Scaralina monzoni Goemans

Yanega, Douglas, Goemans, Geert, Dam, Matthew Van, Gómez-Marco, Francesc & Hoddle, Mark, 2024, Description of a new genus of North and Central American planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) with fourteen new species, Zootaxa 5443 (1), pp. 1-53 : 36-38

Scaralina monzoni Goemans & Yanega, sp. nov.

( Figs 21 , 35 , 50 , 65 , 78 , 87 )

Etymology. This species is named to honor José Monzón, an excellent biologist, collector, and guide to those visiting Guatemala, including the senior authors.

Diagnosis. The pattern of forewing coloration, extensively black basally with highly contrasting venation, sharply demarcated, and with irregular distal infuscation, immediately distinguishes this species. This species has atypical features that, taken together, make it more like a Scaralis than any other Scaralina species; the large supra-anal plate; the sharp demarcation of the basal pigmented region in the forewings; the blue and black hindwing base, and the infumation of the hindwing anal region; the tip of the main rostral segment extending only slightly past the metacoxae, are all similar to Scaralis species. The 2nd antennal segment, however, is globose (albeit somewhat larger in diameter than in other species); the versteifung is large and weakly angulate; the fore- and midlegs are fully banded; the male gonostyli have an extremely well-developed basal hook, and a distinct incurved dorsal portion near the setose bulge. The degree to which the dark pigmentation of the forewings extends, and the degree of opacity, is somewhat variable over the range of the species; some specimens have dark basal pigmentation more greenish than black, or extending over a slightly smaller area. Even more variable is the dorsum of the mesoscutum, which ranges from broadly pale medially, to irregularly darkened, to having sharply-delimited medial longitudinal stripes. Despite this variation, the structural similarities are strong enough that we see no reason to divide the taxon into regional subspecies.

Description. Head ( Figs 35 , 50 ). Rim of vertex mostly pale; lateral black marks on anterior and posterior rims; dark spots of vertex posterior in position, almost joining large black lateral bands. Frons broadly pale olivaceous along upper margin, dark olivaceous below this (pale markings at corner of frontal crease near ocellus poorly-defined), lacking tiny dark spots; converging ridges varying from faint to absent, and surface finely rugose. Lateral margin of frons concave, lower lobes of frons expanded. Clypeus usually extensively pale, with strong dark markings surrounding yellowish center, these dark markings occasionally more extensive (more southern material); about 1.5 times as long as broad. Rostrum with tip of the main rostral segment extending only slightly past the metacoxae.

Thorax ( Fig. 50 ). Pronotum (and mesonotum) ground color olivaceous, dark markings rarely black; post-ocular pronotal spots very small, as are anterior pronotal spots; midline of dorsal pronotal face pale but little contrasting, with small darkened anteromedian spots. Mesonotum center paler posteriorly, black markings unusually restricted in extent in most specimens, represented by only the posterior spots and two lateral patches, with only irregular darkening in the middle of the disc (in the two specimens from Nicaragua and Panama, however, there are two sharply-defined black vittae along the midline); medial carina well-developed; lateral carinae not contrasting, slightly sinuate anteriorly and posteriorly; posterior mesonotal lobe rounded. Dorsal setae moderately long, denser and darker than in other species. Legs not quite typical for genus; the procoxal faces are extensively dark, the third tarsomeres of the pro- and mesotarsi are black, but brownish on the metatarsi; basal two metatarsomeres somewhat darkened, including ventrally; the banding of the metafemur tends to be brownish and rather weakly contrasting, unlike any other species.

Wings ( Figs 21 , 65 ). Forewings with dark markings on basal half of 1 st claval vein distinctly interrupted; dark transverse patch filling basal portion of wing, to the level of the claval vein juncture, pale basal markings limited to a few very small translucent spots rather than a defined translucent area as in most other species; veins and crossveins highly contrasting, mostly pale greenish, imparting a general greenish cast to the wing base; postcostal cell extensively black, with a few tiny pale spots and at least 3 distinct, wide pale greenish bands; remainder of wing mostly clear, with some weak but distinct, irregular, dark greenish spotting. Costal crossveins numerous, closely-spaced, highly contrasting, mostly straight or slightly arcuate but oblique, well-defined basally; M with 4 main branches, crossveins between them mostly straight, well-spaced, making square to rectangular cells; at first branch of M, M is equidistant from CuA and Sc; CuA with 3–4 branches, rarely more than 1 of these coming directly off of CuA, and the first branch typically precedes the claval vein juncture; greatest distance between Pcu and A 1 veins greatly exceeds greatest distance between A 1 and wing margin; fused vein posterior to juncture relatively short. Hindwings hyaline with black veins except base, which is very pale powdery blue with blackish infumation, and anal region very faintly infumated with fine gray veins.

