Nasuconia Sakakibara, 2006

Gonzalez-Mozo, Laura C. & Ware, Jessica L., 2023, Review of Nasuconia Sakakibara, 2006 (Hemiptera: Membracidae) with description of three new species, Zootaxa 5380 (4), pp. 321-340 : 322-325

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5380.4.2
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:79F93DA7-5758-4914-8B19-ACC3AA956E8A
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10250422
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/CD5087D5-185F-2250-FF03-FC2ADB8DFD99
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Nasuconia Sakakibara, 2006
status

Treatment

Nasuconia Sakakibara, 2006: 190–192 . Type-species: Oxygonia lineosa Walker, 1862: 303–319 by original designation.

Diagnosis: (1) Frontoclypeus conical, obliquely projected forward at least 1/3 of its length beyond suprantennal margin, with transversal ridges; (2) pronotum navicular, low; (3) pronotum punctate, with discontinuous longitudinal yellow lines or nodose; (4) humeral angles short, triangular, slightly projected laterally; (5) pro- and mesotibia subfoliate; (6) first valvulae with ventral interlocking device distinctively sinuate; (7) aedeagus with postero-apical margin flattened.

Description. Color and sculpture. Brown or black, pronotum marked with yellow longitudinal lines or nodes; head punctate, pubescent; pronotum rough, irregular, with longitudinal elevated lines or nodes; forewing hyaline, basal costal coriaceous area ( Fig. 6A View FIGURE 6 ca) similar to pronotal pattern, some species with distinctive macula in apical cells or costal area ( Figs. 6C; 6D; 6E View FIGURE 6 ); abdominal sclerotization heterogeneous, with strongly sclerotized sternite contrasted with almost membranous tergite ( Fig. 10C View FIGURE 10 ); abdominal sternites with conspicuous pits ( Figs. 10A; 10B View FIGURE 10 ). Head. In anterodorsal view, triangular, longer than wide; coronal suture distinct ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 sc); vertex slightly convex; ocelli conspicuous, closer to the eye and superior margin than to each other; eyes ovoid; frontoclypeal suture arched ( Fig. 1A s View FIGURE 1 fc); suprantennal margins straight ( Fig. 1A l View FIGURE 1 sa), not sinuate; frontoclypeus distinctly conical (wider in the base than apex), projected forward at least 1/3 of its length beyond margins of supra-antennal margin ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 fcl), with transverse ridges ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 tr r), in lateral view apex of frontoclypeus straight ( Figs. 3A–C View FIGURE 3 ) or bent downwards ( Figs. 3D–G View FIGURE 3 ). Thorax. Pronotum. In lateral view, navicular, low, slightly sinuate, metopidium convex, preapical area of posterior pronotal process not notably enlarged ( Figs. 1B View FIGURE 1 ; 2 View FIGURE 2 ); postocular area simple, not extending below eye ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ). In dorsal view, posterolateral area of posterior pronotal process gradually tapering to apex ( Figs. 4A–C View FIGURE 4 ) or bulged laterally abruptly narrowing to pronotal apex ( Figs. 4D–G View FIGURE 4 ); median carina elevated and percurrent; humeral angles triangular, acutely projected laterally ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ha). Forewing. ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ) covered almost entirely by pronotum; veins R and M close to costal margin; R vein branching beyond forewing midlength; M and Cu fused basally but separated near base; area between Cu and claval suture (Cls) forming obtuse triangle, two discoidal and five apical cells, s crossvein usually absent; 2 m-cu crossveins present. Legs. Pro- and mesofemur with two longitudinal rows of cucullate setae on ventral surface, parallel each other ( Figs. 8A; 8C View FIGURE 8 ; 9A; 9C View FIGURE 9 ); pro and mesotibia subfoliate ( Figs. 7A–B; 7D–E View FIGURE7 ), with two parallel, longitudinal rows of cucullate setae ( Figs. 8E;8G View FIGURE 8 ; 9B; 9D View FIGURE 9 ); chaetotaxy of metafemora and metatibia variable among species groups (see genus comments: remarks of cucullate setae). Abdomen. Pleurites not fused to tergites ( Fig. 10C View FIGURE 10 ); pleurites and sternites located ventrally ( Figs. 10A; 10D View FIGURE 10 ), sclerotization heterogeneous (sternites and pleurites more sclerotized than tergites) ( Fig.10C View FIGURE 10 ); sternites with conspicuous pits ( Figs. 10A–B View FIGURE 10 , see remarks on abdominal integumental structure). Male. Pygofer without dorsal carina; lateral plate projected dorsally, approximately same size as subgenital plate; subgenital plates fused basally ( Fig. 11A View FIGURE 11 ); aedeagus, slender, oblong, in lateral view scoop-shaped, postero-apical margin flattened, gonopore membrane not enlarged ( Figs. 12A; 12C; 12E View FIGURE 12 ); style, with apical hook curved or straight ( Figs. 12B; 12D; 12E View FIGURE 12 ). Female. First valvulae, ( Fig. 13 View FIGURE 13 ). In lateral view, dorsal and ventral margins convex; apex acute; dorsal sculptured area (DSA) striate with some striae branched; ventral sculptured area (VSA) restricted to apical portion of valvula, formed by discontinuous ridges; ventral interlocking device (VID) extended from base to approximately 4/5 length of valvulae, distinctly sinuate, variable among species; ramus (RAM) sclerotized, extended from base to apex; dorsal and ventral margins of apical area variable in shape among species. Second valvula, ( Fig. 14 View FIGURE 14 ) more sclerotized than first valvula; dorsal and ventral margin approximately parallel-sided; apex blunt, apical portion with scale-like processes; apical margin with teeth that vary in size and number among species; ramus (RAM) extended from base to apex of valvulae; above ramus linear ducts (DUC) directed to dorsal margin opening in pores (PO). Gonoplac, not variable among species, long with rounded apex, basal portion distinctively more narrow than apical section, with macrosetae along ventral margin ( Fig. 11B View FIGURE 11 ).

