Yoyetta fluviatilis, Emery, Nathan J., Emery, David L. & Popple, Lindsay W., 2015

Emery, Nathan J., Emery, David L. & Popple, Lindsay W., 2015, A redescription of Yoyetta landsboroughi (Distant) and Y. tristrigata (Goding and Froggatt) (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) and description of four new related species, Zootaxa 3948 (3), pp. 301-341 : 312-319

Yoyetta fluviatilis sp. nov.

( Figures 2 , 4 , 6–9 )

Cicadetta landsboroughi ; Ewart, 1998: 61, Fig. 15 b; Popple and Strange, 2002: 30. Species near Cicadetta landsboroughi ; Ewart and Popple, 2001: 57, 65, Fig. 4 D.

Holotype: ♂ Maranoa river, Mitchell, Qld, 24.xi.2005 (MUV), L. Popple & N. Hando, T228765 (QM).

Paratypes: QUEENSLAND: 1♂ Millerran Qld, 21.x.1990, T. A. Lambkin; 1♂ Condamine Qld, 28.x.1992, T. A. Lambkin (both ANIC); 1♀ same data as holotype, T228766; 5♂ 2♀ SEQ: 25°27’S 150°03’E, Taroom District, Boggomoss 21, 10.xi.1996, C. J. Burwell, S. Evans, at light 130; 1♂ same location as previous, 12–14.i.1997, C. J. Burwell, 201; 2♂ SEQ: 25°27’S 150°02’E, Taroom District, Boggomoss 8, 12.xi.1996, C. J. Burwell, S. Evans, 137; 2♂ same location as previous, 11. Xi.1996, 131; 1♂ 1♀ same location as previous, at light, 141; 1♀ SEQ: 25°29’S 150°08’E, Taroom District, Prices Ck nr Boggomoss 30, at light, 14.xi.1996, C. J. Burwell, S. Evans, 152; 3♂ SEQ: 25°27’S 150°03’E, Taroom District, Boggomoss 21, 11.xi.1996, C. J. Burwell, S. Evans, 136; 1♂ R[ockhamp]ton, 24.xi.1922; (all QM); 2♂ 1♀ Walgett N.S.W., 30.xii.1971, B. Cantrell; 3♀ Moree N.S.W., 20.xii.1971, B. Cantrell; 1♂ 6♀, 4km E. Goondiwindi, 19.x.1986, C.E. Hagan (all UQIC); 3♂ Chinchilla, Qld., T.W. Gamble (307069-071); 2♀ Cunnamulla, Qld., x.41,N. Geary (307068, -072) (AM); 1♂ 2♀, Rockwood, Chinchilla, 2.x.1983; 4♂ 1♀, Condamine, on river banks, on E. tessellaris , 2.x.1983; 1♂, Boggomoss, Taroom S Qld, 24°27.42’S 150°01.33’E, 29.ix.1997; 1♂ Dalby SEQ, xi.1990, J. Wood; 2♂ 1♀, 5.2 km S. Charleville SWQ, Mulga, 8.xii.2000, A. E, I. Rattray, 26°26.86’S 146°14.54’E; 1♂, Charleville, SWQ, Bailey Bar Caravan Park, 7.xii.2000, A. E., I. Rattray, 26°24’S 146°15’E; 1♀, nr Milroy Hsd, nr Adavale SWQ, i.2000, J. Nowland, 26°03’S 144°21’E’; 1♀, Dam, Milroy Hsd, – 70 km N. Quilpie SWQ, Gidyea, A. E., I. R., J. N., 10.i.2000, 26°02.85’S 144°20.81’S; 5♂, ~ 30 km N. Quilpie SWQ, Bulloo River Xing, 11.ix.2000, A. E., 26°20.49’S 144°18.42’E; 1♂, same data as previous, recorded; 8♂ 1♀, Warrego R. crossing, Charleville, open woodland, 19.x.1998, light, Ewart, 26°24.04’S 146°14.05’E; 1♂, same location as previous, 17.xi.1998, A. E., recorded; 1♂, Glebe Weir, 30 km NE Taroom S Qld, 2.x.1999, A.E., 25°27.85 150°02.00’E; 1♂, same data as previous, recorded; 7♂, Cooper Ck Xing, NE Windorah SWQ, 5.ix. 2000, A. E., 25°22.20’S 142°44.55’E; 2♂, same data as previous, recorded (all AE); 17♂ 3♀ Maranoa river, Mitchell, Qld, 24.xi.2005 (MUV), L. Popple & N. Hando; 2♂ Roma QLD, 19.x.2011, 26° 33.48S 148° 47.15E, 300m, 19.x.2011, N., C.