Retevolatus flexiverpus, Stiller, 2021

Stiller, Michael, 2021, New macropterous leafhopper genera and species within the tribe Bonaspeiini from the Fynbos biome of South Africa (Insecta, Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Cicadellidae), African Invertebrates 62 (1), pp. 1-45 : 1

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/afrinvertebr.62.54721
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BF44E5BA-47C5-4562-BC40-8CF482B6BBA7
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F9B77C2F-40F0-4B7E-B406-B012296C6128
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:F9B77C2F-40F0-4B7E-B406-B012296C6128
treatment provided by	African Invertebrates by Pensoft
scientific name	Retevolatus flexiverpus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Retevolatus flexiverpus sp. nov. Figures 1A-I View Figure 1 , 3A-H View Figure 3 , 4A-C View Figure 4 , 6A-R View Figure 6 , 7A-M View Figure 7

Material examined.

Type locality: Republic of South Africa, Western Cape Province, Piketberg , -32.90, 18.75, 26 Oct. 1971, J.G. Theron leg.

Type specimen.

Holotype male, pinned, with genitalia in a separate microvial. Original label: "South Africa, Piketberg 26-10-71, J.G. Theron" "SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL27850 (blue paper)".

Paratypes.

57♂♂, 48♀♀

South Africa • 1♂; Western Cape Province, between Citrusdal and Clanwilliam, Olifants River; -32.36, 18.95; 15 Oct.1931; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL27849.

South Africa • 16♂♂, 4♀♀; ibid. holotype. BMNH, INHS.

South Africa • 6♂♂, 5♀♀; Western Cape Province, Citrusdal; -32.6, 19.05; 9 Nov. 1971; F. Honibal leg.; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL27847.

South Africa • 1♀; Western Cape Province, Agter Witsenberg, Slagboom farm; -33.23, 19.26; 6 Jan. 1973; J.G. Theron leg.; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL27842.

South Africa • 2♂♂, 2♀♀; Western Cape Province, Citrusdal; -32.6, 19.05; 5 Nov. 1973; F. Honibal leg.; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL27848.

South Africa • 3♂♂, 1♀; Western Cape Province, Gouda; -33.31, 19.03; 30 Oct. 1974; J.G. Theron leg.; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL27845.

South Africa • 3♂♂; Western Cape Province, Hermon; -33.43, 18.96; 30 Oct. 1974; J.G. Theron leg.; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL27846.

South Africa • 9♂♂, 7♀♀; Western Cape Province, Klipheuwel; -33.56, 18.7; 24 Nov. 1974; J.G. Theron leg.; Maytenus heterophylla , Celastraceae; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL27853. BMNH, INHS.

South Africa • 1♂, 11♀♀; Western Cape Province, Garies Kamiesberg; -30.46, 18.13; 15 Oct. 1976; J.G. Theron leg.; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL27854.

South Africa • 7♂♂, 6♀♀; Western Cape Province, Clanwilliam Cedarberg; -32.5, 19.25; 21 Dec. 1976; J.G. Theron leg.; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL27844. BMNH, INHS.

South Africa • 2♂♂, 2♀♀; Western Cape Province, Darling; -33.37, 18.38; 18 Dec. 1981; J.G. Theron leg.; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL27843.

South Africa • 2♀♀; Western Cape Province, Wiedouw farm base of Gifberg Pass; -31.733, 18.766; 3 Oct. 2002; M. Stiller leg.; Salvia lanceolata , Lamiaceae; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL18349.

South Africa • 1♂; Western Cape Province, Wiedouw farm base of Gifberg Pass; -31.733, 18.766; 3 Oct. 2002; M. Stiller leg.; Diosma hirsuta , Rutaceae; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL18350.

South Africa • 1♀; Western Cape Province, Wiedouw farm base of Gifberg Pass; -31.733, 18.766; 3 Oct. 2002; M. Stiller leg.; Phylica oleifolia , Rhamnaceae; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL18351.

South Africa • 1♂; Western Cape Province, Wiedouw farm base of Gifberg Pass; -31.733, 18.766; 3 Oct. 2002; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping trees and shrubs at night, Passerina truncata subsp. truncata , Thymelaeaceae; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL18352.

South Africa • 5♂♂, 6♀♀; Northern Cape Province, Oorlogskloof, Brakwater; -31.465, 19.079; 17 Dec. 2016; M. Stiller leg.; Diospyros austro-africana , Rhamnaceae; SANC Pretoria Dbase CCDL27851. BMNH, INHS.

Diagnosis.

Male aedeagus with shaft narrowly curvate, C-shaped, at apex with single, right-angled anteriad, sclerotized process (Fig. 6A-C View Figure 6 ); gonopore posteriad, basad of apogee; anteriad surface opposite gonopore minutely denticulate (Fig. 6E, F View Figure 6 ). Style apophysis straight (Fig. 6I View Figure 6 ). Connective short, ratio length to width 2.2-2.7, stem length to arm length 1.1-1.6 (Fig. 6G View Figure 6 ). Pygofer process apical, transversely rectangular or square with variable denticulation and serration (Figs 6K View Figure 6 , 7A-K View Figure 7 ). Female sternite 7 with V-shaped notch (Fig. 6L-N View Figure 6 ).

