Semia albusequi, Emery, David L., Lee, Young June & Pham, Hong-Thai, 2017

Emery, David L., Lee, Young June & Pham, Hong-Thai, 2017, Descriptions of four new species of Semia Matsumura (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Psithyristriini) from Vietnam, with a key to the species of Semia, Zootaxa 4216 (2), pp. 153-166 : 163-165

Semia albusequi sp. nov.

( Figs 2 D, 3G–H, 7)

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Thua Thien Hue Prov., Bach Ma National Park , 1400 m, 16°11’51”N, 107°51’36”E, 20 III 2016 ( VNMN; E-00130) ; Paratypes: 1♂, 1♀, same location, 350 m, 30 III 2014 ; 1♂, Da Nang City, Ba Na Nature Reserves , 1450 m, 16°01' 31''N, 107°01’13”E, 15 VII 2015 (AM) ; 1♂, same location as holotype, 14 IV 2016 ; 2♂, 1♀, same location as holotype, 30 IV 2016 (DE).

Other material. 1♂, Da Nang City, Ba Na Nature Reserves , 1450 m, 16°01' 31''N, 107°01’13”E, 15 VII 2015 (YJL).

Description of male ( Figs 2 D, 3G–H, 7A–B). Head mostly brown, with black patch along midline and along posterior margin, black patch around ocelli, and brown triangular area on midline posterior to postclypeus; ocelli pink; postclypeus brown, with black “V” dorsally, black horizontal striations along transverse grooves midanteriorly, pale brown patch either side of midline over central third, and prominently shiny black over posterior third; anteclypeus mainly brown, black over central third; gena and lorum black posteriorly, becoming brown anteriorly; rostrum brown, black at tip, extending to mid-sternite II; compound eyes dark brown; antennae light brown; supra-antennal plates brown.

Thorax: Pronotum mostly pale brown-ochraceous, with black markings outlining brown stripe along midline, black patch along parapsidal sutures, and black strip along lateral border; pronotal collar evenly brown, with median black triangular mark on posterior margin, expanded laterally, rounded laterally. Mesonotum light olivebrown, with black median stripe, extending laterally and posteriorly submedian sigella, broadening along parasidal sutures; scutal depressions black; cruciform elevation ochraceous, with lateral depressions light brown with black lateral spot. Metanotum light brown.

Legs predominantly light brown; coxa brown with anterior black stripes; trochanters brown; femora with small black markings at ends, with primary spine erect, brown; tibiae similarly patterned to femora, black around tarsi; tarsi brown anteriorly, black over distal half; claws black. Meracanthus elongated, narrow, pale brown, cream laterally, sharply pointed, overlapping anterior half of opercula.

Wings hyaline, veins olive-cream to black, olive-green at node; fore wing with infuscations along crossveins r, m, r-m, and m-cu, vein CuA2, bases and apices of veins RA2, RP, M, M1-4, and CuA1, nodal line intersection, and outer margins of apical cells 1–7; basal membrane grey; basal cell translucent; hind wing with 6 apical cells; with continuous infuscations along proximal veins of apical cells 1–3; plaga grey, covering jejum, with translucent area near distal margin.

Opercula pale yellowish brown, spatulate, not extending beyond posterior margin of sternite II, rounded medially, clearly not meeting on midline.Timbals ( Fig. 2 D) with 5 long ribs; ribs 1–4 dark brown, full length fused ventrally, thinner through dorsal half to prominent central expansion, thicker ventrally, dark brown, interspersed by three intercalary ribs; rib 5 thick, discontinuous centrally. Timbal plate prominent; timbal dome pale brown, extending over half width of timbal, inverted distally. Apodeme pit small, slit like, conspicuous.

Abdomen with tergites mainly brown, darker along midline, lighter laterally, with black longitudinal stripe near lateral margins; tergite 1 brown; timbal covers pale brown, rounded minimally covering timbals ( Fig. 2 D); tergites 2–7 brown; tergite 8 dark brown anteriorly with a black spot either side of midline and pale brown patch posteriorly; sternites I pale brown, with posterior margin dark black; stenites II-VI pale brown, translucent, with posterior margins darker brown; sternite VII dark brown; sternite VIII brown.

Genitalia ( Fig. 3 G–H): Pygofer trapezoid in ventral view; dorsal beak short, rounded, protruding upwards in lateral view, not extending to elongated anal styles; distal shoulder acute, directed and curved laterally; uncal lobe dark brown posteriorly, becoming pale brown towards apex, short, with inner margins widely separated from base to apex and lateral margins rounded at apex, curved in lateral view; basal lobe stout, strongly angled anteriorly in ventral view. Aedeagus short, entirely within uncus.

Description of female ( Fig. 7 C–D). Head and thorax similar to male, with generally darker and greenish coloration; pronotal collar ochraceous, pale, rounded laterally; mesonotum distinctly olive green with similar black patterns to male.