& D. Emery (all DE); 1♂ Australia Qld, Gordon Park, Oakey, 20.x.2013, L. W. Popple, 27°26'24"S 151°43'01"E, 477-0054; 1♂ 2♀ Balonne River, Surat SCQ, 19.xii.2001, L. Popple, A. Strange, 477-0012 to 477-0014; 1♂ Barakula S.F. via Miles SEQ, 29.xi.1999, J. Moss, L. Popple, 477- 0007; 3♂ 1♀ Condamine River, Yandilla, 11km E. Millmerran, SEQ, 3.xii.2001, J. Moss, L. Popple, 477-0008 to 477-0011; 1♂ Weir, 2km W. of Gayndah, SEQ, 2.xi.2002, L. Popple, S. Billington, 477-0028; 12♂ 1♀ Cooper Ck crossing E. Windorah, SWQ, 5.ix.2000, L. Popple, A. Ewart, 477-0015 to 4770027; 1♂ Australia Qld, 25°36'49"S 151°15'57"E, Mundubbera district (prpty), 27.x.2005, L. W. Popple, citrus 477-0029; 12♂ 3♀ Australia Qld, Maranoa River, Mitchell, 24.xi.2005, L. Popple, N. Hando, mv lamp, 477-0030 to 477-0044; 1♂ 1♀ Australia Qld, Beardmore Dam, via St George, 11.xii.2005, L. W. Popple, mv lamp, 27°54'26"S 148°38'54"E, 477-0045 to 477- 0046; 2♂ 2♀ Glebe Weir, Dawson R. via Taroom, 4–5.xii.1999 J. Moss, L. Popple, Mv lamp, 477-0003 to 477- 0006; 1♂ Australia Qld, Eidsvold Caravan Park, 24–25.xi.2006, mv lamp, L. Popple & A. McKinnon, 25°22'06"S 151°07'25"E, 477-0047; 1♂ Australia Qld, Mundubbera (north), 8.i.2007, L. Popple and J. Hereward, at light, 25°35'03"S 151°18'14"E, 477-0048; 1♂ 1♀ Australia Qld, Burnett River Ceratodus, 29.ix.2012, L. Popple & A. McKinnon, 25°17'02"S 151°08'24"S, 477-0051 to 477-0052 (all LWP);. NEW SOUTH WALES: 1♂ Kinchega NP, 11–13.x.1980, N.W. Rodd (307198); 1♂ Eloneta (Elenora), NSW, 14.ii.68, P.A. Robinson (307040); 2♂ Kinchega NP, N.S.W., 32°33S; 142°12E, 28.x.1995, Schuh & Cassis (307010, 307058); 2♂ 2♀ 15Km WNW Narrandera, N.S.W., 34°43S 146°28E, 23.xi.1992, McAlpine, McEvoy & Moulds (307063-066); 1♂ Bogan River nr Peak Hill, N.S.W., 16.x.1991, J. Thompson, S. Cowan (307006); 1♂ Bourke, N.S.W., D. Francois (307050); 1♂ “Watercourse, Moree N.S.W., xi.1933, A. Musgrave (all AM); 1♂ 1♀ 16km E. of Hay, N.S.W., 11.xii.1978, M.S. & B.J. Moulds (both QM); 6♂ 9♀ Macquarie River, Dubbo, N.S.W., 32° 15.32S 148° 35.21E, 3.xi.2007, C.& D. Emery; 2♂ Gilgandra Caravan Park, N.S.W., 23.x.2013, S. Wilson (all DE); 2♀ Australia N.S.W., Moree district, 17.x.2010, L.G. Cook, 29°28'00"S 149°51'00"E, 477-0049 to 477-0050; 3♂ 1♀ Australia, N.S.W., Gilgandra Caravan Park, 23.x.2013, S. Wilson, 477-0055 to 477-0058; 2♂ 2♀ Australia N.S.W., Macquarie River, Dubbo, 3.xi.2007, C. & D. Emery, 478-0008 to 478- 0011; (all LWP). VICTORIA: 1♂ Gippsland Victoria, 28.i.1907, W. W. Froggatt collection ( ANIC); 1♂ Nhill Vict. 31.xii.1964 (QM); 2♀ Gippsland, Vic., C. French (307080); 1♂ 2♀ Gippsland, Vic., 10.i.1911, H. Ashton,(307073, -074, -083) (all H. Ashton coll., AM). SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 1♂ Murray R. S. A., F.R. Zeitz, I.1984, SAMA Database No. 20- 0 14568 ( SAM); 1♂ 34°44'55"S 140°34'28"E, SA, Cockatoo Lake, 25.xi.2011, B. T. Haywood, 477-0053 (LWP). NORTHERN TERRITORY: 1♀ Alice Springs N.T., ix.1992, light, F. Patterson, L802 ( ANIC).

