Signoretia delicata Takiya & Dietrich, 2013

Takiya, Daniela M., Dietrich, Christopher H. & Viraktamath, Chandra A., 2013, The unusual Afrotropical and Oriental leafhopper subfamily Signoretiinae (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae): taxonomic notes, new distributional records, and description of two new Signoretia species, ZooKeys 319, pp. 303-323 : 315-316

Signoretia delicata Takiya & Dietrich sp. n. Figs 10-12 , 31-33

Body length.

Holotype, 6.0 mm

Description.

Crown ( Figs 10, 11 ) very short, median length approximately half interocular and three-tenths of transocular width; median longitudinal carina obsolete. Male pygofer ( Fig. 31 ) with caudal margin of lobe weakly sclerotized; ventral appendage robust, spiniform, produced posteriorly beyond pygofer lobe apex, abruptly narrowed and bent dorsad near apex. Valve triangular. Subgenital plates ( Fig. 31 ) extending posteriorly beyond pygofer lobe apex by approximately one-third lobe length, with relatively few long, fine setae dorsally, concentrated near apex. Connective ( Fig. 32 ) Y-shaped; with dorsal median keel and short, slender median anterior lobe. Style ( Figs 32, 33 ) slender, tapering towards apex; apex directed dorsolaterally. Aedeagus ( Figs 32, 33 ) with ventral paraphysis-like structure with pair of robust, tapered, recurved distal processes; dorsal part consisting of pair of parallel dorsolateral arms and median shaft, shaft somewhat depressed and strongly arcuate. Anal tube ( Fig. 31 ) basal section with pair of basal processes short, blunt, extended anteromesad, distal ring weakly sclerotized, retracted into basal section.

Coloration. Stramineous to white ( Figs 10-12 ). Crown ( Fig. 10 ) with paired black markings basolaterally, connecting to paired black maculae at apex. Frontoclypeus ( Fig. 12 ) with longitudinal carina black. Legs yellow, coxae and femora infused with fuscous.

Etymology.

The species epithet refers to the relatively small size of this species and its delicate habitus.

Notes.

This species is described as new because it does not agree with any of the ten previously described Oriental species based on the following combination of characteristics: (1) stramineous dorsal coloration with two pairs of dark markings on crown; (2) median carina on crown absent; (3) each ocellus close to eye for distance of approximately its own diameter; (4) frontoclipeal longitudinal carina not continuing on clypellus; and (5) pronotum longer than wide and without paired incomplete longitudinal carinae on anterior portion, but with very faintly elevated median longitudinal carina. Exceptionally, the above-mentioned characteristics, will not separate Signoretia delicata sp. n. from Signoretia tagalica Baker, 1915 (another Philippine species described from Luzon and Banahao), with which shares other morphological characters, such as the less produced crown, making the frontoclypeus appear more inflated, and very short outer anteapical cell. Nevertheless, based on the original illustrations and description, Signoretia tagalica is larger (male is 6.5 mm) and has a much longer pronotum (more than 4 times the median length of crown) than the species described herein.

The short crown of this new species, shared with other described Signoretia , could be viewed as sufficient diagnostic characteristics to place this group in a new genus. Considering that at the moment only a small fraction of Oriental Signoretia have the male genitalia described, it would be premature to erect a new genus without reviewing all other described Oriental Signoretia .

Type material.

Male holotype, "Mindanao: Davao;\ E. slope Mt. Apo,\ Camp Baclayan. Elev.\ 6500 ft. XI-11-1946", "CMHN-Philippine\ Zool.Exp. (1946-47) \ H.Hoogstraal leg.", FMNH.

Figures

Figures 2 - 14. Habitus photographs. 2, 3 Chouious tianzeus, dorsal and lateral 4 - 6 Phlogis sp. from Malaysia, dorsal and details of head lateral and face 7 Phlogis sp. from Thailand, lateral 8, 9 Preta gratiosa, dorsal and lateral 10 - 12 Signoretia delicata sp. n., detail of head, dorsal, lateral, and frontal 13, 14 Signoretia kintendela sp. n., dorsal and lateral.

Figures 31 - 36. Male genitalia of new species of Signoretia. 31 - 33 Signoretia delicata sp. n. 31 genital capsule, lateral view 32 connective, styles, and aedeagus, dorsal view 33 connective, styles, and aedeagus, lateral view 34 - 36 Signoretia kintendela sp. n. 34 genital capsule, lateral view 35 connective, style, and aedeagus, dorsal view 36 aedeagus, ventrolateral view.