Zammara nigriplaga Walker, 1858a

Sanborn, Allen F., 2018, The cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of Panama including the description of six new species, three new combinations, one new synonymy, and nine new records, Zootaxa 4493 (1), pp. 1-69 : 9

Zammara nigriplaga Walker, 1858a

Zammara nigriplaga Walker 1858a: 4 . (South America)

Remarks. Walker (1858a) lists South America as the type locality but the type specimens has a label with “Antioq” probably referring to Antioquia, Colombia ( Goemans 2016). Goemans (2016) identified the range of Z. tympanum as southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. The Central American and northern South American specimens reported as Z. tympanum were generally identified as misidentifications of Z. nigriplaga . Both species have bronzed fore wings and the lack of a type specimen for Z. tympanum may have led early authors to cite specimens as Z. tympanum . Subsequent authors including myself then perpetuated this concept of the species in Central America.

Zammara nigriplaga can be distinguished by the bronze fore wings with infuscation on each vein separating apical cells and all crossveins. In addition, this is the only species of the genus to have infuscation in the hind wing ( Goemans 2016).

Distribution. The species has been reported previously from Colombia and Ecuador ( Metcalf 1963a; Sanborn 2013). Goemans (2016) also lists specimens from several localities in Costa Rica along with specimens from Blowup 7 km N of Los Planes, Fortuna Dam area, La Fortuna, El Vivero (Casa Verde), Rte Gualaca—Fortuna PK 32, Hornito, in Chiriquí Province, 2 mi. N of the Divide on highway to Chiriqui Grande in Bocas del Toros Province, K 8–13 El Llano Carti Rd. in Colon Province, and Mindi River near Gatún, in the Canal Zone in Panama. Distant (1906) listed “ Antigua ” but this is probably a mistake for Antioq as Antigua is on the northern end of the Lesser Antilles and separated geographically from the remaining range of the species.

Material examined. “ PANAMA Chiriqui / Blow area nr. Hornito / 14 May 1999 / Wappes & Morris” one female ( UGCA); “ PANAMA: Panama / Cerro Jefe / 21 May 1996 / T. Turnbow” one female ( UGCA); “ Panama, Panama Prov. / E1 Llano-Carti Rd. / km 10–13; 3–7Jun1984 // R.L Penrose, / F.T. Hovore & / P.H. Sullivan // LACM ENT 274742” one female ( LACM); “ Panama, Panama Prov. / E1 Llano-Carti Rd. / km 10–13; 3–7Jun1984 // R.L Penrose, / F.T. Hovore & / P.H. Sullivan // LACM ENT 274743” one female ( LACM); “ Panama, Panama Prov. / E1 Llano-Carti Rd. / km 10–13; 3–7Jun1984 // E. Giesbert, / R.L Penrose, / F.T. Hovore & / P.H. Sullivan // LACM ENT 274744” one female ( LACM); “ PANAMA: Coclé, Rio Indio / Lodge, N. El Valle, / 18 to 20–VIII– 2012 575 m / J. Heppner 4” one female ( FSCA); “ PANAMÁ: Coclé / Cerro Gaital, / VI–10–12–1985 / E. Riley & D. Rider” two females ( AFSC); “ PANAMÁ: Chiriquí / Fortuna, VI–13 – / 15–1985, E.G. / Riley & D. Rider” one male ( AFSC).