Noabennarella, Holzinger, Werner E. & Kunz, Gernot, 2006

Holzinger, Werner E. & Kunz, Gernot, 2006, A new genus and species of Bennarellini from Costa Rica (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae), Zootaxa 1353, pp. 53-61 : 54-56

Noabennarella gen. nov.

Type species: Noabennarella costaricensis sp. nov.

Etymology: The name is an arbitrary combination of letters. Gender: Feminine.

Description

Medium sized cixiids (body length incl. wings in males about 6 mm, females 8.5 mm) with body laterally compressed and wings in resting position steeply inclined ( Figs 1, 2 , 26 ).

Frons long and slender ( Figs 10 , 13 ), evenly rounded in lateral aspect, without carina on vertex. Hind border straight. Median keel distinct, lateral keels strongly produced, semicircular in lateral view ( Figs 9, 10 , 13, 14 ). Median and lateral ocelli distinct. Scapus short, ringlike, pedicellus cylindrical, about 1.5 times as long as wide.

Pronotum short, lateral carinae distinct. Mesonotum with indistinct median and distinct lateral carinae. Fore wings long, slender, surpassing tip of abdomen by half their total length ( Fig. 1 ). R and MA three­forked, MP bifurcate. Cubital area of the fore wing reduced in favour of the medial area, thus fore wings slightly widened apically ( Fig. 12 ). Legs very long, metatibiae without macrosetae, apically with 6 spines ( Figs 23, 24 ). Tarsus with 6+5 apical spines, platellae not present.

Segments four and five with large abdominal processes, bearing 3+2 sensory pits ( Figs 1, 2 , 3, 5 ). Two additional sensory pits on 6th abdominal segment.

Male genital and anal segment more or less symmetrical ( Figs 19, 21, 22 ). Aedeagus with shaft and flagellum well developed, shaft with set of movable spines, flagellum long and slender, in repose bent to the left side ( Figs 16, 17 ).

Apex of female abdomen truncate, without wax plate. Ovipositor evenly curved, at rest adjacenting to abdomen ( Figs 3, 4 ). Ductus ejaculatorius wound helix­like, with three windings ( Fig. 25 ).

Note: We studied one female Noabennarella specimen with a wing coloration distinctly different from that of N. costaricensis . This specimen (see Figs. 3, 4 , 25, 26 ) is labelled “ Peru: Monon Valley, Tingo Maria, XI­21­1954 // E.I.Schlinger & E.S.Ross collectors // Amazobenna reticulata ” and stored in the collection of the Californian Academy of Sciences. We do not know if different wing coloration patterns or sexual dimorphism exist within Noabennarella and if this female belongs to N. costaricensis or represents another undescribed species.

Differential diagnosis

Noabennarella can be easily distinguished from other Bennarellini by the shape of the head (especially frons) and its keels and by the venation of the fore wings. In Amazobenna and Bennarella the frons is much broader, and the lateral keels are directed laterally (see Figs 7, 8, 9, 10 , 13, 14, 15 ). CuA and MP veins are strongly arched near the apex ( Fig. 12 ), whereas they are straight in Bennarella , and in Amazobenna only CuA is strongly arched.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Habitus of Noabennarella costaricensis spec. nov., lateral and dorsal view, with abdominal appendages clearly visible.

FIGURES 23 – 26. 23, Noabennarella costaricensis spec. nov., hind leg; 24, same, apex of tibia of hind leg; 25, Noabennarella spec., inner female genitalia; 26, Noabennarella spec., habitus of female.

FIGURES 7 – 10. 7, Amazobenna reticulata Penny, head of holotype, lateral aspect (photo: A. Henriques); 8, same, frontal aspect (photo: A. Henriques); 9, Noabennarella costaricensis spec. nov., head, lateral aspect; 10, same, frontal aspect.

FIGURES 11 – 15. 11, Noabennarella costaricensis spec. nov., hind wing; 12, same, fore wing; 13, same, head in frontal aspect; 14, same, head and thorax in dorsal aspect; 15, Bennarella bicoloripennis Muir, head and thorax in dorsal aspect. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURES 3 – 6. 3, Noabennarella sp., female abdomen, lateral view; 4, same, ventral aspect; 5, abdominal appendages of Noabennarella sp.; 6, abdominal appendages of Bebaiotes sp. (Achilixiidae).

FIGURES 16 – 22. 16, Noabennarella costaricensis spec. nov., aedeagus, left lateral view; 17, same, right lateral view; 18, genital style, inner maximum view; 19, male genital and anal segment (aedeagus and styli omitted), left lateral view; 20, ventromedian process of male genital segment, ventral view; 21, male anal segment, caudal aspect; 22, same, dorsal aspect. Scale bar: 0.25 mm for Figs 16 – 18, 0.5 mm for Figs 19 – 22.