Description. Male ( Figures 2 , 6 A–B, E–F, 7). Head approximately as wide as mesonotum; principally brown or dull black, with area surrounding ocelli consistently dark brown to black, a central brown or orange-brown triangular marking with apex immediately posterior to ocelli, small ochraceous triangular spots between ocelli and eyes (conspicuous in darker specimens); ocelli pink; postclypeus ochraceous to brown above, dark brown to black ventrally and along transverse grooves, medium-brown to reddish-brown along lateral and posterior margins, with a brown triangular marking present centrally, apex facing posteriorly; lorum and genae dark brown to black; anteclypeus variable from reddish brown to shiny black with anterior margin orange; rostrum ochraceous anteriorly, extending into dark brown or black posteriorly, with length reaching the posterior edge of hind coxae; eyes red to reddish-brown; antennae black, supra-antennal plates black.

Thorax mainly ochraceous to dark brown. Pronotum may be either mainly brown (northern specimens) or variably dark brown to black (southern specimens), in both cases with paramedian and lateral fissures tending dark brown or black, central longitudinal fascia brown, narrowly proximally and distally and not quite reaching anterior or posterior margins, surrounding area dark brown to black; pronotal collar brown (northern specimens) to dark brown (southern specimens) sometimes tending to black at lateral angles in the darkest specimens. Mesonotum ochraceous to dark reddish-brown; submedian and lateral sigilla dark brown to shiny black, cruciform elevation orange-brown to dark brown, sometimes black along median ridge, with area between lateral margins and wing grooves orange-brown to brown; scutal depressions dark brown to black; wing grooves brown to black. Metanotum brown in northern specimens or black in southern specimens.

Legs. Coxae with outer side black to dull brown, orange on margins, and with inner side orange-brown to brown, tending dark brown on margins; fore femora outer side with orange-brown with dark brown to brown longitudinal fasciae, inner side black to dark brown or brown with dark brown margins; mid and hind femora dark brown or dull orange-brown, paler on inner side; tibiae orange-brown or pale brown, mottled in some specimens; spines on fore and mid legs brown to black, orange-brown or ochraceous on hind legs; tarsi orange-brown to brown at base, becoming darker towards claws.

