Pyrops watanabei (Matsumura, 1913)

Figs 4, 8, 16–22

Fulgora (Hotinus) watanabei Matsumura, 1913: 54 [described; close to “ Fulgora ponderosus ” (Stål, 1854)], pl. 8, fig. 1 [habitus illustrated] (types in HUIC).

Fulgora chimara Schumacher, 1915a: 129 [described] (Types in MFNB and SDEI) [synonymized by Kato (1928); reinstated as good species by Metcalf (1947); re-synonymized by Lallemand (1963)].

Fulgora watanabei var. apicalis Kato, 1928: 221 [described; host plant], pl. 9, fig. 1 [habitus illustrated] (type in UMUT). syn. nov. [name preoccupied by Fulgora apicalis Westwood, 1838, replaced by F. watanabei var. formosana by Metcalf (1947)].

Fulgora watanabei var. formosana Metcalf, 1947: 208 [replacement name for F. watanabei var. apicalis]. syn. nov.

Fulgora chimara – Schumacher 1915b: 110 [listed from “ Formosa ” (= Taiwan)]. — Kato 1928: 221 [synonymized under Pyrops watanabei (Matsumura, 1913)]. — Metcalf 1947: 193 [catalogued as a good species]. — Lallemand 1963: 89 [synonymized under Pyrops watanabei (Matsumura, 1913)].

Fulgora watanabei – Kato 1928: 221 [listed; senior synonym of Fulgora chimara Schumacher, 1915; host plant]. — Mutsumura 1931: 1267 [described; illustrated]. — Chou et al. 1985: 118 [described; mentioned from Taiwan and China (Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan)].

Hotinus watanabei – Matsumura 1931: pl. 8, fig. 12 [illustrated].

Pyrops watanabei – Nagai & Porion 1996: 26 [catalogued; mentioned from China (erroneous)]. — Liang & Suwa 1998: 157 [lectotype designation]. — Yen & Yang 2001 [description; biology; distribution; protection status].

Diagnosis

The species is immediately recognized by the following combination of characters:

(1) cephalic process yellow and inflated apically (Fig. 4 D–E).

(2) abdomen red ventrally (Fig. 4B).

(3) tegmina mainly white on disc and with 3 black spots in costal area before nodal line (Fig. 4A).

Etymology

The species was dedicated to its collector, Kenji Watanabe.

Type material

TAIWAN: Lectotype, ♀ of Fulgora (Hotinus) watanabei Matsumura, 1913 (examined from photographs, Fig. 16) [ Hotinus watanabei Mats.] [ Hotinus watanabei Mats.] [ Hotinus watanabei det Matsumura] [Formosa Matsumura/underside: Hoppo, 1 st VII ‘07] [Type Matsumura] [Lectotype Fulgora (Hotinus) watanabei Mats. det. A.P. Liang & M. Suwa 1997] (HUIC) .

TAIWAN: Paralectotype, ♀ of Fulgora (Hotinus) watanabei Matsumura, 1913 (examined from photographs, Fig. 17) [Hoppo] [Paralectotype Fulgora (Hotinus) watanabei Mats. det. A.P. Liang & M. Suwa 1997] (HUIC) .

TAIWAN: Paralectotype, ♀ of Fulgora (Hotinus) watanabei Matsumura, 1913 (examined from photographs, Fig. 18) [Formosa Matsumura / underside: Hoppo, 27 VII ‘07] [Paralectotype Fulgora (Hotinus) watanabei Mats. det. A.P. Liang & M. Suwa 1997] (HUIC) .

TAIWAN: Syntype, ♀ of Fulgora chimara Schumacher, 1915 (Fig. 19) [Formosa, Hoozan, VIII.10, H. Sauter S.G.] [ Fulgora chimara * Schum., F. Schumacher det.] [Type] (MFNB).

TAIWAN: Syntype, ♀ of Fulgora chimara Schumacher, 1915 (examined from photographs, Fig. 20) [Kosempo, Formosa, H. Sauter, VII. X.1911] [ Fulgora chimara * Schum., F. Schumacher det.] [Syntypus] (SDEI).

TAIWAN: Holotype, ♀ of Fulgora watanabei var. apicalis Kato, 1928 (examined from photographs, Fig. 21) [Horisha, Formosa (VIII.1919) Col. M. Kato.] [Type No. 95, M. Kato coll.] (UMUT).

Additional material

TAIWAN: 1 ♀, Taipei city, Congguan Nat. Taiwan University Campus, 2007, leg. W.B. Yeh (RBINS); 1 ♂ (dissected), 1 ♀, Taipei, Tanshui, 14 Jun. 2002, J.H. Chen (NMNS).

Material examined from photographs

TAIWAN: eggs (Fig. 22A), Taipei City, 28 Jul. 2012, S. Chen; eggs (Fig. 22B), idem, 19 Feb. 2016; 1 nymph (Fig. 22C), Nantou County, 14 Feb. 2012, S. Chen; 1 nymph (Fig. 22D): Taipei City, 7 Jun. 2012, on Triadica sebifera, S. Chen; 1 ex. (Fig. 22 E–F), idem, 16 Aug. 2012, on Triadica sebifera, S. Chen; 1 ex. (Fig. 22G), idem, predated by a Sparassidae spider; 5 ex. (Fig. 22H), Taipei City, 6 Aug. 2011, on Triadica sebifera, S. Chen.

Measurements and ratios

TL: ♂ (n=1): 3.9 cm; LPr: 1.0 cm; TL: ♀ (n=2): 4.3 cm (4.0–4.6); LPr: 1.1 cm (1.0–1.2); LTg/BTg = 2.31; BF/BPrH = 2.53; LPr/LF = 2.82; LPr/BPrH = 2.55.

Male genitalia

Pygofer higher than long, with posterior margin sinuate in lateral view (Fig. 8A). Anal tube slightly elongate, 1.1 times as long as broad in dorsal view, broader at 4/5 of total length (Fig. 8C); lateral margins slightly sinuate and apical margin strongly concave in dorsal view (Fig. 8C). Gonostyli (Fig. 8A) elongate, 1.77 times as long as high in lateral view; dorsal margin regularly and broadly rounded and posterior margin slightly projecting posteriorly in middle in lateral view (Fig. 8A).

Biology

The species was recorded on Triadica sebifera (L.) Small ( Euphorbiaceae) by Kato (1928), and on the same tree and Sapium discolor Muell. -Arg. ( Euphorbiaceae) by Yen & Yang (2015). Those data were confirmed by multiple observations in the field; freshly laid eggs were observed at the end of July, nymphs in February and June (pers. comm. S. Chen, Dec. 2015)

Distribution

Taiwan.

Remarks

This species was mentioned from China by Chou et al. (1985) and Nagai & Porion (1996). However, no specimen of P. watanabei could be found either in the collections of NWAFU, where Chou and co-authors worked (pers. comm. D. Qin, Jun. 2016), in the collections of IZCAS (pers. comm. Z.S. Song, Jun. 2016), or in the collections of MHNL, and there are also no photographic records available supporting the presence of the species on the continent. Hence, the species is removed from the list of Chinese Fulgoridae and is regarded as endemic in Taiwan.

Like in P. clavatus, this species shows specimens with posterior wings entirely white and others with the apical third black.