Ackbaria ojosverdes, Zahniser, 2021

Zahniser, James N., 2021, Revision of the New World leafhopper tribe Faltalini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) and the evolution of brachyptery, Zootaxa 4954 (1), pp. 1-160 : 18-19

Ackbaria ojosverdes n. sp.

( Figs. 1U , 4 , 6 )

Diagnosis. A. ojosverdes can be distinguished from other species in the genus by the thin brown longitudinal line running from the head to the scutellum medially, the male and female terminal abdominal segments not darkly pigmented, male tergite VIII and female tergites VII and VIII without macrosetae, and the sinuate profile of the flange on the aedeagus in posterior view.

Body. Male, 4.9–5.2 mm. Female, 5.5–6.0 mm. Metafemur apex 2+2 or 2+2+1.

Color. Mostly ivory, some specimens lightly pigmented and with few markings, others with darker overall coloration; anterior margin of head with thin transverse ivory line bordered completely above and below by dark brown; lateral brown stripe faint below eye, dark on pro- and mesopleuron, and faint posteriorly; with thin brown long longitudinal line from anterior part of crown to forewing commissure; abdomen with four pairs of irregular longitudinal stripes; with darker median stripe wider and darker at bases of each segment. Eyes greenish, more evident in live specimens ( Fig. 1U ).

Male. Tergites VII and VIII without macrosetae. Pygofer incised dorsally about 1/3 from pygofer apex toward base; margin dorsally with blunt sclerotized tooth, caudodorsally with hornlike tooth, ventroapically with distinct tooth; side with patch of ~9–12 macrosetae. Subgenital plate macrosetae with lateral uniseriate row of ~10 macrosetae, sometimes with few other scattered macrosetae toward plate apex. Style apophysis relatively straight, very slightly curved medially; digitate, apex bluntly rounded in ventral view; with small point near apex on ventral side. Aedeagus short, stout; opening at base of aedeagus broad; base of aedeagus not well-differentiated from shaft; laterally with flattened flange, margin concave in posterior view; apex spade-shaped in posterior view; gonopore subapical on ventral side.

Female. Tergites VII and VIII without macrosetae. Sternite VII with distinct median lobe, darkly colored around base of lobe; posterior margin curved posterolaterally laterad of lobe.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: 1♂, ARGENTINA, La Pampa Prov., P.N. Lihué Calel, 38.00251º S, 65.59337º W, 5-II-2014, vacuum, AR14-2, JN Zahniser [ MLPA] . PARATYPES: 11♂, 8♀, same data [ MLPA, INHS, USNM] .

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in La Pampa Prov., Argentina.

Etymology. The species name is a noun, derived from the Spanish for “green eyes”.

Remarks. Specimens were swept and vacuumed from large bunch grasses in P.N. Lihué Calel ( Figs. 1Q–R, U ).

Figures

FIGUIRE 1. Habitat and live views of some Faltalini. (Q, R) Lihué Calel National Park in La Pampa Prov., Argentina. (S) Dietrichana pampas n.gen. & sp., male (T, V) Faltala viscacha n. sp., female (U) Ackbaria ojosverdes n. sp., female.

FIGUIRE 4. Ackbaria ojosverdes n. sp. (A–B, D–J) standard views; A1 & B, female; A2, male.

FIGUIRE 6. Distribution of Ackbaria and Dietrichana n.gen.