Goniagnathus crocodontis Fletcher

Fletcher, Murray J. & Zahniser, James N., 2008, The first record of Goniagnathini from Australia with description of four new species of Goniagnathus Fieber (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae), Zootaxa 1692, pp. 43-54 : 50

Goniagnathus crocodontis Fletcher sp.nov.

( Figures 3, 9 , 35–39 )

Holotype: male, Sth Alligator Inn, NT, 12.40S 132.30E. 7–9.vii.1979, G. Monteith and D. Cook, m. v. light (QM)

Paratype: Northern Territory: male, same data as holotype (QM)

Colour: generally rich chocolate brown with light brown and cream speckling, lateral margin of pronotum cream extending onto tegmen as irregular cream flash, apical half of costal margin of tegmen and three round spots along hind margin also cream.

Morphology: Brachypterous in known specimens. Length (estimate) 3.5 mm

Male genitalia: Pygofer ( Figure 35 ) rounded apically, bearing one or two macrosetae on posterodorsal margin. Subgenital plates ( Figure 36 ) fused to form broadly quadrate plate, slightly emarginate medially. Parameres ( Figure 37 ) with apical section very short, broad, finely rugose, shallowly sinuate apically; basal section broad laterally, narrow medially to articulation with connective. Aedeagus in lateral view ( Figure 38 ) curving slightly anterodorsally, apically acute; in posterior view ( Figure 39 ) broad-lanceolate with row of 10– 12 strong curved teeth laterally, apically shortly bifurcate to form pair of triangular processes beyond gonopore.

Female: unknown.

Etymology: The specific name is derived from dontis = tooth combined with an abbreviated “crocodile” and refers to the strongly toothed margin of the aedeagus and not the type locality.

Notes: This is the most distinctively coloured species of Goniagnathus with the lateral flash of cream against the general chocolate brown colouring. The broad aedeagus margined with strong serrations is also quite distinctive. The length measurement given here is an estimate because both male specimens had the abdomen removed for genitalia examination prior to measurements being taken. This is the most northerly distributed species of Goniagnathus in Australia although a single specimen of G. pectinatus is known from N. Qld.

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 12. facial view of head: 7. G. osmelaki, 8. G. venenensis, 9. G. crocodontis, 10. G. pectinatus, 11. G. centralis male, 12. G. centralis, NT female.

FIGURES 35 – 39. G. crocodontis male genitalia: 35. pygofer, lateral view, 36. subgenital plates, 37. right paramere, ventral view, 38. aedeagus, lateral view, 39. aedeagus, posterior view