Wings with fore wing costal veins ochraceous, fine black anterior margins, becoming more ochraceous posteriorly, pterostigma brown to orange-brown, basal membranes bright orange, with small dark brown spot at base; vein M black to dark brown, other veins ochraceous to brown, with eight apical cells; hind wing plaga brown at base, becoming transparent towards apical third, orange on medial margin, with 6 apical cells.

Opercula following body axis ventrolaterally, broadly sickle-shaped, depressed centrally, dark brown to black anteriorly and medially, becoming medium to pale brown posteriorly, clearly separated. Meracanthus small, narrow, ochraceous, pointed, overlapping half of opercula.

Timbals ( Figure 2 B) with five distinct long ribs; long ribs 1–4 extending across timbal membrane, rib 4 narrowing slightly in medial area; rib 5 comparatively shorter, extending across three quarters of the timbal membrane; all long ribs fused dorsally along basal spur; large ridged dome on posterior timbal plate extending over half-width of timbal; apodeme pit oval-shaped and conspicuous.

Abdomen with tergite 1 dark brown to black; tergite 2 mainly black with diffuse ochraceous areas on the dorsolateral sides; tergites 3–6 orange with distinct black marking across dorsal midline and diffuse dark-brown to black mottling extending laterally along posterior edges, which, in darker examples melds to dense mottled black markings on extreme lateral margins. Tergite 8 dark brown to black. Sternite I dark brown to black under opercula, orange over much of tympanal cavity; sternite II dark brown to black, orange at posterior margin; sternites III–VII light orange-brown to yellow-brown, sternite VII sometimes displaying a diffuse black spot on median posterior; sternite VIII shiny dark-brown, becoming paler posteriorly, with golden pubescence.

Genitalia ( Figure 7 ). Pygofer mainly dark brown to black; dorsal beak brown, anal styles yellowish; upper lobe dark brown or sometimes contrastingly pale brown; basal lobe dark brown. Uncus orange-brown; in lateral view beak-like and stumpy; lobes in ventral view bulbous, with rounded lateral termination; claspers clearly divided, with apices gradually tapering laterally. Aedeagus with pseudoparameres not extending as far as theca; theca recurved ventrally at 120° towards apex, with transparent flanges along margin of recurvature, these smooth dorsally, becoming finely serrated ventrally, approximately equal to width of theca; apex extended, transparent, sclerotised, spine-like, with conspicuous dorsal ornamentation.

Female ( Figure 6 C–D, G–H). Head and thorax identical to male and equally variable with southern specimens tending to be much darker than northern specimens.

Abdomen with tergite 1 mainly dark brown to black; tergite 2 dark brown to black on anterior margin, orangebrown over remainder; tergites 3–7 orange-brown with prominent black markings along dorsal midline, widening towards posterior margins, abruptly orange at margin, and with soft brown to black triangular markings on lateral edge, apices facing anteriorly; tergite 8 brown to dark brown, sometimes with faint ochraceous band over dorsolateral third, diminishing dorsally and laterally; abdominal segment 9 dark brown to black with orange to brown triangular marking along dorsal midline, which, in paler specimens, often extends posteriorly and laterally. Ovipositor dark brown, black at tip, barely extending beyond apex of abdomen. Anal styles orange to orangebrown, ovipositor sheath dark brown to black.

Measurements (in mm; range with mean in parentheses: 12 males, 12 females). Body length: male 15.0–16.9 (16.0); female 15.4–16.9 (16.4). Fore wing length: male 15.1–18.7 (18.0); female 19.1– 20.7 (19.6). Head width: male 3.9–4.7 (4.4); female 4.5–5.3 (4.9). Pronotum width: male 3.6–4.1 (3.9); female 4.1–4.5 (4.3). Abdomen width: male 4.1–4.4 (4.3); female 4.0– 4.9 (4.7).

Etymology. A Latin adjective meaning “of a river”, referring to this species affinity with riverine habitats.

