6. Macropsis nikippa Tisheсhkin sp. n.

Figs. 23–33, 95–108

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 8A4D97B5-617C-4361-BBDD-E20586A46976

Material examined. Holotype, ♂: Ethiopia, Ambo, 2. V. 1990, A.F. Emelyanov leg.; dissected . Paratypes, all col- lected in Ethiopia, Ambo by A.F. Emelyanov: 2. V. 1990, Acacia, 2 ♂, 8 ♀; 2. V. 1990, 1 ♀; 3. V. 1990, shrubs, 2 ♂, 5 ♀; 7. V. 1990, shrubs, 3 ♂, 8 ♀; 10. V. 1990, 3 ♂; 15. V. 1990, 6 ♂, 9 ♀, of which 1 ♀ was dissected; 16. V. 1990, Acacia, 3 ♂, 2 ♀; 17. V. 1990, 1 ♂, 1 ♀; 1. VI. 1990, Acacia, 3 ♂, 1 ♀; 3. VI. 1990, shrubs, 1 ♀, dissected; 5. VI. 1990, Acacia, 1♂, 1 ♀, both dissected; 10. VI. 1990, 1 ♀; 17. VI. 1990, shrubs including Acacia, 2 ♂, 2 ♀; 18. VI. 1990, Acacia, 7 ♂, 5 ♀; 20. VI. 1990, shrubs including Acacia, 1 ♀; 17. VII. 1990, 1 ♂, dissected; 28. VII . 1990, 3 ♂. Type series deposited in ZIN.

Description. Male greyish yellow with dark pattern (Figs. 23–30). Face yellow, in upper part with black transverse stripe interrupted in middle (Fig. 30). In dark coloured specimens there are also two small black dots on crown and/or two black spots under transverse stripe (Figs. 28–29). Pronotum greyish with yellow lateral margins. Mesonotum usually with more or less developed triangular dark spots in lateral angles and light yellow middle stripe (Fig. 23). In light coloured males these spots indistinct (Figs. 25, 27), in darker males they brown or even black (Figs. 24, 26). Occasionally, these spots merge with each other, so that mesonotum becomes entirely brown or black with yellow lateral margins. Proepimeron always with black spot. Forewing semi-transparent, slightly smoky, with partially darkened veins, especially, in apical parts.

Female entirely yellowish green, usually with whitish median stripe on mesonotum; very rarely with black spot on proepimeron (Figs. 31–33).

Apex of crown and anterior margin of pronotum rounded (Figs. 26–27, 32). Median keel usually absent; in males occasionally distinguishable only on mesonotum, in females also in middle part of face.

Abdominal apodemes of 2 nd tergite in male with long rounded lobes bent inwards and separated by oval notch (Figs. 95–96); sternal apodemes triangular, strongly converging, separated by more or less rounded notch (Figs. 97–98). Penis in side view slender, evenly tapering apically (Figs. 99–100). Style tip thin, pointed, bent inwards at almost right angle (Figs. 101–102). Similarly to M. hippodameia, pygofer lobes with strongly sclerotized ribs along back margins. Pygofer process unusually short, with straight distal part (Figs. 103–105). 2 nd valvulae of ovipositor with 6–7 preapical teeth (Figs. 106–107). Female 7 th sternite of usual shape, triangular, with small shallow notch on hind margin (Fig. 108).

Body length (including tegmina): ♂, 3.1–3.5 mm; ♀, 3.5–3.7 mm.

Diagnosis. Differs from M. rhea Linnavuori, 1978 by the shape of female 7 th sternite. Differs from M. tithonia Linnavuori, 1978 and M. xerophila Linnavuori, 1978 by the shape of dark pattern on pro- and mesonotum. Much smaller than M. octopunctata = M. pondoensis .

Differs from all species from the minuscula group for which descriptions of the genitalia are available (Figs. 63–81) by the shape of style tip and shorter pygofer process. In addition, differs from M. bitaeniata and M. hippodameia by smaller size. Penis is more slender than in M. minuscula Linnavuori, 1978, M. bussaensis Linnavuori, 1978, M. thargelia Linnavuori, 1978, and M. nigrosignata (Stål, 1858) (Figs. 68, 71, 73, 77).

Host. Acacia sp. Most common species in the studied area.

Etymology. According to ancient Greek mythology, Nikippa was one of the daughters of Hippodamia (alternative spelling of Hippodamea) and Pelops. The new species is named “nikippa” because it is closely related to M. hippodameia but is distinctly smaller.