Apollo maculiceps, Holzinger & Löcker, 2023

Holzinger, Werner E. & Löcker, Birgit, 2023, First record of the tribe Oecleini in Australia (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae) with the description of a new genus and species, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 63 (2), pp. 349-361 : 352-353

Apollo maculiceps sp. nov.

( Figs 1B–H , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5A–C , 6 , 7 ) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CA02A172-1279-450E-AB37-072DC854D6D0 Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, AUSTRALIA, WA: Yanchep Nat Pk, N of Perth, caught in spiderweb, 15.x.2003, M. Moir (WAM, ASCTHE025998). PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA, WA: 1J 2♀♀, same data as holotype (1 ♀ WAM; 1 J 1 ♀ MLM); 2 JJ, Yanchep, 32 mls N of Perth, 13–23.xi.1935, R.E.Turner (BMNH); 1J, Yarragil 4P Catchment via Dwellingup, Malaise trap, 20–27.xi.1980, A. Postle (QDPI); 2 JJ 1 ♀, same data except for 11–18.xii.1980 (QDPI); 2 ♀♀, same data except for 11–18.i.1981 (QDPI); 28 JJ 43♀♀ 1 ex. (abdomen missing),Wal[y] unga Natl. Park, 40 km NE of Perth, 22–24.x.1987, Mike E. Irwin (26 JJ 43 ♀♀ CAS; 2 JJ originally CAS, donated to ASCU); 39 JJ 137 ♀♀ 2 exx. (abdomen missing), same data except for 26–29.x.1987 (33 JJ 127 ♀♀ 2 exx. CAS; 3JJ 5 ♀♀ originally CAS, donated to ASCU; 3 JJ 5 ♀♀ originally CAS, donated to ANIC); 5 JJ 17 ♀♀, same data except for 24.xi.1987 (CAS); 2 ♀♀, same data except for 5.xi.1987, M.E. Irwin & E.I. Schlinger (CAS); 1 ♀, Yalgorup Nat. Park, Martins Tank C[a]mpgr[ou]nd, 15 m, 32°50′41″S 115°40′08″E, Gahnia trifida , 14.xii.1997, Schuh, Cassis, Brailovsky (AMS).

Description. Colour. Head and pronotum yellowish, mesonotum orange-yellowish, with the following dark markings (dark brown or black): vertex with two dark longitudinal stripes which extend onto mesonotum, pronotum with dark areas anterior to submedian (= postocular) carinae, frons with a dark spot near top of head. Legs and body yellowish apart from mid to dark brown tergites. Forewing hyaline light brown; tubercles and veins concolorous with cells; dark markings on ScP, several marks near apical margin of wing and a large, ovoid mark around branches of MP that is connected to several darkened sections of the veins MP and CuA.

Morphology. Body length:JJ 3.4–4.0 mm; ♀♀ 3.5–4.3 mm.

Head. Vertex 1.3–1.7× longer than wide. Frons 1.4–1.6× longer than wide; median carina of frons well developed in most parts of frons but absent or evanescent near frontoclypeal suture; lateral carinae of frons in facial view convex, evenly rounded.

Thorax. Forewing 3.4–3.7× longer than wide; costal margin with 5–12 tubercles; fork of ScP+RA distinctly basad of fork CuA1 and CuA2; tubercles of forewing dark or pale, concolorous with veins; icu, where it inserts at CuA, slightly to distinctly basad of apex of clavus; icu, where it inserts at CuP (clavus), at same level as apex of clavus; RA apically unforked; RP trifid; MP1+2 trifid, MP3+4 unforked; CuA unforked (CuA2 branch absent). Hind leg: first tarsomere with 9 (rarely 8) apical teeth and without platellae. All teeth in a row except for 4 th and 6 th set back. Second tarsomere with 8 apical teeth and without platellae, but with up to 3 very fine setae.

Male genitalia. Anal tube with anal style long; remain- der of segment 11 minute, sometimes barely protruding from the apex of anal tube ( Figs 3F , 4D–E ). Pygofer and genital styles as in Figs 3E–G and 4F–G , ventromedian process very thin and long, protruding almost as far as genital styles ( Figs 3E , 4F ). Aedeagus ( Figs 3A–D , 4A–C ) with phallotheca (= periandrium) left laterally with large curved spine ( Figs 4A–C : a) directed caudally, arising at midlength of phallotheca; ventrally at midlength with a thin sclerotised ridge. Flagellum (= endosoma) short, directed caudo-laterally; dorsally with spine ( Figs 4B, C : c) with a thick base and spine ( Figs 4A–C : b) with a thin base.

