Menytes, Andrew Hamilton, K. G., 2016

Andrew Hamilton, K. G., 2016, Neotropical spittlebugs related to Neaenini (Hemiptera, Cercopidae) and the origins of subfamily Cercopinae, Zootaxa 4169 (2), pp. 201-250 : 219-220

Menytes gen.nov.

Type-species: Menytes lathrius sp.nov.

Etymology. menytes (m), informer.

Distribution. Amazon basin of Ecuador.

Diagnosis. Intermediate between the very different genera Simorhina and Tomaspisinella , and with unique antennae.

Description. Superficially similar to a small Aphrophora but strongly hirsute ( Fig. 14 B). Head distinctly narrower than pronotum; eyes transverse; crown moderately short, with tylus and crown depressed and strongly elevated antennal ledge ( Fig. 14 E); facial part of frons medially sulcate ( Fig. 14 D); antenna with slender, elongate sensillum ( Fig. 14 F) as in Simorhina and Tomaspisinella , but with the postpedicel large, almost as wide as pedicel ( Fig. 14 G), entirely exposed and with very many large pits occupying the whole surface with coeloconic sensilla having unique spiral bases ( Fig. 14 H). Pronotum with anterior margin steeply declivous ( Fig. 14 B), anterior border weakly bowed; lateral margins more than half length of eyes. Tegmina elongate, hirsute, with obscure veins. Hind wing with triangular basal lobe bearing an erect hook at tip and 2 recumbent smaller hooks on distal edge; straight veins defining 4 apical cells; appendix narrowest around tip of wing ( Fig. 14 C). Fore femora subequal to hind femora. Hind tibiae with 2 almost equally long spines on outer edge ( Fig. 14 D), basal one 0.2 × and distal one 0.25 × as long as tibia; hind basitarsal pecten of 6 black-tipped spines, that of second tarsomere with 11 such spines. Male pygofer elongate, deeply notched dorsally on each side of anal tube; subgenital plates oblique, with decurved tips ( Fig. 27 A–B) separated by V-shaped notch ( Fig. 27 D); styles truncate at base, tapered to sharp tip extending nearly as far as subgenital plates; phallobase tubular; theca laterally compressed except for bulbous tip ( Fig. 27 C), shaft sinuate, unarmed ( Fig. 27 A–B).

Remarks. The spiral bases of the coeloconic sensilla set in large pits are unique. The sulcate face, concave crown and arched pronotum of Menytes are synapomorphies with Simorhina ( Fig. 15 B). Synapomorphies with Tomaspisinella include strongly hirsute body ( Fig. 18 B) and elongate pygofers ( Carvalho & Webb 2005, figs 4, 5, 8). Tomaspisinella have the postpedicel retracted into the apical cup of the pedicel, while the postpedicel of Simorhina represents a more plesiomorphic condition ( Fig. 15 G). Some other distinctive characters are synapomorphic with allied genera or homoplastic with unrelated spittlebugs (for example, the depressed crown is also characteristic of Liorhinella , and the wedge-shaped style is similar to one found in an undescribed Epipygid). Phylogenetically, Menytes represents a sister-lineage of Simorhina linking that autapomorphous genus to Tomaspisinella .

There is only one known species in this genus.

Menytes lathrius sp. nov.

Etymology. lathrios (adj.) secret, hidden.

Description. Brown, antennal ledges tawny; venter marked with yellow on tip of frons, black on rest of face, pro- and mesopleura and tarsi; tegmina with broken, ivory band across apical quarter extending from costal dash to a chain of 2–3 small spots on each tegmen. Length: male 6.7 mm; female unknown.

Type. Holotype male, ECUADOR: Pastaza — Cusuimi, Rio Cusuimi , 150 km SE Puyo, 15–31 May 1971 (B. Malkin); in FMC.

Figures

FIGURES 14 – 15. Menytes gen. nov. (14), compared to Simorhina Jacobi (15). A, habitus; B, profile; C, hind wing; D, venter (restoration) with photograph of actual specimen (inset); E, left half of head, anterior aspect; F, enlargement of tip of antenna (scale bar: 100 F), widest aspect, showing length of basiconic sensillum (b) and width compared to arista (a); G, tip of postpedicel, with arista to left and basiconic sensillum to right; H, enlargement of antennal pits (scale bar: 10 F) showing spiral base of each vertically pleated coeloconic sensillum (dark centre). Original photograph (inset in 12 D) provided by J. Boone.

FIGURES 25 – 35. Neaenini, Menytes (25) and Tomaspisinella (26 – 35): 25 A – B, genital capsule and genitalia of Menytes lathrius, lateral aspect; 25 C, same, tip of theca in caudal aspect; 25 D, subgenital plates, ventral aspect; 26, head and thorax of Tomaspisinella (s. s.) caligata; 27, same, of T. (Ovotomaspis) minuscula; 28 – 35, Tomaspisinella spp., with genital capsule and style (A), aedeagus in lateral aspect (B), tip of aedeagus in caudal aspect (C), subgenital plates in ventral aspect (D): 28, T. (s. s.) parva; 29, T. (s. s.) lucifer; 30, T. (Meretricula) punctatissima; 31, T. (Meretricula) oliveirai; 32, T. (Meretricula) pallidiceps; 33, T. (Ovotomaspis) diabolus sp. nov.; 34, T. (Merinx) jocosa; 35, T. (Merinx) bolivari. Only genital illustrations to scale, with 28 C and 35 at larger scale than others, as indicated by scale lines.

FIGURES 17 – 19. Antennal characters of apomorphic new-world Cercopinae: Olcotomaspis (Phymatostethini, 17), Zuata (Neaenini, 18) and Tomaspisella (Neaenini, 19): 17 A, Olcotomaspis versicolor (Lallemand); 17 B, same, from another angle, showing paired basiconic sensillae on inner side; 17 C, O. laterinotata (Fowler); 17 D, O. (= Hyalotomaspis) clarissa; 18 A, Zuata infecta sp. nov.; 18 B, same, detail (note peglike seta surrounded by large socket and tiny secondary seta behind it); 19 A, Tomaspisella parva Lallemand, male; 19 B, same, female; 19 C, same, detail of pits.