Mejdalania, 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 : 110-111

Genus Mejdalania gen. nov.

Figs 1−34

Type-species. Mejdalania longa sp. nov., by present designation.

Diagnosis. Medium-sized cylindrical leafhoppers; head ( Figs 29−34 ), moderately produced anteriorly, crown-face transition angled, with a marginal carina; crown ( Figs 31, 33 ) subpentagonal, with four orange stripes, three longitudinal and one transverse forming an E-shaped macula; lateral margins of crown ( Figs 30, 32 ), adjacent to the eyes, raised and not carinate; ocellus ( Figs 32, 34 ) on anterior margin of head, distant from eye margin; pronotum ( Figs 29, 33 ) acutely emarginate; forewing ( Figs 2 , 11 ) with venation indistinct, more distinct in apical portion, with four apical cells and three anteapical cells; male pygofer ( Figs 3 , 12 , 21 ) with a lateroapical process on the outer surface; subgenital plates ( Figs 4−5 , 13−14 ) fused together in the basal two-thirds, apical third free and weakly sclerotized, with ventral row of macrosetae near inner margin; connective ( Figs 6 , 15 , 25 ) V-shaped; aedeagus ( Figs 8−9 , 17−18 , 27−28 ) horizontally disposed within the genital capsule, dorsal apodeme with a pair of long and slender processes, shaft long and slender, gonopore apical.

Etymology. The generic name Mejdalania (feminine noum), is a tribute to Prof. Dr. Gabriel Mejdalani in recognition of his remarkable contribution to our knowledge of the Auchenorrhyncha.

Description. Head, in dorsal view ( Figs 29, 31, 33 ), moderately produced anteriorly, median length of crown approximately equal or slightly less than interocular width; transocular width about six-sevenths of humeral width of pronotum; crown subpentagonal, anterior margin bluntly angulate, surface flat and smooth; ocellus on anterior margin of head, distant from eye margin, not visible in dorsal view; coronal maculae and coronal suture indistinct. Head, in frontal ( Figs 1 , 10 , 19 ), with face approximately as high as wide; frontogenal suture reaching to ocelli; antennal ledge oblique and carinate; frons approximately 1.2 times longer than wide; muscle impressions faintly visible; epistomal suture distinct and complete; clypeus approximately 1.3 times longer than maximum width, lateral margins parallel, apex straight; maxillary plate produced ventrally, slightly surpassing the clypeus apex; lorum ellipse-shaped, apical margin not reaching apex of clypeus; genae incompletely covering episternum. Head, in lateral view ( Figs 30, 32, 34 ), with crown-face transition acute, with a marginal carina; lateral margins of crown, adjacent to the eyes, raised and not carinated; antennal pits at same level as a line tangent to anteroventral angles of eyes; antenna with long flagellum, exceeding half of the forewing; frons convex. Pronotum ( Figs 29, 31, 33 ) with slightly transverse striae on disc; lateral margins rounded, convergent anterad, as long as eye; posterior margin acutely excavated; in lateral view ( Figs 30, 32, 34 ), slightly declivous; dorsopleural carina present and arched. Mesonotum ( Figs 30, 32, 34 ) as long as wide. Forewing ( Figs 2 , 11 , 20 ) semi-hyaline, approximately 3.4 times longer than maximum width; venation slightly distinct, more distinct apically; three anteapical cells; four apical cells, bases of the second and fourth apical cells approximately equidistant, base of third apical cell more distal than basis of second and fourth apical cells; alar appendix narrow; apex rounded. Hind wing with vein R 4+5 and M 1+2 preapically convergent, fused at apex, forming single vein. Profemur with AD, AM, and PD rows reduced and poorly defined, with exception of apical setae AD 1, AM 1, and PD 1, respectively; AV formed by a single apical seta; PV row absent; IC row formed by slightly arched comb of fine setae, beginning at distal half of femur and extending to apex. Protibia, in cross-section, semi-circular; AV row formed by approximately 16 setae, slightly longer and thicker towards apex; AD formed by a single apical seta; PD formed by two setae, one at the beginning of the apical third and another at the apex; PV row with 2-3 widely spaced setae. Metafemur with setal formula 2:2:1, with inner seta of second pair reduced in size. Metatibial AD row with 2- 4 intercalary setae between macrosetae; PD, AD, and PV rows with 14−16, 10−11, and 30−35 macrosetae, respectively; AV row with approximately 6−8 macrosetae distributed only in the middle third of the tibia. Metatarsomere I longer than combined length of two distal tarsomeres; plantar surface with two rows of setae, external row with longer and robust setae than inner row; pecten with five platellae. Metatarsomere II pecten with three platellae.

