Tenucephalus ecuadorensis, Zahniser, 2021

Zahniser, James N., 2021, Revision of the New World leafhopper tribe Faltalini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) and the evolution of brachyptery, Zootaxa 4954 (1), pp. 1-160 : 103-104

Tenucephalus ecuadorensis n. sp.

( Figs. 63 , 84 )

Diagnosis. T. ecuadorensis can be distinguished from other species of the genus by a combination of the typical color pattern but transverse white band on anterior margin of head without thin brown or black line above and below, style apophysis thick, foot-like, and apex pointed and directed laterally, and aedeagus robust with dorsal surface roughened by numerous minute anteriorly-inclined teeth.

Body. Male, 3.9–4.2 mm. Female, 4.9 mm to wing apex.

Color. With typical color pattern but transverse white band on anterior margin of head without thin brown or black line above and below.

Male. Pygofer length about 2.5x height at midlength; basal half broad; dorsally incised at midlength; apical half lobe-like; ventral margin gently excavated near base; with ~20 long macrosetae on apical lobe; with many short to medium-length fine setae above and below membranous cleft and ventrally near apex; with pair of thick processes arising at base of dorsal incision at midlength, paralleling dorsal margin of pygofer for 4/5 their length and bent ventrad and attenuated at apical 1/5. Valve width about 2x median length; not produced anteriorly. Subgenital plate somewhat truncated apically, trapezoidal; with single row of 6–7 macrosetae near lateral margin; with many fine setae laterally. Style preapical lobe long, rectangular, apical angle rounded; apophysis thick, foot-like, apex pointed and directed laterally. Connective-aedeagus with symmetrical pair of processes fused near aedeagal base, processes relatively straight in lateral view, slightly undulate, sharply pointed at apex. Aedeagus robust, curving dorsad; with dorsal surface roughened by numerous minute anteriorly-inclined teeth. Phragma lobes with numerous distinct moderately long setae throughout. Segment X sclerotized laterally.

Female. Sternite VII roughly rectangular; width less than 2x median length; posterior margin broadly incised and slightly produced medially. Sternite VIII membranous; arcuate wrinkled tissue slightly exceeding anterior margin of stVII.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: 1♂, ECUADOR, Pich., Santo Domingo (47KmS), Malaise, 22–28-VII- 1976, Jeffrey Cohen [ USNM] . PARATYPES: 3♂, same data as holotype ; 4♂, same data as holotype except 29-VII- 1976 . 1♀, ECUADOR, Sapayo Grande , Esmeraldas Prov., 20-III-1958, R.W. Hodges. [ USNM]

Etymology. The species name highlights its presence in Ecuador.

Distribution. The type locality is interpreted from the labels to be in Pichincha Province, 47 km north of the city of Santo Domingo. So far, it is the only species of Tenucephalus known from Ecuador.

Remarks. The association made here of the female from a separate locality with males from the type locality should be confirmed with more collections.

Figures

FIGUIRE 63. Tenucephalus ecuadorensis n. sp. (A–B, D–H, J) standard views. (Q) aedeagus, ventral view with paired symmetrical processes of aedeagus-connective and phragma removed from image, apex of aedeagus at bottom of figure.

FIGUIRE 84. Distribution of Tenucephalus spp. and Virganana danasensis in northwestern South America.