Elginus recavus, Stiller, M., 2009

Stiller, M., 2009, Revision of Elginus Theron (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with the description of two new genera and comments on the grassland leafhopper fauna in South Africa, Zootaxa 2135 (1), pp. 1-56 : 22-23

Elginus recavus sp.n.

( Figs 69 , 96 , 123 , 148 , 173 , 198 , 224 , 251 )

Diagnosis. Aedeagal shaft flattened laterally, arising from concave, rounded dorsal apodeme.

Etymology. Latin, hollowed out, curved inwards, for the concavity of the circular aedeagal apodeme.

Dimensions. Male (n = 7). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.6–3.5 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.8–3.4 mm; vertex medially 0.4–0.5 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.3 mm; pronotum medially 0.3–0.4 mm. Maximum widths: head 0.9–1.0 mm; pronotum 0.8 mm. Ocellus: diameter 23–29 µm; ocellocular distance 34–50 µm.

Genital capsule: Aedeagal shaft flattened laterally, C-shaped, arising from concave plate, formed by circular dorsal apodeme and preatrium; gonopore subapical, caudad; shaft short, 1.4 times as long as dorsal apodeme ( Figs 69 , 96 ). Connective elongate ( Fig. 123 ). Plate elongate, apex rounded, base fused with valve ( Fig. 148 ). Pygofer lobe apex broadly rounded ( Figs 173 , 198 ). Style apophysis rectangular, serrate ventrally; extending one-third from apex of plate; apophysis 0.6 times as long as anterior lateral lobe ( Fig. 224 ).

Dimensions. Female (n = 8). Lengths: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.6–3.0 mm, apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 3.1–3.5 mm; vertex medially 0.5–0.6 mm; vertex laterally next to eye 0.3–0.4 mm; pronotum medially 0.3–0.4 mm. Maximum widths: head 0.9–1.0 mm; pronotum 0.8–0.9 mm. Ocellus: diameter 26–31 µm; ocellocular distance 42–56 µm.

Genital capsule. Female. Sternite VII with moderately wide and deep V-shaped notch flanked by slightly raised and rounded lobes ( Fig. 251 ).

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, Gauteng. Onderstepoort Nature Reserve east, 25°37ʹ12.5ʺS 28°09ʹ21.5ʺE, 1241 m, 16.iii.2007, M. Stiller, DVac grazed, dry grass open woodland turf soil ( SANC) . Paratypes (6♂, 6♀, 2 nymphs). Gauteng . 3♂, Vereeniging, Hartebeestfontein 473 IR, 26°48'42.7ʺS 28°10'46.7ʺE, 1545 m, 30.xi.2001, H. Roux, pan trap, Grassland Biome, outcrop, dry rocky loam soil, slope level, disturbance unknown ; 1♂, Pyramid Koppies Onderstepoort Nature Reserve , 25°37ʹ07.2ʺS 28°08ʹ06.5ʺE, 8.x.2002, 1250 m, H. Roux, open woodland, blue pan trap ; 4♂, 6♀, 2 nymphs, ibid. holotype ; 1♂, Onderstepoort Nature Reserve south, 25°37ʹ13.8ʺS 28°08ʹ23.4ʺE, 1248 m, DVac grazed grass in open woodland on turf soil ; 1♀, Onderstepoort Nature Reserve north, 25°37ʹ05.6ʺS 28°08ʹ32.1ʺE, 1239 m, DVac grazed grass in open woodland on turf soil ; 1♂, Onderstepoort Nature Reserve base of hill, 25°37ʹ24.1ʺS 28°08ʹ47.9ʺE, 1264 m, DVac short grass on rock slabs at base of hill; all 16.iii.2007; all M. Stiller ( BMNH, SANC) .

