Balala fujiana Tang & Zhang, 2020

Tang, Jiu & Zhang, Yalin, 2020, Review of the Oriental leafhopper genus Balala Distant, with new species and new records (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Hylicinae), Zootaxa 4731 (1), pp. 23-42 : 33

Balala fujiana Tang & Zhang sp. nov.

( Figs. 6 , 7 )

Length (including forewing): ♂ 12.69–13.44 mm.

External morphology. Body brownish-red to dark brown ( Figs. 6A, G, F ). Crown ( Fig. 6C ) anterior margin round, length shorter than 1/2 width between eyes. Exposed part of mesonotum and scutellum ( Figs. 6B, E ) approaching or even reaching apex of clavus, exposed part of mesonotum about 1/8–1/6 scutellum long, scutellum moderately swollen and gradually declined toward apex, median longitudinal ridge very strong and extended through entire scutellum. Forewing with one transparent band present between apical cells and appendix. Abdomen with pair of continuous yellow patches mainly on 5th and 6th tergites submedially. Hind femur with 5–7 macrosetae at apex, tibia with ca. 9–11, 11–12 setae in rows AD, PD, respectively.

Male genitalia. Pygofer ( Figs. 7 A–D, L–J) with dorsal inner margin broadly wavy, subapex of ventral margin with pair of stout teeth, few small short setae arranged along ventral margin; ventral appendage basally broad and apically tapering, nearly reaching teeth, gradually curved dorsad. Subgenital plate shorter than pygofer side. Apical margin of connective ( Figs. 7 E–I) slightly emarginate; style about 2x longer than connective; aedeagus with base wide and flat, subapical part with both sides expanded laterally, lateral lobes usually blunt and short, apical part narrow and with lateral margins serrate basad of lateral process, preatrium longer than shaft, gonopore small, oval, subapical on shaft ventral surface.

Material examined. Holotype ♂: Jiuxian Mountain , Fujian Province, China, 28.VII.1984, Zhixin Cui (NWA- FU) . Paratypes: 1♂: same data as holotype ; 2♂: Dadong Mountain , Lian County, Guangdong Province, China, 24,27. VIII.1996, Miaodi He and Zhenyao Chen ( SYSU) ; 1♂: Tonkin Chapa , Vietnam, 24.IV.1918, Jeanvoine ( SMTD) ; 1♂: Tonkin Chaha , Vietnam, 2.V.1918, Jeanvoine ( SMTD) .

Etymology. This species epithet is derived from its holotype locality in the province Fujian.

Remarks. This species is similar to Balala lui in having a broad and flat aedeagus with lateral subapical processes, but it differs in the following characteristics: 1) B. lui has a strong median longitudinal ridge through entire aedeagal shaft but this species lacks such a ridge; 2) the gonopore of this species is small and apical but that of B. lui is truncate and subapical on the ventral surface; 3) this species has the aedeagal shaft in front of the lateral process slender and gradually tapered but in B. lui the shaft in front of lateral process is broad and sharply tapered; and 4) the lateral process of this species is short and blunt but that of B. lui is attenuate.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Balala fujiana Tang & Zhang sp. nov. ♂,A–E Holotype:A. Habitus, dorsal view; B. Habitus, lateral view; C. Head and pronotum, dorsal view; D. Face; E. Exposed part of mesonotum and scutellum, dorsal view. F, G. Paratypes: Habitus, dorsal view.

FIGURE 7. Balala fujiana Tang & Zhang sp. nov. ♂, A–I Holotype:A. Pygofer, dorsal view; B. Pygofer, ventral view; C. Sub- genital plate, ventral view; D. Ventral appendage of pygofer, ventral view; E. Connective and style, ventral view; F. Connective and style, lateral view; G. Aedeagus, lateral view; H. Apex of aedeagus, ventral view; I. Aedeagus, dorsal view. J–L Paratype: J. Pygofer, dorsal view; K. Pygofer, ventral view; L. Pygofer, lateral view.