Curvimonus Viraktamath & Anantha Murthy

Viraktamath, C. A., 2004, A revision of the Varta­Stymphalus generic complex of the leafhopper tribe Scaphytopiini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from the Old World, Zootaxa 713, pp. 1-47 : 5-6

Curvimonus Viraktamath & Anantha Murthy

Curvimonus Viraktamath & Anantha Murthy 1999: 40 . Type species Curvimonus gajadantha Viraktamath & Anantha Murthy , type by original designation.

Medium sized leafhoppers, 6.00–7.00 mm long. In life greenish with red stripes. Vertex anteriorly triangularly produced; apical half with a triangular depression, transition between vertex and face angular with anterior carina. Fronto­clypeus basally widened, approximately three times as long as wide near clypellus. Clypellus parallel­sided, about 0.33 as long as frontoclypeus, not exceeding genal curve. Ocelli on anterior margin, contiguous with eyes. Pronotum more than twice as broad as long, shorter than vertex, lateral margin carinate, caudal margin slightly concave. Front wings about four times as long as wide; apices obliquely truncate; inner anteapical cell basally open. Arrangement of spines on hind tibia R1 21±2, R2 11±1, R3 18±2. Hind basitarsus with three platellae.

Male pygophore lobe caudally produced into a process, basally with membranous lobe on dorsal margin. Anal segment strongly sclerotized and pigmented. Subgenital plates and valve completely fused, forming a median quadrangular plate, with lateral margin multiseriate setae. Style stout with a well­developed preapical lobe, apophysis short. Connective Y­shaped, with apices of arms touching each other. Aedeagus simple, dorsally strongly curved, articulated with connective. Gonopore subapical, dorsal apodeme welldeveloped.

Caudal margin of female seventh sternum with a median distinct lobe. Valvifer I three times as long as wide in ventral aspect. Valvula I very broad at base, denticulate area of valvula II occupies distal half, apex acute, devoid of denticles.

Remarks: The genus shares the character of fused subgenital plates and valve with the genera Va rt at o pa and Xenovarta (see below); it differs from them in having clawlike apophysis of style that lacks transverse rugae, in addition to the male pygophore having a membranous process as in Va rt a.

A single Indian species, Curvimonus gajadantha Viraktamath and Anantha Murthy , represents this genus.