Monomalpha gratiosa Emeljanov, 2000

Löcker, Birgit, 2020, Revision of the Australian planthopper genus Monomalpha Emeljanov with the description of the new genus Latissima (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae: Cixiini), Zootaxa 4858 (3), pp. 375-393 : 383-386

Monomalpha gratiosa Emeljanov, 2000

( Figs 1A , 4 , 5 , 10 , 13A )

Monomalpha gratiosa Emeljanov, 2000: 16 .

Types. Holotype, 1 ♀, AUSTRALIA, NSW: New England Nat [ional] Park, 16-18.xi.1990 (A. Kirejtshuk) ( ANIC).

Other material examined. AUSTRALIA, Qld: 1 ♂, Mt Glorious State Forest , subtropical rainforest, ex Argyrodendron actinophyllum Edlin , 22.-29.v.1986 (Y. Basset) ( ASCU ASCTHE016789 ) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Buhot Ck, Burbank , 27º35.5’S 153º10.3’E, 50 m, sweeping, riparian forest, 30.iv.2003 (E. Volschenk) ( QM) ; 1 ♀, [ Lamington ] National P [ar]k, 25.x.1923 (H. Hacker) ( QM) ; 1 ♀ Bald Mountain area , 153º23’E 28º16’S, 20-21.xi.1980 (M.A. Schneider & G. Daniels) ( QM, formerly UQIC, UQIC reg #55228) ; 1 ♀, Eungella, Central Qld , 10.viii.1962 (T.E. Woodward) ( QM, formerly UQIC, UQIC reg #55186) ; 1 ♀, Cunningham’s Gap , rainforest, 700-750m, 20-30.xi.1963 (J.L. Gres- sitt) ( BPBM) ; 1 ♀, Plateau Killarney , 4.xi.1932 (H. Hacker) ( BMNH) ; 1 ♀, Mt. Glorious SE Qld , rainforest, malaise trap, 13.-16.ii.1961 (J.L. Gressitt) ( BPBM) .

Colour. Head light, mid or dark brown with paler carinae. Pronotum light brown, mesonotum mid brown, carinae concolorous. Forewings light brown, rarely with a band of dark markings near midlength of forewing; veins concolorous with cells apart from some crossveins and sections of longitudinal veins darker; tubercles darker, distinctly in contrast with veins. Legs light brown. Abdomen mid to dark brown.

Morphology. Body length: ♂ 4.3–4.6 mm; ♀ 4.9–5.5 mm.

Head: Vertex 1.0–1.1 x as long as wide; slightly wider at base than at apical carina or about the same; subapical carina u-shaped; lateral carinae strongly elevated; median carina of vertex covering about 1/6 of entire length of basal compartment; angle formed by caudal border of vertex acute. In dorsal view head including eyes slightly narrower than pronotum. Frons 1.5–1.6 x longer than wide; maximum width of frons no more than twice apical width; median carina on frons complete, well developed; lateral carinae of frons in facial view sinuate, slightly s-shaped. Frontoclypeal suture slightly semicircular, bent upwards, median part not reaching lower margin of antennal scape. Postclypeus with weakly or well developed median carina and well developed lateral carinae. Anteclypeus with well-developed median carina; lateral carinae evanescent or absent. Median carina on anteclypeus about as highly elevated than on postclypeus.

Thorax: Hind margin of pronotum rectangular, obtusely or acutely angled. Costal margin of forewing with 19–20 tubercles; crossvein r-m 1 distinctly basad of fork MP1+2 and MP3+4; tubercles of forewing dark, distinctly in contrast with paler coloured veins; transverse veinlet m-cu 1, where it inserts at CuA, distinctly basad of transverse veinlet r-m 1; transverse veinlet m-cu 1, where it inserts at MP3+4, distinctly basad of transverse veinlet r-m 1; icu, where it inserts at CuA, distinctly distad of apex of clavus; RP apically unforked; MP1+2 unforked. Hind leg: tibia with 2–3 small to large lateral spines and 6 apical spines; 1 st tarsomere with 7 apical teeth and no platellae, fourth tooth (counted from outside) shorter (= protruding less far towards second hind tarsomere) than third tooth; 2 nd tarsomere with 6 apical teeth, no platellae and up to 3 very fine setae.

Male genitalia: Anal tube as in Figs 10 C-D. Pygofer and genital styles as in Figs 10 E-F. Aedeagus ( Figs 10 A- B): Phallotheca left laterally with a curved spine (a); ventrally with a long ridge, covering almost the entire length of the phallotheca and giving rise to a curved spine (b); right laterally with two long spines (c) and (d). Phallotheca with a slightly sclerotised, ventral ridge, ending in two small, pointed processes in close proximity to each other. Flagellum without spines.

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from all other species of Monomalpha by a combination of two characters: narrow frons ( Figs 4C , 5D ) and 1 st hind tarsomere with apical teeth arranged in two rows (second and fourth tooth from outside shorter) ( Fig. 5F ). For further details see Diagnosis sections of M. fletcheri and M. stenocara .

Remarks. This species has been described from a single female specimen. In the material examined during this project, several specimens that match the chaetotaxy of M. gratiosa were collected in a region (southern Qld) close to the type locality (northern NSW). Colouration seems to vary a fair bit within this species, however, some specimens clearly show the crossband on the fore wing described by Emeljanov (2000). The only other Monomalpha species with the same chaetotaxy is M. fletcheri , but due to differences in distribution ( M. fletcheri: Lord Howe Island; M. gratiosa : mainland Australia near the Qld/NSW border) ( Fig. 13A ), width/carination of frons and wing venation, these species can be distinguished. Based on the reasons stated above these specimens are assumed to be conspecific with M. gratiosa . This means male specimens are presented for this species for the first time.

Distribution: NSW (mainland), Qld.

Associated plant records: Argyrodendron actinophyllum .

Figures

FIGURE 1: Female genitalia: A Monomalpha gratiosa; B–F Monomalpha fletcheri.

FIGURE 4. Monomalpha gratiosa: A habitus; B–D head and thorax.

FIGURE 5. Monomalpha gratiosa (holotype). A habitus dorsal; B habitus lateral; C–E head and thorax; F hind tibiae and tarsi. Photos courtesy of Dr Olívia Evangelista (ANIC). Used with permission.

FIGURE 10. Monomalpha gratiosa: A aedeagus left lateral; B aedeagus ventral; C–D anal tube; E–F genital styles.

FIGURE 13. Known distribution of: A Monomalpha; B Latissima.