Acrobelus nessimiani, Ceotto & Mejdalani & Takiya, 2004

Ceotto, Paula C., Mejdalani, Gabriel & Takiya, Daniela M., 2004, Two new South American species of Acrobelus Stål (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae) with a key to the species of the genus, Journal of Natural History 38 (16), pp. 2073-2083 : 2078-2081

Acrobelus nessimiani sp. nov.

( figures 6–9 , 12–16 )

Length of male 15.5 mm; female 16.5 mm.

External features of head and thorax as in A. rakitovi sp. nov.

Male genitalia with pygofer, in lateral view, moderately produced posteriorly; surface with numerous scattered microsetae mostly on ventral portion; posterior margin narrowed and subacute; pygofer without processes ( figure 8 ). Valve triangular; slightly convex on anterior margin and strongly convex on posterior margin; narrowed and fused with pygofer laterally ( figure 7 ). Subgenital plates, in ventral view, fused basally for very short distance; very elongate, extending well beyond pygofer apex; narrowly rounded apically and with emargination on inner margin of median third; surface with numerous scattered microsetae and many fusiform macrosetae densely distributed along most of inner margin and on apical one-third of outer margin ( figures 6–8 ). Styles, in dorsal view, extending well beyond apex of connective; with lobe on posterior one-third of outer margin; apical portion digitiform; apex narrow, rounded ( figure 6 ). Connective Y-shaped; stem longer than arms, its apex with lateral expansions ( figure 6 ). Aedeagus symmetrical; shaft short; curved dorsally in lateral view; with pair of small triangular dorsal processes on curvature; with very small microsetae on outer margin of curvature; apex of shaft slightly serrate; gonoduct opening on basal portion of shaft; dorsal apodemes large, semicircular ( figure 9 ). Paraphyses with rami very slender and short, not attaining one-half of aedeagal shaft ( figure 9 ).

Female genitalia ( figures 12–16 ) similar to A. rakitovi sp. nov. Sternite VII narrower than in the latter species and with median posterior lobe more strongly produced ( figure 12 ). Pygofer apex narrowed and subacute ( figure 13 ). Ovipositor with second valvulae, in lateral view, distinctly broadened beyond basal curvature, narrowing gradually toward acute apex ( figure 14 ); preapical prominence distinct ( figure 15 ); teeth triangular, distributed from beginning of expanded portion to apex, those from expanded portion larger ( figures 14–16 ); denticles from preapical prominence to apex on ventral margin and on posterior portion of median surface of teeth ( figure 15 ).

Colour mostly reddish brown; membrane of forewings translucent brown.

Etymology. The new species is named in honour of Prof. Dr Jorge Luiz Nessimian (Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro), whose dedication to entomology has inspired and stimulated the authors in the study of leafhoppers.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, Peru, ‘ Rio Santiago. [Amazonas Department]\ Peru XI·17·24 [?]\ F 6183 [?]’; ‘ H. Bassler \ Collection\ Acc. 33 591’, AMNH . PARATYPE: female, same data as holotype, AMNH .

Figures

FIGS 6–9. Male genital structures of Acrobelus nessimiani sp. nov. (6) Pygofer, anal tube, styles, connective, aedeagus and subgenital plates, dorsal view (one arm of the connective is broken). (7) Anterior portion of styles, valve, pygofer, subgenital plates and anal tube, ventral view. (8) Anterior portion of styles, pygofer, subgenital plate and anal tube, lateral view. (9) Aedeagus, paraphyses, dorsal apodemes and abdominal segment X, lateroventral view.

FIGS 10–16. Female genital structures of Acrobelus rakitovi sp. nov. and A. nessimiani sp. nov. (10, 11) A. rakitovi: (10) sternite VII, ventral view; (11) pygofer and anal tube, lateral view. (12–16) A. nessimiani: (12) sternite VII, ventral view; (13) pygofer and anal tube, lateral view; (14) second valvula of ovipositor, general lateral view; (15) apical portion of second valvula showing preapical prominence, ventral denticles, teeth, ducts and apical portion of ramus, lateral view; (16) median portion of second valvula showing teeth and ducts, lateral view.