Leofa mushroomi Chalam & Ramasubba Rao

Chalam, M. S. V. & Rao, V. Ramasubba, 2005, (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Stenometopiini) from India *, Zootaxa 808, pp. 1-4 : 2-3

Leofa mushroomi Chalam & Ramasubba Rao , new species

( Figs 1–7 )

Description

Ochraceous, 3.08 to 3.52 mm long, brachypterous. Head obtusely angled in front, narrower than pronotum, rather triangular with vertex curving smoothly to face without margin. Vertex brownish, about as long as inter ocular width with median, prominent coronal sulcus. Ocelli visible dorsally, placed away from eyes by a distance equal to diameter of an ocellus. Pronotum wider than head, about as long as median length of vertex. Fore wings, short, margined with brownish spots, truncate apically, hardened, with reticulate venation exposing the abdominal terga.

Male genitalia Genital capsule prominent with large depressed anal tube fitting snugly on dorsum of pygofer lobes. Pygofer wider than long, with stout hair­like setae. Valve triangular. Subgenital plates narrow distally and broad proximally with few setae. Apex of subgenital plates rounded with median sclerotized ridge, this not reaching caudal surface of subgenital plate. Apophyses of styles caudally rounded and produced laterally into process. Connective rather ‘U’­shaped. Aedeagal shaft, robust, mushroom­shaped; caudal margin of aedeagus with basal processes, these reaching beyond; shaft slightly curved, caudal hood of aedeagus not reaching apex of shaft, gonopore subapical, ventral appendage not exceeding apex of shaft.

Measurements (N= 9)

Males 3.08 to 3.19 mm long and 0.93 to 1.04 mm wide across eyes. Females 3.08 to 3.30 mm long (3.24 to 3.52 mm long including ovipositor) and 1.10 to 1.15 mm wide across eyes.

Type material

HOLOTYPE, male, INDIA: Andhra Pradesh: Sigadam (Srikakulam district), grass, 7.XI.2002, M.S.V.Chalam. ( NPC, IARI, New Delhi).

PARATYPES 2 males, 1 female, grass, INDIA: Andhra Pradesh: Neggipudi, 12.IX.2002, M.S.V.Chalam; ( BMNH, London); 3 males, 2 females, grass, INDIA: Andhra Pradesh: Bandarulanka, 9.IX.2002, M.S.V.Chalam; ( NPC, IARI, New Delhi).

Remarks

This species will key close to L. mysorensis Distant and L. naga Viraktamath and Viraktamath in the key of Viraktamath and Viraktamath (1992). It resembles both these species in having basal processes on the caudal margin of the shaft; the caudal hood of aedeagus not reaching the apex of the shaft; and a sclerotized ridge on the middle of the subgenital plate, which does not reach the caudal surface. But the new species differs distinctly from both other species in having a mushroom­shaped aedeagal shaft, and in the shape of the connective and styles. This species is named mushroomi , because, the aedeagal shaft is mushroom­shaped.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Leofa mushroomi sp. n. 1, Aedeagus, dorsal view; 2. Aedeagus, lateral view; 3. Connective; 4. Style; 5, Subgenial plate; 6. Pygofer; 7. Valve.