Elginus tortuosus, Stiller, M., 2009

Stiller, M., 2009, Revision of Elginus Theron (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with the description of two new genera and comments on the grassland leafhopper fauna in South Africa, Zootaxa 2135 (1), pp. 1-56 : 26-27

Elginus tortuosus sp.n.

( Figs 37 , 74 , 101 , 127 , 153 , 176 , 202 , 229 , 255 , 271 )

Diagnosis. Aedeagal shaft twisted. Plate elongate, without dorsal tooth and concave apex. Female sternite VII with wide V-shaped notch with short parallel-sided notch at its base.

Etymology. Latin, referring to the twisted aedeagal shaft.

Dimensions. Male (n = 29). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 3.6–3.9 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 3.3–3.6 mm; vertex medially 0.5–0.6 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.3–0.4 mm; pronotum medially 0.4 mm; scutellum medially 0.3–0.4 mm. Maximum widths: head 1.0– 1.1 mm; pronotum 0.8–0.9 mm; scutellum 0.5–0.6 mm. Ocellus: diameter 26–38 µm; ocellocular distance 48–64 µm.

Colour. Male. Fig. 37 .

Abdominal apodemes. Male. Fig. 271 .

Genital capsule. Male. Aedeagal shaft thin, tubular; long, 1.9 times as long as dorsal apodeme; twisted one-third from base; in lateral view S-shaped; in dorsal view curved laterally; gonopore lateral ( Figs 74 , 101 ). Connective without stem, as in Fig. 127 . Plate apex truncate, concave; medial margins separated by about 15°; setation uniseriate, variable (5–9) ( Fig. 153 ). Pygofer lobe broadly rounded ( Figs 176 , 202 ). Style apophysis straight, with base and mid-section wide, apex acute; almost reaching apex of plate; apophysis 0.9 times as long as median arm ( Fig. 229 ).

Dimensions. Female (n = 13). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 3.6–4.1 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 3.4–3.9 mm; vertex medially 0.6 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.4 mm; pronotum medially 0.4 mm; scutellum medially 0.3–0.4 mm. Maximum widths: head 1.1–1.2 mm; pronotum 0.9–1.0 mm; scutellum 0.5–0.6 mm. Ocellus: diameter 26–37 µm; ocellocular distance 52–66 µm.

Genital capsule. Female. Sternite VII margin wide V-shaped, ending in short parallel-sided notch; no pillars between sternite VII and VIII, sometimes sclerotized, paired marking ( Fig. 255 ). Third valvula with three macrosetae (38.6x6.4 µm, 38.6x5.2 µm, 30.9x5.2 µm). Second valvula serrate.

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, Western Cape. Tradouw Pass , (33°57ʹS 20°42ʹE), 15.xi.1976, J.G. Theron ( SANC) . Paratypes (36♂, 14♀). Western Cape . 10♂, 3♀, Swellendam , (34°02ʹS 20°26ʹE) ; 12♂, 4♀, ibid. above, but 11–26.ii.1973 ; 14♂, 6♀, ibid. holotype ; 1♀, Swellendam , 34°02ʹS 20°26ʹE, 31.i.1980; all J.G. Theron ( BMNH, SANC, USIC) .

Remarks. Known from a number of vegetation units of the Fynbos Biome, with one female from Port St John’s suggesting a wider range. The identification of this specimen is based on the characteristic shape of the sternite VII of this species ( Fig. 253 ). Mislabeling, however, is also possible. Port St John’s and immediate surrounds fall into a number of vegetation units of the Indian Ocean Coastal Belt and Savanna Biomes ( Mucina and Rutherford, 2006). A similar species is E. denticulatus that occurs mainly in the Drakensberg Grassland Bioregion of the Grassland Biome. However, disjunct distribution is also found in E. cavatus , E. furcillatus and E. levilobus .