Female genitalia. Ovipositor, pygofer (tergite IX) and anal tube as in Figs 1B–E . Ovipositor sabre-shaped (curved upwards), protruding as far as or slightly further than anal style. Anal style (= epiproct) long; remainder of segment 11 minute, sometimes barely protruding from the apex of the anal tube. Anal tube ventrally at base with a longitudinal groove covering more than half of the length of anal tube. Pygofer orthopteroid, with a deep longitudinal groove; wax plate absent.

Etymology. From Latin macula = spot and -ceps = referring to the head; noun in apposition. The species is very distinctive because of the black apex of the head.

Ecology. Jean and Fred Hort photographed large numbers of Apollo maculiceps feeding on Macrozamia riedlei (Fischer ex Gaudich.) C.A. Gardner , the “Zamia palm”, a cycad species ( Zamiaceae , Cycadales ) endemic to southern Western Australia ( Fig. 7 ). The species could therefore be monophagous or oligophagous on Zamiaceae . The only other plant record associated with A. maculiceps is from a single specimen found on Gahnia trifida Labill. , a native tussock-forming perennial sedge ( Cyperaceae ).

Distribution. Coastal and inland areas of south Western Australia (IBRA Bioregions: Swan Coastal Plain, Jarrah Forest) ( Fig. 6 ).

Discussion

The forewing venation is unique in Apollo : the fused ScP+R branch is very long (much longer than in many other Oecleini , see e.g. HOLZINGER 2009 and LE CESNE et al. 2022), the posterior branch of MP is not forked, and the diamond-shaped cell C5 is absent. The hindwing venation shows an “I-type” fusion of MP3+4 and CuA1 (sensu LE CESNE et al. 2022), and a – rather untypical – absence of the bifurcation of MP1 and MP2.

Oecleini species use a wide variety of host plants. Many species are mono- or oligophagous and feed on palms ( Arecaceae ) e.g. Fipsianus spp. , Haplaxius spp. , Myndodus spp. , Myndus spp. , Myxia sp. , Oecleus spp. , Volcanalia spp. – some of them transmit lethal yellowing ( JULIA 1982, HOWARD 1987, WILSON 1988, HOLZINGER et al. 2002, HOLZINGER 2009, MYRIE et al. 2019). Other species from Indian Ocean islands are known to feed on Pandanaceae (e.g. Borbonomyndus spp. , Volcanalia p.p.; ATTIḖ et al. 2008, Holzinger unpubl.). Apollo maculiceps is – as far as we know – the first Cixiidae species associated with a Zamiaceae species.

Figures

Fig. 1. Nesochlamys contrarius Löcker, 2010: A – vertex (from LÖCKER et al. 2010). Apollo maculiceps sp. nov.: B–E – female genitalia; F – hind leg; G–H – denticle on fore coxa. Latissima isleyensis Löcker, 2020: I – fore coxa without denticle.

Fig. 2. Apollo maculiceps sp. nov.: A–B – habitus; C–E – head and thorax.

Fig. 3. Apollo maculiceps sp. nov.: A – aedeagus, ventral view; B – aedeagus, left lateral view; C – aedeagus, dorsal view; D – aedeagus, right lateral view; E – genital styles, ventral view; F – pygofer, left lateral view; G – genital styles, left lateral view.

Fig. 4. Apollo maculiceps sp. nov.: A – aedeagus ventral; B – aedeagus left lateral; C – aedeagus dorsal; D–E – anal tube; F–G – genital styles.

Fig. 5. Apollo maculiceps sp. nov.: A – forewing; B – hindwing; C – face. Monomalpha fletcheri Emeljanov, 2000: D – face.

Fig. 6. Known distribution of Apollo maculiceps sp. nov.

Fig.7. Apollo maculiceps sp. nov. in the field, on its host plant Macrozamia riedlei (Fischer ex Gaudich.) C.A. Gardner.Photographs by Jean and Fred Hort.