Comments: Overall Nasuconia Sakakibara is similar to Cyphotes Burmeister , Aspona Stål , Taunaya Fonseca , and Hypheodana Metcalf. After morphological assessment of the available material, there is not one single character to define each genus within this generic complex; rather the combination of characters of the head and pronotum should be considered to differentiate them. Thus, Nasuconia differs from other mentioned genera in having the frontoclypeus more strongly conical and projected forward, with the surface transversely ridged, and the pronotum in lateral view with the preapical part of the posterior process low (about the same height as the metopidium). Cyphotes and Aspona have the frontoclypeus less elongated and the preapical pronotal area usually elevated (much higher than the metopidium). Hypheodana has the frontoclypeus ovoid, not conical (Sakakibara, 2005), usually projected ventrad perpendicular to the long axis of the body (Sakakibara, 2005). Taunaya has the frontoclypeus oblong ( Fonseca, 1934), and the pronotum with the preapical part of posterior process strongly convex.

Nasuconia was previously reported only for Brazil. Here we record the genus for Ecuador and French Guiana for the first time. The distribution of the genus is likely broader than has previously been reported and further sampling for this group is needed. Species of Nasuconia are found in lowlands between 60–800 meters altitude. Female terminalia characters are potentially valuable for taxonomy; here we adopt terminology used in Cicadellidae ( Mejdalani 1998, Cavichioli & Takiya 2012, Cavichioli & Mejdalani 2015, Pecly et al. 2019) due to the lack of recent detailed studies on these structures in Membracidae .

Morphological assessments of the genus allow us to identify two species groups well differentiated morphologically: lineosa -group and curculionoida -group. Examination of N. nanica and N. catarina , was based on photographs of the holotypes, descriptions and key characters follow Sakakibara (2006). Further morphological assessment of these species is needed to evaluate details of forewing venation, femur setae and male and female genitalia.

Cucullate setae and abdominal integument sculpture in Nasuconia

As in other Darnini genera, Nasuconia has opposing rows of cucullate setae on the ventral sides of the femora and tibiae. Presence of such setae on one or more pairs of legs is considered a synapomorphy defining the tribe Darnini ( Deitz 1975; Dietrich et al. 2001; Roy et al. 2007). To further explore this important taxonomic character, here we conducted a preliminary comparison of the cucullate setae of two Nasuconia specimens, Nasuconia lineosa ( Walker, 1862) and Nasuconia ellenfutterae sp. nov. representing the two informal species groups recognized here.

Cucullate setae (cs). Consist of a cuticular projection ( Fig. 8D View FIGURE 8 cp), associated with a spine-like trichoid sensillum ( Fig. 8D View FIGURE 8 tr); the cp is smooth in the base, with parallel longitudinal ridges distally ( Fig. 8D r View FIGURE 8 ). Pro- and mesofemora. Cs arranged in two parallel rows ( Figs. 8A; 8C View FIGURE 8 ; 9A; 9C View FIGURE 9 ), general shape conical sensilla trichodea differ in length and density being longer and more abundant in N. lineosa ( Fig. 8B View FIGURE 8 ). In N. ellenfutterae the femur surface is covered with numerous sensilla placodea ( Figs. 8C–D View FIGURE 8 pl). Pro- and mesotibia. Cs arranged in rows basally, scattered distally ( Figs. 8E; 8G View FIGURE 8 ; 9B; 9D View FIGURE 9 ); shape of cp differs from those of femora in being flattened ( Figs. 8F; 8H View FIGURE 8 ). Metafemora. N. lineosa has cs reduced to irregular band of weakly projected ovoid cuticular processes ( Fig. 9E View FIGURE 9 ), sensilla trichodea are long as on pro- and mesofemora; in N. ellenfutterae only one row of short, flattened cs with distal longitudinal ridges are present ( Fig. 9G View FIGURE 9 ). Metatibia. Cs flattened, cuticular process short ( Figs. 9F; 9H View FIGURE 9 ), as commonly found among other Membracidae ; N. lineosa without cs row I ( Fig. 7C View FIGURE7 ); N. ellenfutterae with all three rows present ( Fig. 7F View FIGURE7 ).

Abdominal integument sculpture. Abdominal terga in Cyphotes -group genera are characterized by a granular, punctate appearance ( Figs. 10A; 10D View FIGURE 10 ) ( Deitz 1975). In Nasuconia two fine structural features were found: (1) sensilla trichodea, hair-like setae, abundant in N. lineosa ( Fig. 10E View FIGURE 10 ); and (2) acanthae, unicellular structures, which vary from a single tooth-like projection to pectinate processes. In N. lineosa only pectinate acanthae area present ( Figs. 10E–F View FIGURE 10 ), while both simple and pectinate acanthae are present in N. ellenfutterae ( Figs. 10G–I View FIGURE 10 ). The sculpture of the anterior part of each abdominal sternite is different from the posterior part, the acanthae are only well developed and prominent on the anterior part and the setae and pits are only present on the posterior area.