Neazonia tripleta, Szwedo, 2007

Szwedo, Jacek, 2007, Nymphs of a new family Neazoniidae fam. n. (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoroidea) from the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber, African Invertebrates 48 (1), pp. 127-143 : 128-131

Neazonia tripleta sp. n.

Figs 1–11 , 24, 25

Etymology: Specific epithet refers to triplets of sensory pits on thoracic wing-pads and abdominal tergites.

Diagnosis: More flattened dorso-ventrally than N. imprinta , not as elongate as N. immatura . Pronotum with group of three sensory pits at posterior angle (quadruplet and pentaplet near mid-line and another quadruplet at posterior angle present in N. imprinta ). Anterior margin of pronotum distinctly incised (not incised in N. imprinta and N. immatura ).

Description: Total length of body 3.3 mm. General shape ovoid, strongly flattened, with tip of rostrum distinctly exceeding apex of abdomen.

Head: Vertex subtriangular, a bit shorter (0.36 mm) than width at base (0.41 mm), anterior margin acutely rounded, lateral margins slightly elevated, posterior margin merely excavated posteriorly at mid-length of compound eyes, disc of vertex concave, divided by longitudinal mid-dorsal ecdysial line into left and right halves. Frons about 1.9 times as long as wide, 0.79 mm long along mid-line, 0.41 mm wide, angularly rounded at apex, broadening gradually to level of antennae, then narrowing, slightly concave at level of frontoclypeal suture. Lateral carinae originating anterior to compound eye, slightly elevated, extending to level of frontoclypeal suture; submedian carinae extending slightly below the level of bases of lateral carinae, converging medially to frontoclypeal suture and parallel to lateral carinae, disc of frons elevated in upper portion, above bases of lateral carinae, elevated between submedian carinae, concave between submedian and lateral carinae; quadruplet of sensory pits in upper portion slightly below level of bases of submedian carinae; second sensory triplet pair at level of lower margin of compound eye. Clypeus 1.00 mm long; postclypeus 0.21 mm long along mid-line, 0.46 mm long along lateral line; anteclypeus 0.70 mm long along mid-line; clypellus short, 0.09 mm long. Rostrum 3-segmented, longer than body; basal segment 0.18 mm long; subapical segment, 0.26 mm; apical segment, about 1.8 mm long (tip destroyed). Antenna 0.71 mm long; scape cylindrical, slightly shorter than pedicel; pedicel elongate subglobose, with a few sensory fields; first flagellomere globular, narrower than pedicel; arista elongate.

Thorax: Thoracic nota divided by longitudinal mid-dorsal line into three pairs of plates. Pronotum distinctly wider than head including compound eyes, anteriorly produced almost to middle of compound eyes, with distinct anteromedian lobes, anterior angles slightly protruding anteriorly, lateral margins distinctly diverging posteriorly, posterior margin weakly sinuate, posterior angle with triplet of sensory pits. Pronotum along mid-line slightly shorter (0.30 mm) than vertex along mid-line, 1.26 mm wide at posterior angles. Mesonotum with wing pads wider (1.44 mm) than pronotum, distinctly longer (0.49 mm) than pronotum along mid-line, anterior margin arcuate anteriorly, lateral margins distinctly diverging posteriorly, posterior margin excavate, almost straight in median portion, lateral carinae present, elevated, delimiting disc of mesonotum, triplet of sensory pits present at posterior angle of wing pad, also single sensory pit visible on wing pad laterad of lateral carina. Metanotum with wing pads slightly wider (1.46 mm) than mesonotal wing pads, but shorter (0.36 mm) than mesonotum along mid-line, disc not delimited by carinae, wing pads extending to abdominal tergite 4, posterior margin excavate.

Prothoracic and mesothoracic coxae elongate, slender and ridged. Prothoracic femur slightly longer (0.59 mm) than prothoracic tibia (0.50 mm); prothoracic tibia subquadrangular in cross section, with rows of setae; first tarsomere 0.1 mm long with rows of plantar setae; second tarsomere 0.21 mm long, with rows of plantar setae and long apical setae; claws relatively large, 0.33 mm long; arolium wide, spatulate. Mesothoracic leg with femur shorter than prothoracic femur (0.56 mm), shorter than mesothoracic tibia (0.67 mm); mesothoracic tibia subquadrangular in cross section, slightly flattened with rows of long setae; mesothoracic tarsus 0.40 mm long; first tarsomere 0.14 mm long with rows of plantar setae; second tarsomere 0.28 mm long; tarsal claws distinct; arolium spatulate. Metathoracic femur 0.71 mm long; metathoracic tibia 1.20 mm long, round in cross section, with apical row of four teeth, covered with long setae; first tarsomere long.

Abdomen: 9-segmented, narrower than metathorax including wing pads, arcuately converging posteriorly, 1.82 mm long. Abdominal tergites IV to VIII with triplets of sensory pits on each side at posterior angles, delicately carinate at 1/3 laterad.Abdominal pleurites IV–VIII narrow with stigmal area in anterior portion. All abdominal sternites without median fissure. Pygofer (segment IX) triangular, 0.50 mm long along mid-line, 0.52 mm wide at base, with distinct narrow median incision ventrally, lateral lobes of pygofer with triplets of sensory pits near tip, posterior margins of pygofer lobes excavate, anal “combs” lobe-like.

Holotype: Nymph of IIIrd instar, specimen no. 1236 embedded in Canada balsam, Dany Azar coll. (Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris). LEBANON: Central Lebanon , Hammana/Mdeyrij outcrop; Lower Cretaceous, Uppermost Neocomian?–Lowermost Aptian ( Azar et al. 2003).

Figures

Figs 1–8. Neazonia tripleta sp. n.: (1) Anterior portion of body; (2) Face; (3) Antenna; (4) Right fore leg; (5) Right fore tarsus; (6) Right mid leg; (7) Left hind leg; (8) Set of sensory pits of abdominal segment. Scale bars: Figs 1, 2, 7 = 1 mm; Figs 4, 6 = 0.5 mm; Figs 3, 5 = 0.1 mm; Fig. 8 = 0.05 mm.

Figs 9–11. Neazonia tripleta sp. n.: (9) Abdomen and end of body in dorsal view; (10) Ventral portion of abdomen; (11) Pygofer from below. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figs 24–27. General appearance of Neazonia: (24) N. tripleta sp. n., dorsal view; (25) N. tripleta sp. n., ventral view; (26) N. immatura sp. n., dorsal view; (27) N. immatura sp. n., ventral view.