Taphura boulardi, Sanborn, 2011

Sanborn, Allen F., 2011, Checklist of the cicadas of French Guiana including new records and the description of nine new species (Insecta, Hemiptera, Cicadoidea, Cicadidae), Zoosystema 33 (3), pp. 377-418 : 405-408

Taphura boulardi n. sp.

( Fig. 7 ; Table 7)

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype: “ FRENCH GUIANA: 41 / km SE Roura on Kaw Rd. , / 5-7-VI-2005, J. E. Eger / & M.T. Messenger, coll. // N04°32.214’ / W052°07.420’ / 272 m MV Light”, 1 ♂ ( FSCA).

Paratypes: same data as holotype, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( AFSC), 1 ♂ ( MNHN ( EH)16226). — “FR. GUIANA: Hwy. N2 to / Regina, 45 km. S of / Cayenne, 31-V-1986 / E. G. Riley & D. A. Rider”, 1 ♂ ( LSAM).

ETYMOLOGY. — The species is named in honor of Michel Boulard who described many new cicada species for French Guiana and the other regions of the world.

DISTRIBUTION. — The species is only known from French Guiana.

DIAGNOSIS. — The male genitalia, particularly the pointed upper pygofer lobe, quickly separate male specimens of T. boulardi n. sp. from other species of Taphura as each species has highly unique genitalia. All species are generally similar in size and appearance. The spots on the head differentiate the species from all but T. maculata n. sp., the spots are connected into a “W” on the dorsal head of T. egeri n. sp. and the remaining Taphura species have transverse piceous marks across the dorsal head; if this transverse mark is incomplete, there are black marks laterally between the lateral ocelli and eye which are absent in T. boulardi n. sp. Taphura maculata n. sp. specimens are smaller and lack piceous markings on the lateral disc of the pronotum. Females can be differentiated from the other species of Taphura species except T. misella ( Stål, 1854) in the anal styles that are found at the widest point of gonapophysis X, while the broadest portion of gonapophysis X is beyond the anal styles in the other species of Taphura . Sternite VII is doubly notched in T. boulardi n. sp. and T. egeri n. sp. but a single V-shaped notch in T. misella and T. maculata n.sp. Female T. boulardi n. sp. can be differentiated from female T. egeri n. sp. by the absence of longitudinal stripes on the postclypeus.

DESCRIPTION

Ground color tawny and ferruginous, may have been altered by chemical exposure during capture or transport. One paratype with greenish tinge.

Head slightly wider than mesonotum, tawny with fuscous spots posterior to median ocellus on vertex posterior to epicranial suture anterior arm at level of median ocellus and posterolateral to lateral ocelli. Ocelli golden or marked with rosaceus. Eyes golden. Ventral head ground color. Head covered with sparse, short, golden pile. Postclypeus ground color with eight transverse grooves, darker on either side of midline in two paratypes. Anteclypeus ground color. Rostrum with ochraceous mentum, labium tawny becoming darker to piceous tip, reaching to middle trochanters. Scape and annulus on proximal pedicel ground color, remaining antennal segments fuscous. Sparse, long golden pile on postclypeus and anteclypeus.

Dorsal thorax ground color. Pronotal disc light ferruginous.Piceous mark along either side of ochraceous midline, curving anteriorly and posteriorly before margins, anterior extension almost completely covering anterior disc to paramedian fissure, posterior extension continues laterad to posterior lateral fissure, extending through lateral fissure in some paratypes. Piceous marks on anterior disc between paramedian and lateral fissures and anterior margin and centrally of disc lateral to lateral fissure, proportion of discs covered with piceous varies in paratypes. Pronotal collar ochraceous, lateral portion absent. Mesonotum and metanotum ground color. Sparse, long golden pile between anterior arms and laterally between arms of cruciform elevation. Ventral thoracic segments ground color except darker spot on posterior katepisternum 2, spot absent in some paratypes.

Tegmina and wings hyaline, tegmina with eight apical cells, hind wing with five apical cells. Venation ground color, becoming testaceous distally, except testaceous anal vein 2 + 3. Infuscation spot at apex of apical cell 1. Basal membrane grayish testaceous. Hind wing venation ochraceous proximally, testaceous distally, except testaceous anal vein 3. Vanal fold, anal cell 3 and anal cell 2 along anal veins 2 and 3 gray.

Legs ground color, tarsi becoming fuscous distally. Linear mark on proximal anterior fore coxae, triangular on middle and hind coxae, smaller linear mark on lateral coxae. Fore femora with four fuscous oblique spines, becoming smaller distally. Pretarsal claws ground color proximally, fuscous distally. Tibial spurs and comb ground color.

Opercula ground color. Male operculum with lateral margin straight curving to obliquely angled sinuate posterior margin to rounded medial margin and straight anteromedial margin, reaching to middle of tympanal cavity. Medial margin extending to medial margin of meracanthus. Meracanthus ground color, not reaching anteromedial margin of operculum. Female operculum with notched lateral margin,slightly curved posterior margin, terminating medially at lateral meracanthus reaching to middle of tympanal cavity. Long golden pile on operculum surface and radiating from margin.

Abdomen ground color with short golden pile. Timbal with six ribs.

Male pygofer ground color with light fuscous dorsal beak and margin between dorsal beak and upper lobe of pygofer, ground color in some paratypes. Sternite VIII ground color with long golden pile. Pygofer upper lobe broad at base, sides parallel to dorsal beak, anterior margin slightly sinuate extending to point at level of dorsal beak with long pile, posterior margin half the length of anterior margin curving and joining transversely to anterior margin. Median uncus lobes very small around fuscous anal styles. Aedeagus dark tawny, proportionately large.

Female genitalia ground color covered with short golden pile, gonapophyses darker. Sternite VII with a single notch, sinuate posterior margin curving and angled lateral portion of posterior margin. Dorsal beak fuscous extending to level of fuscous anal styles. Dorsal beak produces approximate right angle with posterior margin of abdominal segment 9. Ovipositor sheath with long golden pile, extending beyond dorsal beak.

Measurements: see Table 7.

Figures

FIG. 7. — Taphura boulardi n. sp.: A, holotype ♂ and paratype ♀ habitus; B, holotype ♂ dorsum; C, holotype ♂ timbal; D, holotype ♂ operculum; E, paratype ♀ operculum; F, paratype ♂ lateral view of genitalia; G, paratype ♂ posterior view of genitalia; H, paratype ♀ lateral view of genitalia; I, paratype ♀ ventral view of genitalia. Scale bars: A, 1 cm; B-I, 1 mm.