Yelahanka shillongensis, Viraktamath & Webb & Yeshwanth, 2021

Viraktamath, C. A., Webb, M. D. & Yeshwanth, H. M., 2021, Leafhopper subfamily Ledrinae of the Indian subcontinent: 1. Description of Yelahanka gen. nov. (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with seven new species and new combinations, Zootaxa 4915 (4), pp. 451-480 : 458-459

Yelahanka shillongensis sp. nov.

Figs 5 A–B, 6 J, 16 A–H.

Probably green in life, preserved specimens greenish ochraceous. Anterior half of crown yellowish white, posterior half pale reddish brown widening laterally (more so in holotype). Face pale ochraceous, lateral areas in front of bases of antennae reddish brown. Pronotum pale reddish brown with darker areas along inner margin on either side of median line darker, lateral margins dorsally pale ochraceous, ventrally dark brown. Mesonotum slightly paler than pronotum with basal triangles a little darker. Forewing clavus reddish brown limited laterally by outer claval vein, latter dark brown especially on lateral side in line with dark brown ventral marginal stripe of pronotum, rest greenish hyaline and margin and inner margin of clavus brownish, apices of clavus, apical margin grey with narrow inner dark brown stripe along border. Thoracic and abdominal sterna and pleura pale ochraceous, setae on hind tibiae reddish brown. Hind tibia with 2 macrosetae on row PD.

Crown flat, more or less horizontal, surface punctate with median short ridge on posterior margin, about 0.54 times as long as wide between eyes. Ocelli not prominent, closer to each other than to adjacent eye. Pronotum shallowly foveate on either side of median line in anterior half, densely punctate compared to crown, posterior half slightly gibbous, anterior margin slightly convex, posterior margin medially concave, lateral margin somewhat straight and diverging posteriorly, about 1.33 times as long medially as crown and about twice as wide as long. Mesonotum shorter than pronotum, densely punctate. Forewing claval veins fused medially, outer claval vein till it separates from fused inner vein raised laterally into ledge, remaining distal part of inner claval vein also raised, claval region densely punctate, rest of forewing less densely punctate, apical margin obliquely truncate.

Male genitalia. Pygofer with rounded posterior region, about 1.2 times as long as height in lateral view, ventral margin convex; ventral process spine-like arising close to posterodorsal area, exceeding dorsal margin. Style with middle region much broader, apophysis slightly curved, with ventral blade-like process with obliquely truncate apex, with subapical notch on dorsal origin. Aedeagus with well-developed dorsal apodeme; basal 0.33 of shaft stout in lateral and posterior view, then narrowed, distal half almost of equal width, with a pair of short almost equal processes directed ventrally, gonopore apical. Segment X with posteroventral extension long.

Measurements. Male 5.3 and 5.7 mm long, 1.7 and 2.0 mm wide across eyes and 1.9 and 2.1 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE ♂; INDIA: Meghalaya: Shillong , 1961m, 3.xi.1981, C.A.Viraktamath ( UASB) . PARATYPE: 1 ♂, INDIA: West Bengal: Algarah nr Kalimpong , 1788m, 7.vi.2005, C.A. Viraktamath ( UASB) .

Etymology. The species is named after the locality where it was collected.

Remarks. Externally this species appears similar to Y. granulosa but is more brownish with very different male genitalia. Aedeagal shaft in the new species is stout at the base with a shorter shaft compared to that in Y. granulosa and also has a pair of short, almost equal, slender processes instead of strongly unequal processes in the latter species.

Figures

FIGURES 5 A–G. Species habitus of Yelahanka gen. nov. A–B, Y. shillongensis sp. nov., male dorsal and lateral views. C–E, Y. sikkimensis sp. nov., male (C) dorsal view; D–F, female dorsal and lateral views. F–G, male Y. trifida sp. nov., dorsal and lateral views.