Tichocoelidia vanessae, Gonçalves & Barbosa, 2021

Gonçalves, Clayton Corrêa & Barbosa, Julianna Freires, 2021, Two new Peruvian species of Tichocoelidia Kramer (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Neocoelidiinae) with a key to males, Zootaxa 5039 (3), pp. 417-424 : 419-423

Tichocoelidia vanessae sp. nov.

( Figs 11–20 , 23–24 )

Diagnosis. Crown ( Fig. 23 ) with anterior margin bluntly angulate. Pygofer ( Fig. 13 ) with inner dorsal processes long and acute, exceeding apex of pygofer. Subgenital plates, in lateral view ( Fig. 14 ) strongly narrowed in apical third; in ventral view ( Fig. 15 ), lateral margins converging apically in basal half and approximately parallel in the apical half, narrowed in apical half. Aedeagus ( Figs 18–19 ) with shaft asymmetrical and strongly flattened dorsoventrally, gonoduct distinct only in apical third of the shaft. Anal tube ( Figs 13, 20 ) with long processes directed ventrally and surpassing ventral margin of pygofer, apices divergent, slightly expanded and outer margin serrated.

Measurements (mm). Male holotype: total length 8.2. Paratype (male), 7.5 (n=1).

Coloration. Body yellow ( Figs 23–24 ). Crown yellow, with orange stripes. Face ( Fig. 11 ) yellow with antennal ledges and frontogenal suture orange, frons with median longitudinal orange stripe, extending from black macula at apex of front to the epistomal suture. Pronotum ( Fig. 23 ) with two orange longitudinal stripes extending from the posterior to anterior margin, converging and merging anteriorly. Mesonotum ( Fig. 23 ) with basal angles and a median longitudinal stripe orange. Forewing ( Fig. 12 ) yellow semi-hyaline; anal margin and apical portion smoky. Legs ( Fig. 24 ) yellow.

External morphology. Crown ( Fig. 24 ) subpentagonal, with acute anterior margin. Other characteristics as in description of the genus.

Male terminalia. Pygofer, in lateral view ( Fig. 13 ), subtriangular, high at base and progressively narrowing towards the apex, approximately 2.2 times longer than high; macrosetae present on apical half; ventral tooth on basal third, apex acute; inner dorsal processes long and narrow, exceeding apex of pygofer, curved dorsally on apical third, apex acute. Subgenital plates, in lateral view ( Fig. 14 ) strongly narrowed, and slightly curved dorsally in apical third; in ventral view ( Fig. 15 ), apical half narrowed, lateral margins converging apically to mid-length and nearly parallel in apical half; microsetae present along outer margin of apical third extending onto the apex. Connective ( Fig. 16 ) approximately two-thirds as long as style. Style ( Figs 16–17 ) with base of apodeme bilobed, dorsal lobe rounded, ventral lobe acute and slightly larger than dorsal lobe; apical hook strongly developed. Aedeagus ( Figs 18–19 ) with shaft asymmetrical and strongly flattened dorsoventrally; apex slightly twisted, not expanded; gonoduct distinct only in apical third of shaft. Anal tube ( Figs 13, 20 ) with long processes, directed ventrally and surpassing ventral margin of pygofer; apices divergent and slightly expanded with outer margin serrated.

Female terminalia. Female unknown.

Material examined. Holotype male: “ Peru, Cusco, Quincemil, dirt\ road to Puerta y Quitari \ 13°13’23”S 70°45’37”W, 750m \ 24.viii.2012, light\ APM Santos & DM Takiya” ( MUSM) . Paratype: 1m: “ Peru, Cusco, 26 rd Km W, Quincemil, Rio Araza \ 13°21’18”S 70°53’22”, 985m \ 26.viii.2012, mud-puddling\ APM Santos & DM Takiya” “DZRJ-AUCH\ 0237” ( DZRJ) .

Etymology. The species name is a tribute to Vanessa Cristina Laranjeira da Silva , a undergraduate student who started her studies on Neotropical leafhoppers advised by the first author of this paper.

Remarks. Tichocoelidia vanessae sp. nov. it is easily differentiated from other species of the genus by the shape and length of the inner dorsal processes of the pygofer ( Fig.13 ) and by processes of the anal tube ( Figs 13, 20 ).

Figures

FIGURES 11–20. Tichocoelidia vanessae sp. nov., holotype male: 11, head, frontal view; 12, forewing; 13, pygofer and anal tube, lateral view; 14, valve and subgenital plates, lateral view; 15, valve and subgenital plates, ventral view; 16, connective and style, dorsal view; 17, style, lateral view; 18, aedeagus, lateral view; 19, aedeagus, caudal view; 20 processes of anal tube, caudal view.

FIGURES 21–28. Habitus, dorsal and lateral views, respectively. 21 and 22, Tichocoelidia marceloi sp. nov., holotype male. 23 and 24, T. vanessae sp. nov., holotype male. 25 and 26, T. clarkei Kramer, 1962, holotype male (USNM). 27 and 28, T. grandis Chiamolera & Cavichioli, 2003, holotype male (INPA).