Distinguishing features. Yoyetta fluviatilis sp. nov., can be distinguished from Y. aaede (Walker) , Y. abdominalis (Distant) , and Y. denisoni (Distant) by possessing fore wings with length of <22 mm. It differs from Y. hunterorum (Moulds) and Y. incepta (Walker) by the predominately orange colouration of the tergites. It can be differentiated from Y. celis (Moulds) , Y. cumberlandi sp. nov. and Y. repetens sp. nov. in having a head width of <5 mm. Males and females can be distinguished from Y. nigrimontana sp.nov. by having dark brown to dull orangebrown rather than black to dark ochraceous fore and mid tibiae. Males can be distinguished from Y. landsboroughi and Y. tristrigata (Goding and Froggatt) using the following combination of characters: (1) compound eyes red (at least in fresh specimens), (2) timbal long rib 4 continuous and narrowing only slightly in median area, (3) theca with transparent serrated flanges <2x its width, and (4) apical spine of theca, including base, with ornamentation. Females can be distinguished from Y. tristrigata by having a fore wing length of <22 mm. They can be distinguished from paler individuals of Y. fluviatilis (northern New South Wales and Queensland) by the extensive black (rather than brown) colouration on the thorax. It is not possible to differentiate reliably between females of the darkest specimens of Y. fluviatilis (which occur south from Gilgandra in New South Wales) and females of Y. landsboroughi . However, notably, live females of Y. fluviatilis consistently have red eyes, which can aid in identification; however this attribute does not always preserve authentically in dried material.

Distribution, habitat and behavior. Widespread distribution through inland Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia in association with the Murray-Darling and Lake Eyre drainage basins ( Figure 4 ). A population also occurs near the coast at Gippsland and a single specimen has also been taken at Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Adults often emerge in large numbers after rainfall. They typically emerge on grasses and then gradually move up the trunks of eucalypts, especially River Red Gum ( Eucalyptus camaldulensis ). Individuals, including calling males, tend to remain sedentary on the trunks and upper branches of trees, unless disturbed.

Occasionally, calling males will continue calling when flying briefly between singing stations. Records span from September to January.

Notes on geographical variation. Specimens from the southern part of the range (south from Gilgandra in New South Wales) tend to exhibit darker colouration than specimens from further north.

Calling song. The typical call of this species has simple repetitive phrases, each comprising a short, noncoalesced, syllable sequence followed by a macrosyllable ( Figure 8 ). The syllable sequence contains 14–32 syllables (each 5–10 ms duration, 2–4 pulses, n = 18 recordings), with a silence between 4 to 31 ms between each syllable. The sequence of syllables is followed by a period of between 20 and 150 ms of silence. This is then followed by the macrosyllable, which comprises 4 to 8 syllables (45–90 ms duration). A second period of silence then follows (250–500 ms duration), which completes each phrase. Figure 9 shows a comparison of the song structure of Y. fluviatilis across the southern Queensland portion of its geographical distribution (no recordings were available from other states). While some variation is apparent between individual recordings, the distinctive structure of the call is demonstrated to be quite consistent across this wide area (distance of over 900 km).

Anecdotal behavioural observations by LWP indicate that the macrosyllable acts as a cue for female response; however, this behaviour has not yet been captured in any recordings. The female wing flick response is expected to occur during the second period of silence at the end of each phrase.

Occasionally males produce an anomalous variation of the typical call in which the macrosyllable is not produced. In these instances the silence following each short rattle is approximately 250 ms in duration.