Male terminalia. Pygofer ( Figs 3 , 12 , 21−22 ) shorter than subgenital plates; macrosetae absent; anterior margin with a rounded lobe; outer surface with a sclerotized bipartite lateroapical process, formed by an acute dorsal rami and a short tooth-shaped ventral rami. Valve ( Figs 5 , 14 , 24 ) completely fused to subgenital plates. Subgenital plates ( Figs 4−5 , 13−14 , 23−24 ) fused together in the basal two-thirds, apical third free and weakly sclerotized; ventral surface with a row of macrosetae on the apical third, near the inner margin. Connective ( Figs 6 , 15 , 25 ) V-shaped, articulated at the aedeagus base, not bifurcated at the point of articulation. Style ( Figs 6−7 , 15−16 , 25−26 ) with bilobed apodeme, dorsal lobe well-developed and broadly rounded, smaller ventral lobe rounded or acute; preapical lobe small and rounded; preapical setae present; hooked ventrally curved apex. Aedeagus ( Figs 8−9 , 17−18 , 27−28 ) horizontally disposed within the genital capsule; dorsal apodeme well developed, with a pair of long and slender processes; shaft long and slender, flattened dorsoventrally; gonopore apical. Anal tube ( Figs 3 , 12 , 21−22 ) cylindri- cal slightly expanded apically, without process; ventral surface membranous.

Female terminalia. Female unknown.

Distribution. Brazil: Acre, Amazonas, Mato Grosso ( Fig. 35 ).

Remarks. Mejdalania gen. nov. is externally very similar to species of Coelidiana Oman, 1936 , Paracoelidiana Marques-Costa & Cavichioli, 2007 and Scopocoelidia Marques-Costa & Cavichioli, 2007 . However, the presence of a process on the external surface of the pygofer ( Figs 3 , 12 , 21 ), the weakly sclerotized apical portion of the subgenital plates ( Figs 4−5 , 13−14 , 23−24 ) and the presence of a pair of long apodemal processes on the aedeagus ( Figs 8−9 , 17−18 , 27−28 ) are unique characteristics and differ from all other known Neocoelidiinae .

Figures

FIGURE 35. Distribution map of Mejdalania gen. nov. species.

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 10–18. Mejdalania longa gen. et sp. nov., holotype male: 10, head, frontal view; 11, forewing; 12, pygofer and anal tube, lateral view; 13, valve and subgenital plates, lateral view; 14, valve and subgenital plates, ventral view; 15, connective and style, dorsal view; 16, style, lateral view; 17, aedeagus, lateral view; 18, aedeagus, caudal view. Scale bars: 10 = 1.0 mm, 11 = 2.0 mm, 12–18 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 19–28. Mejdalania unciformis gen. et sp. nov., holotype male: 19, head, frontal view; 20, forewing; 21, pygofer and anal tube, lateral view; 22, pygofer and anal tube, caudal view; 23, valve and subgenital plates, lateral view; 24, valve and subgenital plates, ventral view; 25, connective and style, dorsal view; 26, style, lateral view; 27, aedeagus, lateral view; 28, aedeagus, caudal view. Scale bars: 19 = 1.0 mm, 20 = 2.0 mm, 21–28 = 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.