Mejdalania bia, Gonçalves, 2021

Gonçalves, Clayton C., 2021, Mejdalania, a new genus and three new species of Neocoelidiinae from Brazil (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Zootaxa 5039 (1), pp. 109-118 : 111-113

Mejdalania bia sp. nov.

Figs 1−9 , 29−30

Diagnosis. Pygofer, in lateral view ( Fig. 3 ), subquadrangular, lateroapical process short, narrow dorsal rami curved dorsally, ventral rami directed ventrally; subgenital plates, in ventral view ( Fig. 5 ), subtriangular, with lateral margins converging towards the apex in the basal two-thirds; aedeagus ( Figs 8–9 ) with apodemal processes shorter than the shaft, spatulate, shaft constricted in the middle third, apical third expanded with serrated lateral margins.

Measurements (mm). Male holotype: total length 7.2.

Coloration. Body yellow ( Figs 29–30 ), green in life. Face ( Fig. 1 ) with frons mostly yellow, dorsal third orange. Mesonotum ( Fig. 29 ) yellow, with dark yellow basal angles. Forewing ( Fig. 2 ) yellow semi-hyaline with a dark yellow longitudinal strip adjacent to the anal margin. Legs ( Fig. 30 ) yellow.

External morphology. External morphological characters as in the generic description.

Male terminalia. Pygofer, in lateral view ( Fig. 3 ), subquadrangular, high at the base and slightly narrowing towards the apex, approximately 1.3 times longer than high; anterior margin with poorly developed lobe; ventral and dorsal margins thickened, ventral margin rectilinear, dorsal margin broadly rounded apically; lateroapical process short, spine-like dorsal rami tapered and curved dorsally, tooth-like ventral rami robust and directed ventrally; apex rounded. Subgenital plates, in lateral view ( Fig. 4 ) with apical third moderately curved dorsally; in ventral view ( Fig. 5 ), subtriangular, with lateral margins converging towards the apex in the basal two-thirds. Connective ( Fig. 6 ) approximately two-thirds of length of style. Style ( Figs 6–7 ) with apophysis slightly curved dorsally. Aedeagus ( Figs 8–9 ) with apodemal processes shorter than the shaft, spatulate, expanded in the apical third, apex acute; shaft slightly sinuous, strongly flattened dorsoventrally, constricted in the middle third, apical third expanded with serrated lateral margins.

Female terminalia. Female unknown.

Material examined. Holotype ♂: “ Brasil, AC [Acre], Bujari, FES [Floresta Estadual do]\ Antimary , 25- 27.viii.2016 \ 9°20’01”S – 68°19’17”W \ Arm. Luz, A.A. Agudelo, F.F.\ Xavier, D.M.M. Mendes, J.A.\ Rafael cols” ( INPA).

Etymology. The species is named in honor of the Rede BIA project (Biodiversidade de Insetos na Amazonia), which brought together students, technicians and researchers committed to the preservation and knowledge insects in the Brazilian Amazon. It was through this project that the specimen described here was collected.

Remarks. Mejdalania bia sp. nov. resembles M. unciformis sp. nov. in having both the subquadrangular pygofer and aedeagus with apodemal processes shorter than the shaft. However, Mejdalania bia sp. nov. it is easily differentiated from other species of the genus in having the aedeagal shaft, in lateral view ( Fig. 8 ), slightly sinuous and, in ventral view ( Fig. 9 ), expanded in the apical third with serrated lateral margins.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Mejdalania bia gen. et sp. nov., holotype male: 1, head, frontal view; 2, forewing; 3, pygofer and anal tube, lateral view; 4, valve and subgenital plates, lateral view; 5, valve and subgenital plates, ventral view; 6, connective and style, dorsal view; 7, style, lateral view; 8, aedeagus, lateral view; 9, aedeagus, caudal view. Scale bars: 1 = 1.0 mm, 2 = 2.0 mm, 3–9 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 29–34. Habitus, dorsal and lateral views, respectively. 29 and 30, Mejdalania bia gen. et sp. nov., holotype male. 31 and 32, M. longa gen. et sp. nov., holotype male. 33 and 34, M. unciformis gen. et sp. nov., holotype male. Scale bars: 29–34 = 2.0 mm.