Plexijassus, Dietrich & Magalhães & Takiya, 2020

Dietrich, Christopher H., Magalhães, Raysa Brito de & Takiya, Daniela M., 2020, Revision of the endemic Malagasy leafhopper tribe Platyjassini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Iassinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 695, pp. 1-89 : 57-58

Plexijassus gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E7AFC122-8C2D-4036-AF45-018107F94856

Figs 3C , 12 G–I, 17M–O

Type species

Plexijassus caliginosus sp. nov.

Diagnosis

This genus may be distinguished by the following combination of features: body medium-sized; dorsum dark brown to black; vertex overlapping>½ of anterolateral margin of eye, crown irregularly rugose; forewing with supernumerary branches of R extended to costal margin; hindwing veins R4+5 and M1+2 completely confluent apically; hind femur macrosetal formula 2+ 2+1 +1; style slender, without denticuli; aedeagus without processes.

Etymology

The genus name, a masculine noun, refers to the plexus of veins near the apex of the forewing costal margin.

Description

HABITUS. Medium-sized platyjassines (7.4–8.4 mm). Dorsum uniformly dark brown, venter stramineous.

HEAD. Crown flattened, much longer than pronotum, with numerous irregular transverse rugulae, becoming less prominent posteriorly, anterior margin strongly produced, spatulate, forming hood over dorsal part of face, vertex strongly overlapping eye margin; ocelli anteromesad of eyes, relatively distant from eyes and from anterior margin of crown. Frontoclypeus moderately convex, without punctations, without median dorsal depression; antennal ledge absent, apparently coinciding with anterior margin of head; lateral frontal suture extended anterad beyond antennal to crown margin; gena relatively narrow, slightly emarginate below eye, proepisternum partially exposed; lorum small, flat; anteclypeus convex, lateral margins evenly divergent distally; rostrum slender, not surpassing front trochanters.

THORAX. Pronotum slightly declivous, in profile continuing contour of crown, much wider than head, lateral margins strongly divergent posterad, transverse striations distinct. Forewing with costal area unusually broad distally, vein R with several supernumerary branches, appendix broad and extended to wing apex, inner apical cell elongate, slender. Hindwing veins R4+5 and M1+2 completely confluent distally. Front femur row IC with setae in single row;AV with single row of stout setae in basal half, dorsal surface of tibia rounded, PD and AD macrosetae only partially differentiated. Hind femur macrosetal formula 2+2 +1+1, tibial rows PD, AD and AV with 25, 15, and 17 macrosetae, respectively, row AD with one or more smaller setae between successive macrosetae; tarsomere I with two plantar rows, pecten with 4 platellae.

ABDOMEN. Male pregenital sternite distinctly longer than sternite VII, posterior margin truncate. Pygofer base band-like, dorsally with median posterior projection; lobe fused to base, membranous cleft absent, with numerous macrosetae in distal half, apex narrowly rounded, processes and spines absent, ventral margin without distinct group of fine setae. Subgenital plate relatively broad and strongly depressed, with median longitudinal row of few macrosetae, dorsolateral margin with few sparse, short setae. Style apophysis slender, without conspicuous denticuli. Connective Y-shaped, with anterior arms widely divergent. Aedeagus simple, without processes. Female abdominal sternite VII with posterior margin weakly trilobed. First valvulae broad, dorsal sculpturing strigate. Second valvulae strongly broadened near base, then tapered to acute apex, dorsal margin serrate, with numerous blunt-tipped teeth alternating between sides.

Remarks

This genus is similar to Pulchrijassus gen. nov. but differs in having the dorsal coloration uniformly dark brown or black and in lacking extra crossveins between forewing veins R, M and CuA.

Figures

Fig. 3. Platyjassini, dorsal and lateral habitus of males. A. Plerujassus appendiculatus (Evans, 1959). B. Plerujassus brunnescens sp. nov. C. Plexijassus caliginosus sp. nov. D. Pseudocurtara minima sp. nov. E. Pseudocurtara nigripicta sp. nov. F. Pseudocurtara quadrata sp. nov. G. Pseudocyrta hyalina sp. nov. H. Pseudomarganana olivacea sp. nov. I. Pseudomarganana rosea sp. nov. J. Pulchrijassus anjozorobensis sp. nov. K. Pulchrijassus eunsunae sp. nov. L. Pulchrijassus pallescens sp. nov. M. Pulchrijassus roseus sp. nov. N. Pulchrijassus rubrilineatus sp. nov. O. Pulchrijassus sindhuae sp. nov. P. Pulchrijassus talatakelyensis sp. nov. Q. Pulchrijassus toamasinensis sp. nov. R. Punctijassus circularis sp. nov. S. Punctijassus compressus sp. nov. T. Punctijassus ivohibensis sp. nov. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 12. Plerujassus gen. nov., Plexijassus gen. nov. and Pseudocurtara gen. nov. – A–C. Plerujassus appendiculatus (Evans, 1959). A. Genital capsule, lateral view. B. Genitalia, lateral view. C. Same, ventral view. – D–F. Plerujassus brunnescens sp. nov. D. Genital capsule, lateral view. E. Genitalia, lateral view. F. Same, ventral view. – G–I. Plexijassus caliginosus sp. nov. G. Genital capsule, lateral view. H. Genitalia, lateral view. I. Same, ventral view. – J–M. Pseudocurtara minima sp. nov. J. Genital capsule, lateral view. K. Genitalia, lateral view. L. Same, ventral view. M. Aedeagus, posterior view. – N–Q. Pseudocurtara nigripicta sp. nov. N. Genital capsule, lateral view. O. Genitalia, lateral view. P. Same, ventral view. Q. Aedeagus, posterior view. Photos not to scale.