Wings similar to male, with light infuscations along posterior margins of hindwing apical cells 1–3.

Abdomen dark brown; tergite 1 brown; tergites 2–3 with black anterior margins, brown posteriorly; tergites 3– 8 black-brown medially, browner laterally with black stripe; sternites I–VII dark brown to black; abdominal segment 9 dark brown, with black diagonal stripe on lateral aspect and distinct brown pubescence. Ovipositor dark brown, black at tip, not extending beyond abdomen.

Measurements (7 males, 2 females). Body length: male 28.0–31.0 (29.2); female 23.2–23.8 (23.5). Length of head + thorax: male 11.7–12.9 (12.3); female 12.2–12.5 (12.4). Length of abdomen: male 15.5–18.5 (16.8); female 10.9–11.3 (11.1). Fore wing length: male 33.3–35.8 (34.5); female 34.0–34.6 (34.3). Head width: male 7.9–8.3 (8.1); female 8.1–8.3 (8.2). Pronotum width: male 8.2–9.0 (8.6); female 8.4–8.5 (8.5). Abdomen width: male 9.0– 9.8 (9.3); female 8.8–8.8 (8.8).

Etymology. The name “ albusequi ” is the Latin translation of the Vietnamese “ Bach Ma ” (“white horse”), treated here as a masculine noun, reflecting the location of this species on Bach Ma Mountain.

Distinguishing features. Males of S. albusequi sp. nov. lack the continuous infuscation along the posterior margin of the hind wing apical cells 1–6, so are readily distinguished from S. klapperichi , S. majuscula , S. magna sp. nov., and S. tibetensis . Semia albusequi sp. nov. (body length <31 mm) is smaller than S. hainanensis (body length> 37 mm), S. gialaiensis (body length> 32 mm), and the single male of S. brevidilata (body length 34 mm). Semia albusequi sp. nov. lacks the distinct white pollinosity present on S. pallida sp. nov., and on the tergite 8 of S. watanabei . The bevelled ventral apices on the uncal lobes of S. spiritus sp. nov., the lateral “spine-like” projection from the uncus of S. spinosa , and the ornate lateral projections of the uncal apices in S. lachna contrast with the short rounded apices of the uncal lobes on S. albusequi sp. nov.

Distribution, habitat, and seasonality. This species is currently restricted to Central Vietnam at Bach Ma National Park, Thua Thien Hue Province and Ba Na Nature Reserves in Da Nang City ( Fig. 4 ). Specimens have been collected between March and July.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Male left timbals, with dorsal edge at left and posterior margin at bottom: A, Semia magna sp. nov., Ngoc Linh Nature Reserves (15 ° 00 ’ 39 ” N, 107 ° 57 ’ 53 ” E); B, Semia spiritus sp. nov., Ngoc Linh Nature Reserves (15 ° 00 ’ 39 ” N, 107 ° 57 ’ 53 ” E); C, Semia pallida sp. nov., Bidoup Nui Ba National Park (12 ° 06 ’ 43 ” N, 108 ° 57 ’ 53 ” E); D. Semia albusequi sp. nov., Bach Ma National Park (16 ° 11 ’ 51 ” N, 107 ° 51 ’ 36 ” E).

FIGURE 3. Male genitalia, with sternite VIII removed: A – B, Semia magna sp. nov., Ngoc Linh Nature Reserves (15 ° 00 ’ 39 ” N, 107 ° 57 ’ 53 ” E): A, Viewed ventrally. B, Viewed laterally from the left. C – D, Semia spiritus sp. nov., Ngoc Linh Nature Reserves (15 ° 00 ’ 39 ” N, 107 ° 57 ’ 53 ” E): C, Viewed ventrally. D, Viewed laterally from the left. E – F, Semia pallida sp. nov., Bidoup Nui Ba National Park (12 ° 06 ’ 43 ” N, 108 ° 57 ’ 53 ” E): E, Viewed ventrally. F, Viewed laterally from the left. G – H, Semia albusequi sp. nov., Bach Ma National Park (16 ° 11 ’ 51 ” N, 107 ° 51 ’ 36 ” E): G, Viewed ventrally. H, Viewed laterally from the left. aed aedeagus; bpl basal lobe of pygofer; db dorsal beak; ds distal shoulder; unc uncus.

FIGURE 4. Map of Vietnam showing where the Semia species described in this paper were found.

FIGURE 7. Semia albusequi sp. nov.: A – B, Holotype Male, Bach Ma National Park (16 ° 11 ’ 51 ” N, 107 ° 51 ’ 36 ” E): A, Dorsal habitus. B, Ventral habitus. C – D, Female, Ba Na Nature Reserves (16 ° 01 ' 31 '' N, 107 ° 01 ’ 13 ” E): C, Dorsal habitus. D, Ventral habitus. Scale bar = 10 mm.