Aka kuraka, Löcker, Birgit, 2015

Löcker, Birgit, 2015, Revision of the Australian species of Aka White, 1879 (Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae) with the description of a new genus, Zootaxa 3956 (2), pp. 199-223 : 214-215

Aka kuraka sp. nov.

( Figs 4 D–G, 7B,C, 13)

Zoobank Registration: http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1BD1C04B-C09B-4785-A647-002DDEED8777

Types. Holotype, ♂, AUSTRALIA, Tas: Balfour Track F.R., 41.08S, 144.57E, 80m, uvl, Nothofagus , 8.xi.1992 (P.B. McQuillan) (TAIC 145563). Paratypes, Tas: 1 ♂, 2km W Commonwealth Hill, via Rennison Bell, 40.49S, 145.24E, ex ethanol, 9.xii.1981 (I.D. Naumann) (ANIC).; 1 ♀, Corinna, UVL, 11.iv.1986 (L. Hill) (TAIC); 1 ♂, Waratah (Lea) (SAMA).

Etymology. The term „ kuraka “ means „duck“ in Nyungar, an Aboriginal language spoken in Western Australia ( Thieberger & McGregor 1994). Named after the shape of the genital style in lateral view which resembles the head of a duck.

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from all other Australian species of Aka by the angle formed by the caudal border of the vertex, which is rectangular to acute in A. kuraka , as opposed to broadly obtuse.

Colour. Vertex light brown, carinae paler, disc and other concave areas between apical and subapical carinae often dark brown; sometimes with a whitish spot where subapical carinae meet lateral borders of vertex. Face light to mid brown; carinae concolorous with face; frons with a whitish spot at each lateral end of frontoclypeal suture. Pro- and mesonotum brown with slightly paler carinae; lateral parts of pro- and mesonotum darker. Forewings light brown to whitish, with a few mid to dark brown marks; 3 or more darker bands on costa; usually with 2–3 darker marks in clavus; tubercles dark, in distinct contrast to cells; veins concolorous with cells, sometimes slightly darker; pterostigma whitish. Abdominal sternites mid to dark brown. Legs light to mid brown sometimes with a few darker marks.

Morphology. Body length: ♂ 5.3–5.4 mm; ♀ 5.7 mm.

Head: Vertex 0.9–1.0 x as wide as long; median carina of vertex covering about 1/3 of basal compartment of vertex. Frons 1.4 x longer than wide; maximum width more than 2x apical width, steadily broadening; position of maximum width distinctly dorsad of centre of frontoclypeal suture; median carina forked in basal (near frontoclypeal suture) fourth of frons. Median ocellus absent or present (indistinct). Anteclypeus with very indistinct median carina. Subapical segment of rostrum 2.0 x longer than apical segment.

Thorax: Mesonotum with or without indistinct sublateral carinae. Forewing 3.2–3.5 x longer than wide; costal margin with 13–18 distinct tubercles; tubercles aligned alongside veins, but reaching to some extent into cell area; tubercles dark, underlaid by a larger dark circle, therefore appearing large and distinctly in contrast to cells; tubercles not bearing setae; Sc+R fused, M emerging separately from basal cell; fork of ScRA+ RP distinctly basad of fork CuA1+CuA2; distance tegula to ScR+M fork distinctly (about ½ to ¾) shorter than distance between this fork and ScRA+ RP fork; position of r-m distinctly to moderately basad of fork MA+MP; fork MA+MP situated between apical 1/8 and 1/3 of forewing; icu at same level or slightly distad of apex of clavus; RP apically bifid; MA bifid; MP bifid; nodus of y-vein distinctly distad of centre of clavus; y-vein with A1 slightly elevated; 6–9 apical cells. Hind leg: 1st tarsomere with 6 apical teeth; 2nd tarsomere with 6 apical teeth and 3 fine setae.

Male genitalia: Anal tube ( Figs 13 C,D) apically slightly indented, forming two rounded lobes. Pygofer as in Fig. 13 E. Genital styles apically rounded, laterally produced resembling the beak of a duck as in Figs 13 F,G. Aedeagus ( Figs 13 A,B): Phallotheca left laterally with a strongly curved spine (a); ventrally with a thick, long spine (b); right laterally with a short, straight spine (c). Base of phallotheca ventrally with 2 small sclerotised teeth. Flagellum unarmed, near base laterally extended.

Remarks. Aka kuraka and A. issidopsis share the same lateral extension near the base of the flagellum, however in A. issidopsis the flagellum is widened twice as much as in A. kuraka .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Aka issidopsis: A habitus; B, C head. Aka kuraka: D, E head; F, G habitus. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 13. Aka kuraka: A aedeagus ventral; B aedeagus right lateral; C – D anal tube; E pygofer; F – G genital styles.