Eremophlepsius sexnotatus Kusnezov, 1929

Tishechkin, Dmitri Yu., 2023, Contributions to the study of the subtribe Eremophlepsiina Dmitriev, 2002 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Opsiini), Zootaxa 5270 (3), pp. 573-583 : 575

Eremophlepsius sexnotatus Kusnezov, 1929

( Figs. 4–7 , 23–34, 37–39 , 41–44 )

E. parvulus Dlabola, 1961 , syn. n.

Material examined. Several series of specimens from southern Turkmenistan and southeastern Kazakhstan were studied.

Description. Pale yellowish with whitish forewings. Head with four black spots on fore margin, two spots in middle of crown on both sides of midline and two spots on hind margin. Pro- and mesonotum with numerous small dark spots of variable shape and size. Forewings with brown veins, darkened apices and fine line or speckled pattern in some cells; transverse veins on anterior margins broadly bordered with brown ( Figs. 4–7 ).

Ovipositor sometimes extends beyond forewings ( Fig. 5 ).

In aedeagus shape, similar to E. rohdendorfi but differs by stem apices with wider teeth and rounded outer margins and by basal hook-like processes with shorter tips ( Figs. 23–26, 28–31 ). Basal processes can be situated close to penis stems ( Fig. 26 ) or more dorsally ( Fig. 24 ); due to this, lateral view of penis varies greatly ( Figs. 23– 26 ). Subgenital plates distinctly longer and styles narrower than in E. rohdendorfi ( Figs. 37–38 ). Pygofer lobes are elongated at ends into narrow lobes, with ventral processes pointed and strongly bent dorsally ( Fig. 39 ). In Dubovsky (1966), drawings of the aedeagus somewhat differ from our photographs ( Figs. 27, 32 ), whereas drawings of the style and pygofer lobe exactly match our specimens.

Body length:♁, 3.8–4.1 mm; ♀ (to the ends of forewings or ovipositor if extends beyond forewings), 4.4–4.7 mm.

Male calling signal. Signals of one male from southeastern Kazakhstan ( Urzharsky Region , 27 km south of Taskesken, Artemisia sp. and other herbs in the steppe on the riverbank, 24. VI. 2022, recording at 32 oC) were investigated ( Fig. 40 ) .

Calling signal is a phrase lasting from 6–7 up to 10–12 s in our recordings and consisting of uniform syllables ( Figs. 41–44 ). Syllable repetition period averages 0.95– 1.28 s. Syllable duration averages 0.27– 0.46 s. Each syllable consists of partially merged pulses more distinct in its initial part ( Figs. 43–44 ); in the end part of a phrase, pulses in syllables sometimes are almost indistinct.

Distribution. Steppes and semideserts of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tadzhikistan. Despite its wide distribution, E. parvulus is a rare and sporadically occurring species.

Remarks. The description of appearance and coloration of E. parvulus Dlabola, 1961 corresponds exactly to E. sexnotatus . The aedeagus of E. parvulus in dorsal view also almost does not differ from the aedeagus of E. sexnotatus (cf. Figs. 28–31 and 34 ). For this reason, we consider E. parvulus a junior synonym of E. sexnotatus . The drawing of the aedeagus in lateral view in Dlabola (1961) ( Fig. 33 ) is similar to that of Dubovsky (1966) ( Fig. 27 ) and was probably taken from the same angle.

Listed as Phlepsius sexnotatus in Metcalf (1967) and McKamey (2000), but as Eremophlepsius sexnotatus in Dubovsky (1966), Nast (1972), and Zahniser (2007 –present).

Genus Pseudo p hlepsius Zachvatkin, 1924

Figures

FIGURE 40. Map of leafhopper signal recording localities.

FIGURES 1–17. Eremophlepsiina. 1―Eremophlepsius rohdendorfi, holotype, male, 2―E. rohdendorfi ab. marmorata, paratype, female, 3―holotype labels, 4–7―E. sexnotatus (4, 6–7―males, 5―female), 8–17―Pseudophlepsius binotatus (8– 16―males, 17―female).

FIGURES 18–39. Eremophlepsius spp., male genitalia. 18–22―E. rohdendorfi, aedeagus (18, 21―lateral view, 19, 22―dorsal view, 20―dorsal and lateral view), 23–34―same, E. sexnotatus (23–27, 33―lateral view, 28–32, 34―dorsal view), 35―E. rohdendorfi, subgenital plates, valve, and styles, 36―same, pygofer lobe, 37–38―E. sexnotatus, subgenital plate, style, and right half of valve, 39―same, pygofer lobe.

FIGURES 41–55. Eremophlepsiina, calling signal oscillograms. 41–44―Eremophlepsius sexnotatus, 45–55―Pseudophlepsius binotatus. Faster oscillograms of the parts of signals indicated as “43–44”, “49–51”, and “54–55” are given under the same numbers.