The phrase duration in the typical call ranges from 650 to 1475 ms. The typical repetition rate of syllables in the short rattle ranges from 25.0 to 111.1 Hz. The frequency spectrum of the calling song ranges between 5.5 and 17 kHz, with highest energy between 10 and 16 kHz, and a dominant frequency of approximately 13 kHz ( Figure 8 ).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Photos of male left timbals, with dorsal edge at left and posterior margin at bottom: (A) Yoyetta landsboroughi (Distant), St. Marys (33 ° 50 ’ S 150 ° 45 ’ E); (B) Yoyetta fluviatilis sp. nov., Roma (26 ° 33 ’ S 148 ° 47 ’ E); (C) Yoyetta nigrimontana sp. nov., Canberra (35 ° 16 ’ S 149 ° 06 ’ E); (D) Yoyetta tristrigata (Goding & Froggatt), Mt. Molloy (16 ° 40 ’ S 145 ° 19 ’ E); (E) Yoyetta repetens sp. nov., St. Marys (33 ° 50 ’ S 150 ° 45 ’ E); (F) Yoyetta cumberlandi sp nov., Prospect (33 ° 48 ’ S 150 ° 54 ’ E). Scale bars represent 1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Map of central and eastern mainland Australia showing the geographical distribution of Y. landsboroughi (Distant) (open triangles), Y. fluviatilis sp. nov. (closed circles), Y. nigrimontana sp. nov. (open squares), and Y. tristrigata (Goding & Froggatt) (open circles).

FIGURE 6. Yoyetta fluviatilis sp. nov., (A) male holotype, Mitchell (26 ° 29 ’ S 147 ° 59 ’ E), dorsal habitus, BL 15.4 mm; (B) male holotype, Mitchell, ventral habitus; (C) female, Mitchell, dorsal habitus, BL 16.5 mm; (D), female, Mitchell, ventral habitus; (E) male, Dubbo (32 ° 15 ’ S 148 ° 35 ’ E), dorsal habitus, BL 16.0 mm; (F) male, Dubbo, ventral habitus; (G) female, Dubbo, dorsal habitus, BL 16.2 mm; (H) female, Dubbo, ventral habitus.

FIGURE 7. Yoyetta fluviatilis sp. nov., illustration of male pygofer and internal genitalia; (a), viewed laterally from the left; (b), viewed ventrally; (c), aedeagus; and, (d), apex of theca. Characters as depicted in Figure 3. Specimen from Mitchell, Queensland (26 ° 29 ’ S 147 ° 59 ’ E).

FIGURE 8. Male calling song structures of Yoyetta fluviatilis sp. nov., illustrated in waveform plot form. Each lower plot is expanded from the one above, to illustrate the finer temporal structure of each song comparison. The spectrogram at the bottom of the figure displays song frequency. This specimen was captured in Charleville (26 ° 24 ' S 146 ° 14 ' E) and recorded in an open container by A. Ewart using RS 4 (see Materials and Methods).

FIGURE 9. Waveform plots illustrating the male calling song of Yoyetta fluviatilis sp. nov., from six different localities, including: (i) Charleville (26 ° 24 ' S 146 ° 14 ' E), (ii) Glebe Weir (25 ° 27 ' S 150 ° 02 ' E.), (iii) Oakey (27 ° 26 ' S 151 ° 43 ' E), (iv) Yandilla (27 ° 51 ' S 151 ° 21 ' E), (v) Bulloo River via Quilpie (26 ° 20 ' S 144 ° 18 ' E) and (vi) Cooper Creek via Windorah (25 ° 22 ' S 145 ° 45 ' E). Durations of the main calling song elements are provided above each subfigure. Recordings (i), (ii), (v) and (vi) were made by A. Ewart in an open container using RS 5. Recordings (iii) and (iv) were made in the field by LWP using RS 3 and RS 2 respectively (see Materials and Methods).

FIGURE 15. Male calling song structure of Yoyetta tristrigata (Distant), illustrated in waveform plot form. Each lower plot is expanded from the one above, to illustrate the finer temporal structure of each song comparison. The spectrogram at the bottom of the figure displays song frequency. This specimen was captured at Rifle Creek (16 ° 40 ' S 14 ° 520 ' E) and recorded in an open container by A. Ewart using RS 4 (see Materials and Methods).