Xenovarta subulata sp. nov.

Figs. 1–10

Color pattern of anterior dorsum and face as in Figs.1–4. Margins of vertex anterior to eyes bright red. Pronotum with two red stripes on either side of median line. Scutellum laterally and basally brownish ochraceous. Forewings with red stripes, apical area brownish hyaline.

Vertex acutely triangularly produced in front of eyes, lateral margins sharp, upturned, 2.2 times as long as interocular width, 1.6 times as long as pronotum. Eyes fairly large, ocelli on anterior margin. Pronotum wide, its length slightly shorter than width, anterior margin strongly and roundly produced, posterior margin slightly concave. Scutellum triangular, its length slightly shorter than length of pronotum, with transverse suture curved and depressed. Forewings with four apical cells and three subapical cells.

Male genitalia. Pygofer slightly longer than high, narrowed caudally, with a number of macrosetae on caudodorsal area, its ventroposterior margin with a subuliform process (Fig. 5). Valve fused to subgenital plates, the latter with uniseriate row of macrosetae (Fig. 6). Aedeagus with well-developed dorsal apodeme, aedeagal shaft asymmetrical and elongate, slightly curved dorsad, with a spiniform process subapically in ventral view, gonopore subapical on ventral side (Figs. 7, 8). Connective Y-shaped, its stem slightly shorter than arms (Fig. 9). Style apophysis well-developed, with strong transverse rugulae (Fig. 10).

Measurement. Length (including tegmen): 3, 5.9mm.

Host. Bamboo.

Type material. Holotype 3, China: Guangdong Prov., Mt. Nankun, 23 August 2010, coll. Jichun Xing (GUGC).

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to Xenovarta longicornis Duan & Zhang in appearance, but differs in having the pygofer with a number of macrosetae on caudo-dorsal area, the ventroposterior margin of the pygofer with a subuliform process, and the aedeagal shaft with a subapical spiniform processes. It also differs from Xenovarta ankusha Viraktamath in having the male pygofer side with a long process, and the structure of the plates and aedeagus are also different.

Etymology. The new species name is derived from the Latin words “ subulata ”, indicating the ventroposterior margin of pygophore with a subuliformis process.