Acrobelus rakitovi, 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 : 2074-2078

Acrobelus rakitovi sp. nov.

( figures 1–5 , 10, 11 )

Length of male 15.0–15.4 mm; female 14.7–16.0 mm.

Body covered with numerous short setae ( figure 1 ). Head, in dorsal view, elongate and triangular; with median longitudinal fovea extending its full length; apex produced into rather broad, long process directed anterodorsally; process with lateral carinae on ventral and dorsal margins; median length of crown plus process much greater than transocular width ( figure 1 ). Ocelli located on imaginary line between anterior eye angles; each ocellus approximately equidistant from adjacent eye angle and median line of crown. Antennal ledges, in lateral view, with distinct longitudinal dorsal carina; apical half declivous. Surface of crown with small longitudinal fovea around external margin of each ocellus and extending to apex of longitudinal carina of antennal ledges. Frons convex, except on concave surface of head process; muscle impressions indistinct, but their locations marked by transverse rows of setae. Epistomal suture incomplete. Clypeus, in lateral view, only slightly produced; its contour continuing profile of frons.

Thorax, in dorsal view, with pronotal width slightly greater than transocular width. Pronotum with lateral margins convergent anteriorly; surface rugose on posterior two-thirds; anterior one-third with median and two lateral depressions, median depression located slightly behind lateral ones; posterior pronotal margin concave ( figure 1 ). Mesonotum slightly striate behind transverse sulcus. Forewings coriaceous; veins indistinct; with five apical cells; membrane well delimited, including inner apical cell and part of brachial and remaining apical cells; without anteapical plexus of veins and without anteapical supernumerary crossveins to costal margin. Hindwings extending almost to apex of forewings; vein R 2 z 3 incomplete. Hindlegs with femoral setal formula 2:1:0 or 2:0:0; length of first tarsomere smaller than combined length of second and third ones.

Male genitalia with pygofer, in lateral view, moderately produced posteriorly; posterior margin narrowly convex; surface with scattered long microsetae mostly on ventral portion; pygofer without processes ( figure 4 ). Valve convex anteriorly and posteriorly on median portion; narrowed and fused with pygofer laterally ( figure 3 ). Subgenital plates, in ventral view, somewhat spoon-shaped; fused basally for very short distance; very elongate, extending well beyond pygofer apex; with slight emargination on inner margin of apical half; apical third expanded, but with apex narrowly round; surface with scattered microsetae; many fusiform macrosetae densely distributed on apical inner portion and extending anteriorly along ventral margin ( figures 2–4 ). Styles, in dorsal view, extending well beyond connective apex; with lobe on posterior one-third of outer margin; apex narrow, subtruncate ( figure 2 ). Connective Y-shaped; stem longer than arms, its apex with lateral expansions ( figure 2 ). Aedeagus symmetrical; shaft short; curved dorsally in lateral view; dorsal margin with pair of small triangular processes on curvature; with very small microsetae on outer margin of curvature; gonoduct opening on basal portion of shaft; dorsal apodemes large, semicircular ( figure 5 ). Paraphyses with rami slender and short, not attaining apex of aedeagal shaft ( figure 5 ).

Female genitalia with sternite VII, in ventral view, slightly produced posteriorly; posterior margin with median convex projection slightly produced; surface with scattered microsetae ( figure 10 ). Internal sternite VIII membranous. Pygofer, in lateral view, moderately produced posteriorly; surface with scattered long microsetae; posterior margin rounded ( figure 11 ). Ovipositor with second valvulae, in lateral view, distinctly broadened beyond basal curvature, narrowing gradually toward acute apex; preapical prominence distinct; teeth triangular, distributed from beginning of expanded portion to apex, those from expanded portion larger; denticles from preapical prominence to apex on ventral margin and on posterior portion of median surface of teeth (second valvulae as in A. nessimiani sp. nov.; figures 14–16 ).

Colour mostly reddish brown (bright red when preserved in ethanol); crown with small pale markings adjacent to eyes and on antennal ledges; membrane of forewings translucent brown; abdominal tergites almost black; body, in ventral view, with small pale markings on head, thorax and abdomen.

Etymology. The new species is named in honour of Dr Roman Rakitov (Center for Biodiversity, Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign), who has published fine contributions on the biology and morphology of leafhoppers. Dr Rakitov has called our attention to the specimens on which this description is based.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, Ecuador, ‘ ECUADOR: ORELLANA Province,\ Reserva Étnica Waorani, Transect \ Ent., 1 km S. Onkone Gare Camp,\ 220 m 00‡39′10̎S 076‡26′00̎W’; ‘ 8-Feb-1995, T. L. Erwin \ et al., fogging terre firme\ forest, lot#’, EPNC . PARATYPES: one male and one female, same data as holotype except ‘ 5-Feb-1996 ’ and ‘lot#1427’, EPCN ; one male and one female, same data as holotype, MNRJ ; one male, same data as holotype except ‘ 26-Jun-1996 ’ and ‘lot#1598’, MNRJ ; one female, same data as holotype except ‘ 1-Jul-1995 ’ and ‘lot#1141’, MNRJ ; one male, same data as holotype except ‘ 11- Feb-1995 ’ and ‘lot#1021’, INHS ; one male, same data as holotype except ‘ 7- Oct-1994 ’ and ‘lot#893’, INHS ; one female, same data as holotype except ‘ 10-Oct-1994 ’ and ‘lot#943’, INHS ; one male and one female, ‘ ECUADOR: ORELLANA [Province]\ Tiputini Biodiversity Station, nr.\ Yasuni National Park , 200–250 m.\ 00‡37′55̎S 76‡08′39̎W’; ‘ 06-Feb-1999, Erwin \ transect T/8 T. L. Erwin \ et al. Fogging terre firme\ forest, lot#2072’, INHS ; one male, same data as holotype except ‘ 5-Feb-1996 ’ and ‘lot#1432’, USNM ; one male, same data as holotype except ‘ 23-Jun-1996 ’ and ‘lot#1601’, USNM ; one female, same data as holotype except ‘ 3-Jul-1994 ’, USNM .

Figures

FIG. 1. Acrobelus rakitovi sp. nov. Dorsal view of male holotype (legs not illustrated).

FIGS 2–5. Male genital structures of Acrobelus rakitovi sp. nov. (2) Pygofer, anal tube, styles, connective, aedeagus and subgenital plates, dorsal view. (3) Anterior portion of styles, valve, pygofer, subgenital plates and anal tube, ventral view (the area with fusiform macrosetae ontheinnerapicalportionofeachplateisindicatedbythedarkdottedmarginal stripe). (4) Anterior portion of style, pygofer, subgenital plate and anal tube, lateral view (thearea withfusiformmacrosetae onthe innerapicalportionoftheplateisindicatedbythe dark dotted triangle).(5) Aedeagus,paraphyses,dorsal apodemes and abdominalsegment 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.