Male. Measurements. n=58. Length from apex of crown to apex of tegmina 5.15-5.67 mm. Length from apex of crown to apex of abdomen 3.78-4.26 mm. Crown median length 0.39-0.43 mm. Crown length next to eye 0.30-0.34 mm. Pronotum length 0.58-0.63 mm. Head width across eyes 1.35-1.46 mm. Pronotum width 1.25-1.36 mm. Ocellus diameter 47.0-61.6 µm; interocular distance 82.7-100.5 µm. Crown angle 117.4-122.3°.

Genitalia. Pygofer lobe. Macrosetae dorsomedially (Fig. 6K View Figure 6 ). Margins rounded or straight. Apex with compressed, sclerotized process; transversely or longitudinally rectangular, process with large or small teeth or denticles, symmetrical or asymmetrical, orientation mediad or posteriad (Figs 6K View Figure 6 , 7A-K View Figure 7 ). Pygofer lobe without desclerotized median lobe, rounded lobe ventrad of process (Fig. 7A, D, E, G, H, I, J View Figure 7 ).

Subgenital plate.

Length to width 1.5-1.8 times longer than width at confluence of subgenital plate and valve. Macrosetae varying by 1-3 macrosetae between left and right side, 5-12 macrosetae (Fig. 6H View Figure 6 ). Apex of style near apex of subgenital plate (Fig. 6H View Figure 6 ).

Aedeagus.

Dorsal apodeme digitate, reflexed anteriad (Fig. 6A, B View Figure 6 ) or dorsad (Fig. 6C View Figure 6 ); preatrium short (Fig. 6A-C View Figure 6 ); apex of shaft reflexed anteriad, right-angled, slightly sinuous or sublinear, variable in length and shape (Fig. 6A, B View Figure 6 ), variable in length, commonly 0.1-0.2 times as long as vector length of shaft from apex of apogee to apex of preatrium. One specimen from Garies with very long reflexed process (Fig. 6B View Figure 6 ), 0.5 times as long as vector length of shaft from apex of apogee to apex of preatrium; apex broken in other specimens, i.e. all males from Ceres (Fig. 6C, D View Figure 6 ) and Darling. Shaft narrowly curvate, angle subtended by arc 91.1-146.2°, anterior margin below apogee with fine denticulation (Fig. 6E, F View Figure 6 ).

Connective.

Short, ratio of length to width 2.2-2.7; stem length to arm length 1.1-1.6 (Fig. 6G View Figure 6 ).

Style.

Apophysis straight (Fig. 6I View Figure 6 ), length of apophysis 0.4 times greatest length through sagittal plane; apex of apophysis attaining apex of subgenital plate (Fig. 6H View Figure 6 ).

Female.

Measurements.

n=50. Length from apex of crown to apex of tegmina 5.60-6.23 mm. Length from apex of crown to apex of abdomen 4.48-4.94 mm. Crown median length 0.41-0.47 mm. Crown length next to eye 0.33-0.36 mm. Pronotum length 0.62-0.68 mm. Head width across eyes 1.45-1.58 mm. Pronotum width 1.35-1.49 mm. Ocellus diameter 53.4-62.8 µm; interocular distance 89.0-109.3 µm. Crown angle 115.5-123.2°.

Genital capsule.

Sternite 7. V-shaped notch, relative depth of notch 0.49-0.60 times greatest length of sternite 7; ratio of length to width 0.65-0.81. Posterolateral margins truncate in Oorlogskloof and Garies (Fig. 6N View Figure 6 ) specimens, narrowly rounded in Citrusdal, Clanwilliam, Garies (Fig. 6L View Figure 6 ) and Piketberg (Fig. 6M View Figure 6 ).

Valvifer 1.

Variable in roundness of margins, dorsal and ventral margins broadly rounded, anterior and posterior margins narrowly rounded (Figs 3D View Figure 3 , 4A, B View Figure 4 , 6O-R View Figure 6 ). Ratio of length to width 1.47-1.84.

Valvula 1.

Sculpture strigate (Fig. 3A-C View Figure 3 ), angulate at apex and subapex (Fig. 3A View Figure 3 ) and parallel to dorsal margin from subapex to base (Fig. 3B, C View Figure 3 ).

Valvifer 2.

Similar to valvifer 2 in Figs 4J View Figure 4 , attached to valvula 2, detail as in Figs 4E View Figure 4 , 5E View Figure 5 .

Valvula 2.

Whole part as in Fig. 4E View Figure 4 , serration in Fig. 3E, H View Figure 3 , short tooth in Fig. 3G View Figure 3 .

Valvula 3.

Shape as in Fig. 4K View Figure 4 . Macrosetae 37.4-79.2 µm (Figs 3F View Figure 3 , 4C View Figure 4 ).

Etymology.

Named for the sharp bend in the aedeagal shaft, in Latin. Bend, flexus, and aedeagus, verpa. Gender masculine.

Distribution.

Brakwater, Ceres, Citrusdal, Clanwilliam, Darling, Klipheuwel, Garies, Gouda, Hermon, Piketberg, Wiedouw, Fig. 18A View Figure 18 , red squares.

Discussion.

The aedeagus of this species is strongly curved, with a right-angled anteriad apical process, that is variable in length, and broken in a number of examined specimens, specifically from Ceres and Darling. The length in most specimens depicted in Fig. 6A View Figure 6 , with the longest found in one specimen from Garies, Fig. 6B View Figure 6 . In this male from Garies the subgenital plate, pygofer process (Fig. 7J, K View Figure 7 ), connective and style resemble those of the other specimens in this species. The pygofer process is apical, variable in shape and orientation, and damaged in some specimens. Plant distribution records for Salvia lanceolata in Fig. 18C View Figure 18 .