Purusha paradoxa ( Gerstaecker, 1895 )

Constant, Jérôme, 2020, Revision of the Eurybrachidae (XV). The Oriental genus Purusha Distant, 1906 with two new species and a key to the genera of Eurybrachini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Eurybrachidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 602, pp. 1-40 : 13-18

Purusha paradoxa ( Gerstaecker, 1895)

Figs 2, 4–8

Messena (?) paradoxa Gerstaecker, 1895: 33 [described; allied to Purusha reversa ].

Purusha paradoxa – Distant 1906b: 204 [transferred to Purusha ]. — Metcalf 1956: 8 [catalogued].

Diagnosis

Male

Easily recognized by the following combination of characters: (1) tegmina with numerous small, round, black spots on membrane, more or less arranged in rows parallel to apical margin ( Fig. 6A); (2) posterior wings brown with numerous small, black-brown spots on apical half ( Fig. 6 A–B); (3) ventral margin of gonostyli with internobasal process projecting posteriorly ( Fig. 8B); (4) anterolateral spine of phallus much smaller than posterolateral one ( Fig. 8F); (5) head, pro- and mesonotum brown, concolorous ( Fig. 6C).

Female

Immediately recognized by the combination of the following characters: (1) tegmina with a conspicuous white waxy spot at half length, not touching the costal margin, and numerous minute, round, black spots on the membrane, arranged in 2–3 rows parallel to apical margin ( Figs 5A, 7A); (2) posterior wings with numerous brown spots, sometimes merging together, more or less arranged in rows parallel to apical margin ( Figs 5A, 7A); (3) head, pro- and mesonotum brown, concolorous ( Figs 5C, 7C).

Differential diagnosis

Male

Easily separated from males of P. pulverosa and P. vietnamica sp. nov. (and probably P. bellissima sp. nov.) by the combination of characters (1) and (2) of diagnosis. From P. reversa , it is better separated based on characters (3)–(4) of diagnosis: (3) ventral margin of gonostyli without internobasal process projecting posteriorly in P. reversa ( Fig. 17B); (4) anterolateral spine of phallus of equal size in P. reversa ( Fig. 17G).

Etymology

The specific name is derived from the Latin adfjective ‘ paradoxa ’, meaning ‘paradoxical’.

Material examined

Holotype ( Fig. 5)

INDONESIA • ♀; Java; “ Paradoxa ”, “Zool. Mus. Greifswald, II 27390”, “ Typus Messena paradoxa ”; ZIMG. In the original description, Gerstaecker (1895) stated that the specimen was collected by Hans Fruhstorfer (1866–1922) in the mountains of West Java.

Additional material

INDONESIA – Java • 1 ♀; “Tjibarangbang” [ Cibaregbeg ]; [6°50′ S, 106°39′ E]; 1939; Mrs M.E. Walsh leg.; ZML • 1 ♀; Sukabumi ; [6°55′ S, 106°56′ E]; 1893; H. Fruhstorfer leg.; MMBC • 1 ♀; Sukabumi ; [6°55′ S, 106°56′ E]; alt. 2000 ft; 8 Jan. 1940; J.M.A. van Groenendael leg.; RMNH • 1 ♀; Sukabumi , “Djampang Tengah” [Jampangtengah]; [7°03′ S, 106°48′ E]; alt. 18–2200 ft; 8 May 1939; J.M.A. van Groenendael leg.; RMNH • 1 ♀; “Soekaboemi” [ Sukabumi ]; [6°55′ S, 106°56′ E]; Ouwens leg.; ZMPA • 1 ♀; Staudinger leg.; NHRS . – Sumatra • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Muller leg.; RMNH • 1 ♂; “Sum” [Sumatra], “Serapai Kor.” [ Korintji ]; [1°41′ S, 101°15′ E]; 1915; Edw. Jacobson leg.; RMNH • 1 ♀; Sumatra , Excell. v. Studt G. leg.; MFNB .

Measurements and ratios

♂: LT (n = 2): 23.8 mm (23.5–24.2); LTg/BTg = 2.3; BV/LV = 3.8; BF/LF = 1.6; LP+LM/BT = 0.68. ♀: LT (n = 5): 28.7 mm (27.3–31.4); LTg/BTg = 1.9–2.1; BV/LV = 4.3; BF/LF = 1.5; LP+LM/BT = 0.73.

Supplementary description

Male genitalia ( Fig. 8)

Pygofer with lateral portion of posterior margin strongly projecting in a laminate process directed posterodorsally in lateral view and slightly laterally in ventral view; process narrowly rounded apically; ventral half of posterior margin excavate in lateral view; ventral portion of posterior margin bisinuate in ventral view; dorsal portion of pygofer strongly narrowing with posterior margin strongly excavate; anterior margin sinuate in lateral view ( Fig. 8 A–B). Anal tube large, broadly obovate, dorsoventrally flattened; apical margin slightly emarginate in dorsal view; lateral margin bisinuate, very broadly rounded on distal half; anal column at basal ¼ ( Fig. 8A, D). Gonostyli subrectangular in lateral view, with short apicoventral process rounded apically; dorsal margin with laminate process projecting medially and armed with one tooth at medioanterior angle, two teeth on posterior margin and one strong hook laterally; ventral margin deeply emarginate on distal ⅔, with mediobasal process projecting posteriorly, leaving large central opening in ventral view ( Fig. 8 A–C). Phallobase robust, about as long as broad in dorsal view, with basolateral process directed posterolaterally and elongate, apical, spinose process ventrally on each side directed posterolaterally; slightly mediodorsally to spinose process, slightly shorter, apically blunt process directed posteriorly ( Fig. 8 E–F). Phallus with very complicated set of intricate processes: basal strong spine directed laterally; trispinose lateral process with basidorsal spine elongate and curved mediodorsally, posteroventral spine very elongate, sword shaped and curved dorsally and slightly anteriorly on distal portion, and apicodorsal spine incurving, sinuate, projecting mediodorsally and slightly anteriorly on distal portion; mediodorsally, pair of laterally compressed processes higher than long in lateral view and with lateral ridged process ( Fig. 8 E–F).

Distribution

Indonesia in the islands of Java and Sumatra ( Fig. 4).

Biology

Unknown. The species has not been collected or documented in any way since 1940.