Figures

FIGURES 33–40. Elginus species, habitus views. Fig. 33, E. semialatus, nymph; Fig. 34, E. semialatus, female sternite VII; Fig. 35, E. theroni, male; Fig. 36, E. theroni, female; Fig. 37, E. tortuosus, male; Fig. 38, E. tubulus, male; Fig. 39, E. tubulus, female; Fig. 40, E. unispinus, male.

FIGURES 51–77. Elginus species, male, aedeagus, dorsal or ventral view. Fig. 51, E. acutus, ventral view; Fig. 52, E. bispinus, dorsal view; Fig. 53, E. cavatus, dorsal view; Fig. 54, E. contradens, dorsal view; Fig. 55, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus, dorsal view; Fig. 56, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus, dorsal view; Fig. 57, E. denticulatus, dorsal view; Fig. 58, E. dexteruncus, dorsal view; Fig. 59, E. eccentricus, dorsal view; Fig. 60, E. extrinsecus, ventral view; Fig. 61, E. falcatus, dorsal view; Fig. 62, E. furcillatus, dorsal view; Fig. 63, E. latus, dorsal view; Fig. 64, E. levilobus, ventral view; Fig. 65, E. malotiensis, dorsal view; Fig. 66, E. matarei, ventral view; Fig. 67, E. minutulus, dorsal view; Fig. 68, E. oriens, dorsal view; Fig. 69, E. recavus, dorsal view; Fig. 70, E. saltus (Naudé), dorsal view; Fig. 71, E. semialatus, with paired process, ventral view; Fig. 72, E. semialatus, single process, ventral view; Fig. 73, E. theroni, dorsal view; Fig. 74, E. tortuosus, dorsal view; Fig. 75, E. tubulus, dorsal view; Fig. 76, E. unispinus, ventral view; Fig. 77, E. vulgaris, dorsal view.

