Limassolla auriculata, Song, Yuehua & Li, Zizhong, 2011

Song, Yuehua & Li, Zizhong, 2011, Five new species of the leafhopper genus Limassolla Dlabola (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) from China, Zootaxa 3127, pp. 53-63 : 55-56

Limassolla (L.) auriculata Song & Li sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–9 )

Body yellowish, with light orange tint. Crown and pronotum with yellow pattern as in Fig. 1 . Eyes ( Fig. 1 ) greyish brown. Scutellum ( Fig. 1 ) milky yellow, with yellowish orange basal triangles; its apex orange, with round blackish brown spot. Forewing ( Fig. 2 ) yellowish, with numerous brown spots on corium and small brownish streaks near terminal portion; two orange-yellow markings as indicated by dashes in Fig. 2 .

Abdominal apodemes ( Fig. 3 ) well developed, nearly extending to anterior margin of 6th segment.

Male genitalia: Pygofer lobe ( Fig. 4 ) broad, with few stout tubercles dorsoapically; group of small short microsetae scattered near central area. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 5 ) not extended beyond end of pygofer, with single long macroseta subbasally. Style ( Fig. 6 ) long, upper half gradually narrowing towards apex, curving laterally, six fine microsetae on mesal surface and few small tubercles along inner margin. Aedeagus preatrium ( Figs. 7, 8 ) longer than dorsal apodeme; aedeagal shaft distinctly expanded in lateral view, long appendage arising from base with apex slightly bifurcate. Gonopore ( Figs. 7, 8 ) subapical on ventral surface. Connective ( Fig. 9 ) with small central lobe.

Specimen examined. Holotype, 3, China, Hainan Prov., National Nature Reserve Mt. Diaoluo, 900–1200 m, at light, 16 Jul. 2007, coll. Yuehua Song.

Measurement. Body length male 2.7 mm (including wing).

Remarks. The new species is similar to L. discreta Chou & Zhang (1985) , but the large aedeagal process ( Figs. 7, 8 ) does not extend beyond the apex of the shaft and is slightly branched apically; and the abdominal apodemes ( Fig. 3 ) extend to the anterior margin of the 6th segment.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin word “ auriculata ”, referring to the connective ( Fig. 9 ) with lateral arms small, its margin smooth.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Limassolla auriculata sp. nov. 1. Head and thorax, dorsal view. 2. Fore wing. 3. Abdominal apodemes. 4. Pygofer lobe, lateral view. 5. Subgenital plate. 6. Style. 7. Aedeagus, lateral view. 8. Aedeagus, ventral view. 9. Connective, ventral view.