Abdomen ( Fig. 21 ) Dorsum almost solid black, tergites with very narrow greenish rim, and some red/orange spotting on posterior tergites near lateral depressions of terga 4–6. Ventral pleurites dark but grading into orange, especially posteriorly, and sternites dark basally but extensively orange otherwise. Female supra-anal plate relatively long, completely covering anal tube. Anal tube mostly black.

Male terminalia ( Figs 78 , 87 ). Dorsal incurved portion of gonostyle with apical portion narrowed, scarcely concealing apex of aedeagal apparatus. Basal hook of gonostyle relatively large, strongly curved and evenly tapered to very acute point, basal flap modified into a swollen protrusion bearing the hook; setose bulge with setae short and relatively sparse; apical half of gonostyle black, base pale.

Type material. Holotype, male: GUATEMALA: San Marcos: km 1.2 Bojonal Road , 14°56’N, 91°52’W, 1600m, 13–14.vii.2001, D.C. Hawks, D. Yanega , 1M ( UCRC ENT 66867 , at UCRC).

Paratypes (13 specimens) as follows: COSTA RICA: Puntarenas: “ Send. El Ripario a 3 Km NE. de progreso. 1300m,” LS 319000, 597000, #47421, 2–4, vii.1997, E. Navarro, 1M ( CRI002567715 , INBIO) ; GUATEMALA: Baja Verapaz: Pantín Rd. 9 km N Salamá, 1600m, 5.vi.1993, A. Howden, 1M ( ASULOB) ; San Marcos: Bojonal Rd. km 2.2, 1585m, 14°56’58”N, 91°52’47”W, 24.vii.2017, D.C. Hawks, 1M ( UCRC ENT 524566 ) ; Suchitepéquez: Refugio del Quetzal, University del Valle , 1575m, 14°32’53”N 91°11’36”W, 20–21.v.2016, D. Yanega , 1F, 1M ( UCRC ENT 479950 & 479951) ; same data except 15.viii.2018, J. Monzón, D. Hawks, 1F ( UCRC ENT 516381 ) ; Zacapa: Sierra de las Minas, Cerro del Mono , “cloud forest 8 rd. km N of San Lorenzo marble mill,” 2150m, 7.vi.1993, MV & UV light, W.B. Warner, 1M ( ASULOB) ; MEXICO: Chiapas: “from swifts WCS-1985-32, HO-31,” 3.vi–13.vii.1985, D.F. Whitacre, 1M ( ASULOB) ; El Chorreadero , 22.vii.1978, “CRB,” 1M ( UNAM) ; Sinaloa: 2 mi SW Potrerillos (nr. El Brillante), “bl.”, 12.viii.1986, 4200 ft, Brown & Powell, 1F ( EMEC) ; Veracruz: Ixhuatlán del Café , 1355m, 19°3’3”N, 96°59’3”W, 6.viii.1985, Taylor & Sullivan, 1M ( UCRC 54823 ) ; NICARAGUA: Matagalpa: Montaña Selva Negra, 7.5 km N Matagalpa , 1300m, 13°00’1”N, 85°54’32”W, 15–16.vi.2001, B. Ratcliffe, M.L. Jameson, R. Cave, 1M ( UNSM) ; PANAMA: Chiriquí: Finca Hartmann , 18–20.v.1996, Wappes, Huether & Morris, 1M ( ASULOB)

Distribution. From Guatemala to Panama, at elevations above 1250 meters.

Figures

FIGURES 21–26. Habitus photos of Scaralina species. (21) S. monzoni (female); (22) S. obfusca (type male); (23) S. obrienae (male); (24) S. orientalis (male); (25) S. rileyi (male); (26) S. sullivani (female).

FIGURES 27–35. Faces of Scaralina species. (27) S. aethrinsula; (28) S. chapina; (29) S. cristata; (30) S. durango; (31) S. gigantea; (32) S. hawksi; (33) S. marmorata; (34) S. metcalfi; (35) S. monzoni.

FIGURES 42–50. Heads and nota of Scaralina species. (42) S. aethrinsula; (43) S. chapina; (44) S. cristata; (45) S. durango; (46) S. gigantea; (47) S. hawksi; (48) S. marmorata; (49) S. metcalfi; (50) S. monzoni.

FIGURES 63–68. Forewings of Scaralina species. (63) S. marmorata; (64) S. metcalfi; (65) S. monzoni; (66) S. obfusca (male); (67) S. obrienae; (68) S. orientalis.

FIGURES 73–81. Male genitalia of Scaralina species, dorsal view, anal tube removed. (73) S. aethrinsula; (74) S. chapina; (75) S. cristata; (76) S. marmorata; (77) S. metcalfi; (78) S. monzoni; (79) S. obrienae; (80) S. orientalis; (81) S. rileyi. NOTE: obfusca, sullivani not included.

FIGURES 82–90. Male genitalia of Scaralina species, lateral view. (82) S. aethrinsula; (83) S. chapina; (84) S. cristata; (85) S. marmorata; (86) S. metcalfi; (87) S. monzoni; (88) S. obrienae; (89) S. orientalis; (90) S. rileyi.