FIGURES 78–104. Elginus species, male, aedeagus, lateral view. Fig. 78, E. acutus; Fig. 79, E. bispinus; Fig. 80, E. cavatus; Fig. 81, E. contradens; Fig. 82, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 83, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 84, E. denticulatus; Fig. 85, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 86, E. eccentricus; Fig. 87, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 88, E. falcatus; Fig. 89, E. furcillatus; Fig. 90, E. latus; Fig. 91, E. levilobus; Fig. 92, E. malotiensis; Fig. 93, E. matarei; Fig. 94, E. minutulus; Fig. 95, E. oriens; Fig. 96, E. recavus; Fig. 97, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 98, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 99, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 100, E. theroni; Fig. 101, E. tortuosus; Fig. 102, E. tubulus; Fig. 103, E. unispinus; Fig. 104, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 105–130. Elginus species, male, connective, Fig. 105, E. acutus; Fig. 106, E. bispinus; Fig. 107, E. cavatus; Fig. 108, E. contradens; Fig. 109, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 110, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 111, E. denticulatus; Fig. 112, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 113, E. eccentricus; Fig. 114, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 115, E. falcatus; Fig. 116, E. furcillatus; Fig. 117, E. latus; Fig. 118, E. levilobus; Fig. 119, E. malotiensis; Fig. 120, E. matarei; Fig. 121, E. minutulus; Fig. 122, E. oriens; Fig. 123, E. recavus; Fig. 124, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 125, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 126, E. theroni; Fig. 127, E. tortuosus; Fig. 128, E. tubulus; Fig. 129, E. unispinus; Fig. 130, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 131–156. Elginus species, male, plate, Fig. 131, E. acutus; Fig. 132, E. bispinus; Fig. 133, E. cavatus; Fig. 134, E. contradens; Fig. 135, E. cultellus; Fig. 136, E. denticulatus; Fig. 137, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 138, E. eccentricus; Fig. 139, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 140, E. falcatus; Fig. 141, E. furcillatus; Fig. 142, E. latus; Fig. 143, E. levilobus; Fig. 144, E. malotiensis; Fig. 145, E. matarei; Fig. 146, E. minutulus; Fig. 147, E. oriens; Fig. 148, E. recavus; Fig. 149, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 150, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 151, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 152, E. theroni; Fig. 153, E. tortuosus; Fig. 154, E. tubulus; Fig. 155, E. unispinus; Fig. 156, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 157–179. Elginus species, male, pygofer, dorsal view. Fig. 157, E. acutus; Fig. 158, E. cavatus; Fig. 159, E. contradens; Fig. 160, E. cultellus; Fig. 161, E. denticulatus; Fig. 162, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 163, E. eccentricus; Fig. 164, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 165, E. falcatus; Fig. 166, E. furcillatus; Fig. 167, E. latus; Fig. 168, E. levilobus; Fig. 169, malotiensis; Fig. 170, E. matarei; Fig. 171, E. minutulus; Fig. 172, E. oriens; Fig. 173, E. recavus; Fig. 174, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 175, E. theroni; Fig. 176, E. tortuosus; Fig. 177, E. tubulus; Fig. 178, E. unispinus; Fig. 179, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 180–205. Elginus species, male, pygofer, lateral view. Fig. 180, E. acutus; Fig. 181, E. bispinus; Fig. 182, E. cavatus; Fig. 183, E. contradens; Fig. 184, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 185, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 186, E. denticulatus; Fig. 187, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 188, E. eccentricus; Fig. 189, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 190, E. falcatus; Fig. 191, E. furcillatus; Fig. 192, E. latus; Fig. 193, E. levilobus; Fig. 194, E. malotiensis; Fig. 195, E. matarei; Fig. 196, E. minutulus; Fig. 197, E. oriens; Fig. 198, E. recavus; Fig. 199, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 200, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 201, E. theroni; Fig. 202, E. tortuosus; Fig. 203, E. tubulus; Fig. 204, E. unispinus; Fig. 205, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 206–232. Elginus species, male, style, Fig. 206, E. acutus; Fig. 207, E. bispinus; Fig. 208, E. cavatus; Fig. 209, E. contradens; Fig. 210, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 211, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 212, E. denticulatus; Fig. 213, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 214, E. eccentricus; Fig. 215, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 216, E. falcatus; Fig. 217, E. furcillatus; Fig. 218, E. latus; Fig. 219, E. levilobus; Fig. 220, E. malotiensis; Fig. 221, E. matarei; Fig. 222, E. minutulus; Fig. 223, E. oriens; Fig. 224, E. recavus; Fig. 225, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 226, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 227, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 228, E. theroni; Fig. 229, E. tortuosus; Fig. 230, E. tubulus; Fig. 231, E. unispinus; Fig. 232, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 233–258. Elginus species, female, sternite VII. Fig. 233, E. bispinus; Fig. 234, E. cavatus; Fig. 235, E. contradens; Fig. 236, E. cultellus, associated males with curved aedeagus; Fig. 237, E. cultellus, associated males with straight aedeagus; Fig. 238, E. denticulatus; Fig. 239, E. dexteruncus variant; Fig. 240, E. dexteruncus variant; Fig. 241, E eccentricus; Fig. 242, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 243, E. falcatus; Fig. 244, E. furcillatus; Fig. 245, E. levilobus; Fig. 246, E. malotiensis; Fig. 247, E. matarei; Fig. 248, E. minutulus; Fig. 249, E. oriens; Fig. 250, E. oriens; Fig. 251, E. recavus; Fig. 252, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 253, E. semialatus; Fig. 254, E. theroni; Fig. 255, E. tortuosus; Fig. 256, E. tubulus; Fig. 257, E. unispinus; Fig. 258, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 259–273. Elginus species, male, abdominal apodemes, Fig. 259, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 260, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 261, E. denticulatus; Fig. 262, E. eccentricus; Fig. 263, E. falcatus; Fig. 264, E. furcillatus; Fig. 265, E. malotiensis; Fig. 266, E. matarei; Fig. 267, E. minutulus; Fig. 268, E. oriens; Fig. 269, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 270, E. theroni; Fig. 271, E. tortuosus; Fig. 272, E. tubulus; Fig. 273, E. vulgaris.