Ciminius taosus (Ball)

Figures 13, 14, 15, 29 C, D

Cicadella taosa Ball, 1936: 20.

Ciminius sidanus DeLong & Knull, 1946 a: 17 .

Diagnosis.

Overall coloration (Figs 13 A, B, 15 A, B, 29 C) dark-brown to black with paler markings on crown, pronotum anterior third, and at least on veins of anterior portion of forewings. Aedeagus (14 G), in lateral view, ventral margin rounded and expanded, with rugosities preapically; apical portion not expanded, apex rounded. Paraphysis (Figs 14 I, J) directed posterodorsally, slightly curved dorsally, with dorsal and ventral margins subparallel, bearing a subapical constriction dorsally.

Description.

Measurements: Total length: males (n = 1) 4.7 mm; females (n = 1) 5.7 mm. — Head and Thorax: Crown (Figs 13 B, 14 A, 29 C), in dorsal view, slightly produced, anterior margin subtriangular; median length approximately 1 / 3 of intraocular width, and 1 / 4 of transocular width. Ocelli located slightly posteriorly of imaginary line between anterior eyes angles. Frons (Figs 13 A, 14 B), in lateral view, slightly inflated. Pronotum width approximately equal to transocular width. Other features as in genus description. — Coloration: Overall coloration of male black (Figs 14 A – C). Crown and face (Figs 14 A, C) with yellow markings in ocelli and muscular impressions. Clypeus, gena and lorum yellow. Pronotum (Fig. 14 A) anterior third with yellow markings, black posteriorly, with posterior margin yellow. Mesonotum black. Forewings veins yellow basally (Figs 14 A, B). Legs yellow (Fig. 13 B, C). Female overall coloration yellow (Figs 13, 29 C). Crown and pronotum (Figs 13 B, 29 C) anterior third with darker markings. Frons (Figs 13, 29 D) with darker areas in muscular impressions. Forewings (Figs 13 A, B, 29 C, D) browned, with veins paler. Abdomen (Figs 13 D, 15 A, B), yellow, with darkened portions. — Male terminalia: Pygofer (Fig. 14 D), in lateral view, posterior margin broadly rounded. Subgenital plate (Fig. 14 D), in lateral view, attaining pygofer apical portion. Valve (Fig. 14 E), in ventral view, anterior and posterior margins subparallel; lateral margins narrowly rounded. Style (Fig. 14 F), in dorsal view, with a pair of slight dentate processes on outer margin, one basally and other preapically. Aedeagus (Fig. 14 G, H), in lateral view, shaft expanded, ventral margin rounded, apical portion rugulose, apical portion not expanded, apex rounded. Paraphysis (Fig. 14 I), in lateral view, directed posterodorsally, curved dorsally, reaching pygofer apical third; dorsal and ventral margins subparallel, dorsal margin with a small dentate process basally, apex subacute; in dorsal view (Fig. 14 J), lateral margins with small reentrances preapically. Other features as in generic description. — Female genitalia: Sternite VII (Figs 13 D, 15 A – C), in ventral view, almost 2.2 × wider than long, posterior margin with a distinctly acute median lobe. Valvula II (Fig. 15 F – H) blade with 18 continuous subtriangular serrated teeth, with a distinct gap in anterior margin of teeth. Other features (Fig. 15 D, E, I, J) as in generic description.

Material examined.

Holotype (Fig. 12): UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – New Mexico • 1 ♀; Albuquerque; 1940; ED Ball leg.; USNMENT 01513862; USNM.

Other material.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – New Mexico • 1 ♂; Belen; 20 Jul. 1936; R. H. Beamer leg; USNM • 1 ♀ same data collection as for preceding; D. R. Lindsay leg; USNM .

Remarks.

Ciminius taosus is the largest member of Ciminius . The males of C. taosus can be differentiated in coloration from the other black species by the forewings with yellow longitudinal veins, fading towards apex, and the crown and frons contrasting yellow and black marks. In dorsal view (Figs 12 B, 13 A, 28 C), the crown is longer, as in lateral view (Figs 12 A, 13 B), the frons is more inflated compared to the remaining species of the genus. The aedeagus of C. taosus is similar to C. sidanus and C. hartii, but the ventral margin is more expanded than in the former and the apex is not expanded as in the latter. Otherwise, the paraphysis in C. taosus is curved dorsally, while in C. sidanus and C. hartii it is rectilinear.