Remarks. This is the only species with a circular dorsal apodeme, and together with E. cultellus , it has the aedeagal shaft flattened laterally. The nearest relative is E. levilobus , which has a similar aedeagal configuration, and possibly similar distribution. Differences are the row of teeth on the style apophysis and rounded dorsal apodeme, which in E. levilobus is smooth and biramous respectively. The plate is similar to that of most species, with its apex rounded, of moderate length and medial margins subparallel. The environmental conditions at the collection localities suggest that this species, as with all other species, is influenced by drought, and that cause severe fluctuations in distribution and population size.

Figures

FIGURES 51–77. Elginus species, male, aedeagus, dorsal or ventral view. Fig. 51, E. acutus, ventral view; Fig. 52, E. bispinus, dorsal view; Fig. 53, E. cavatus, dorsal view; Fig. 54, E. contradens, dorsal view; Fig. 55, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus, dorsal view; Fig. 56, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus, dorsal view; Fig. 57, E. denticulatus, dorsal view; Fig. 58, E. dexteruncus, dorsal view; Fig. 59, E. eccentricus, dorsal view; Fig. 60, E. extrinsecus, ventral view; Fig. 61, E. falcatus, dorsal view; Fig. 62, E. furcillatus, dorsal view; Fig. 63, E. latus, dorsal view; Fig. 64, E. levilobus, ventral view; Fig. 65, E. malotiensis, dorsal view; Fig. 66, E. matarei, ventral view; Fig. 67, E. minutulus, dorsal view; Fig. 68, E. oriens, dorsal view; Fig. 69, E. recavus, dorsal view; Fig. 70, E. saltus (Naudé), dorsal view; Fig. 71, E. semialatus, with paired process, ventral view; Fig. 72, E. semialatus, single process, ventral view; Fig. 73, E. theroni, dorsal view; Fig. 74, E. tortuosus, dorsal view; Fig. 75, E. tubulus, dorsal view; Fig. 76, E. unispinus, ventral view; Fig. 77, E. vulgaris, dorsal view.

