C. Hecalus viridis (Uhler, 1877). J. Attenuipyga platyrhynchus (Osborn, 1894). A1, ♂. A2, ♀. A–I. Standard views (see Material & Methods). J. Ventral views of sternites I and II. s1ap = apodeme of sternite I, s2ap = apodeme of sternite II.