FIGURES 78–104. Elginus species, male, aedeagus, lateral view. Fig. 78, E. acutus; Fig. 79, E. bispinus; Fig. 80, E. cavatus; Fig. 81, E. contradens; Fig. 82, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 83, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 84, E. denticulatus; Fig. 85, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 86, E. eccentricus; Fig. 87, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 88, E. falcatus; Fig. 89, E. furcillatus; Fig. 90, E. latus; Fig. 91, E. levilobus; Fig. 92, E. malotiensis; Fig. 93, E. matarei; Fig. 94, E. minutulus; Fig. 95, E. oriens; Fig. 96, E. recavus; Fig. 97, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 98, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 99, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 100, E. theroni; Fig. 101, E. tortuosus; Fig. 102, E. tubulus; Fig. 103, E. unispinus; Fig. 104, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 105–130. Elginus species, male, connective, Fig. 105, E. acutus; Fig. 106, E. bispinus; Fig. 107, E. cavatus; Fig. 108, E. contradens; Fig. 109, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 110, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 111, E. denticulatus; Fig. 112, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 113, E. eccentricus; Fig. 114, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 115, E. falcatus; Fig. 116, E. furcillatus; Fig. 117, E. latus; Fig. 118, E. levilobus; Fig. 119, E. malotiensis; Fig. 120, E. matarei; Fig. 121, E. minutulus; Fig. 122, E. oriens; Fig. 123, E. recavus; Fig. 124, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 125, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 126, E. theroni; Fig. 127, E. tortuosus; Fig. 128, E. tubulus; Fig. 129, E. unispinus; Fig. 130, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 131–156. Elginus species, male, plate, Fig. 131, E. acutus; Fig. 132, E. bispinus; Fig. 133, E. cavatus; Fig. 134, E. contradens; Fig. 135, E. cultellus; Fig. 136, E. denticulatus; Fig. 137, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 138, E. eccentricus; Fig. 139, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 140, E. falcatus; Fig. 141, E. furcillatus; Fig. 142, E. latus; Fig. 143, E. levilobus; Fig. 144, E. malotiensis; Fig. 145, E. matarei; Fig. 146, E. minutulus; Fig. 147, E. oriens; Fig. 148, E. recavus; Fig. 149, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 150, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 151, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 152, E. theroni; Fig. 153, E. tortuosus; Fig. 154, E. tubulus; Fig. 155, E. unispinus; Fig. 156, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 157–179. Elginus species, male, pygofer, dorsal view. Fig. 157, E. acutus; Fig. 158, E. cavatus; Fig. 159, E. contradens; Fig. 160, E. cultellus; Fig. 161, E. denticulatus; Fig. 162, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 163, E. eccentricus; Fig. 164, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 165, E. falcatus; Fig. 166, E. furcillatus; Fig. 167, E. latus; Fig. 168, E. levilobus; Fig. 169, malotiensis; Fig. 170, E. matarei; Fig. 171, E. minutulus; Fig. 172, E. oriens; Fig. 173, E. recavus; Fig. 174, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 175, E. theroni; Fig. 176, E. tortuosus; Fig. 177, E. tubulus; Fig. 178, E. unispinus; Fig. 179, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 180–205. Elginus species, male, pygofer, lateral view. Fig. 180, E. acutus; Fig. 181, E. bispinus; Fig. 182, E. cavatus; Fig. 183, E. contradens; Fig. 184, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 185, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 186, E. denticulatus; Fig. 187, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 188, E. eccentricus; Fig. 189, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 190, E. falcatus; Fig. 191, E. furcillatus; Fig. 192, E. latus; Fig. 193, E. levilobus; Fig. 194, E. malotiensis; Fig. 195, E. matarei; Fig. 196, E. minutulus; Fig. 197, E. oriens; Fig. 198, E. recavus; Fig. 199, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 200, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 201, E. theroni; Fig. 202, E. tortuosus; Fig. 203, E. tubulus; Fig. 204, E. unispinus; Fig. 205, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 206–232. Elginus species, male, style, Fig. 206, E. acutus; Fig. 207, E. bispinus; Fig. 208, E. cavatus; Fig. 209, E. contradens; Fig. 210, E. cultellus, curved aedeagus; Fig. 211, E. cultellus, straight aedeagus; Fig. 212, E. denticulatus; Fig. 213, E. dexteruncus; Fig. 214, E. eccentricus; Fig. 215, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 216, E. falcatus; Fig. 217, E. furcillatus; Fig. 218, E. latus; Fig. 219, E. levilobus; Fig. 220, E. malotiensis; Fig. 221, E. matarei; Fig. 222, E. minutulus; Fig. 223, E. oriens; Fig. 224, E. recavus; Fig. 225, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 226, E. semialatus, with paired process; Fig. 227, E. semialatus, single process; Fig. 228, E. theroni; Fig. 229, E. tortuosus; Fig. 230, E. tubulus; Fig. 231, E. unispinus; Fig. 232, E. vulgaris.

FIGURES 233–258. Elginus species, female, sternite VII. Fig. 233, E. bispinus; Fig. 234, E. cavatus; Fig. 235, E. contradens; Fig. 236, E. cultellus, associated males with curved aedeagus; Fig. 237, E. cultellus, associated males with straight aedeagus; Fig. 238, E. denticulatus; Fig. 239, E. dexteruncus variant; Fig. 240, E. dexteruncus variant; Fig. 241, E eccentricus; Fig. 242, E. extrinsecus; Fig. 243, E. falcatus; Fig. 244, E. furcillatus; Fig. 245, E. levilobus; Fig. 246, E. malotiensis; Fig. 247, E. matarei; Fig. 248, E. minutulus; Fig. 249, E. oriens; Fig. 250, E. oriens; Fig. 251, E. recavus; Fig. 252, E. saltus (Naudé); Fig. 253, E. semialatus; Fig. 254, E. theroni; Fig. 255, E. tortuosus; Fig. 256, E. tubulus; Fig. 257, E. unispinus; Fig. 258, E. vulgaris.