Pravistylus deltoplacus, Stiller, 2010

Stiller, M., 2010, Revision of the Southern African leafhopper genus Pravistylus (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae) 2468, Zootaxa 2468 (1), pp. 1-81 : 13-15

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2468.1.1
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10537693
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EFD356-FFD7-FFDC-6CFF-747F8817D1DC
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Pravistylus deltoplacus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Pravistylus deltoplacus View in CoL sp. n.

( Figs 1 e View FIGURE 1 ; 2 View FIGURE 2 aa; 3 c; 4 c; 5 n; 6 b; 7 g –i; 8 f & g)

Diagnosis. Plate uniformly triangular, apex narrowly rounded, sclerotized ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 aa). Aedeagal shaft depressed, in lateral view widely U-shaped; apex short; gonopore apical ( Figs 3 c View FIGURE 3 , 4 c View FIGURE 4 ). Female sternite 7 with wide, short ligula on posterior margin; notch rounded or irregular ( Figs 7 g –i View FIGURE 7 ).

Etymology. Greek, compound word for triangle (delta) and plate (plakos), for the triangular shape of the plate.

Male and female. Ochraceous, without any significant dorsal markings (male, Figs 8 f & g View FIGURE 8 ). Clypeus with numerous horizontal arcs. Most specimens brachypterous, with about 10% macropterous (118 specimens examined). Hind wing reduced, about half as long as tegmina; normal in macropterous specimens.

Male. Dimensions. (n = 61) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 1.9–2.5 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.3–2.6 mm; vertex medially 0.4 mm; vertex next to eye 0.2–0.3 mm; pronotum medially 0.3 mm. Width: head 0.7–0.8 mm; pronotum 0.7 mm. Ocellar diameter 14.9–27.8 µm; ocellocular distance 42.3–58.1 µm.

Genital capsule. Pygofer, in lateral view, with posterior dorsal apex produced; ventral posterior margin with small triangular lip ( Fig. 1 e View FIGURE 1 ). Pygofer lobe apex broadly rounded; base about as wide as pygofer ( Fig. 1 e View FIGURE 1 ). Plate acutely triangular; median margin straight, lateral margin straight or slightly concave; uniseriate row of macrosetae laterally; plate membranously fused with valve ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 aa); plate 1.4–1.6 times as long as wide. Aedeagal shaft arising ventrally from atrium, flattened dorsoventrally; in lateral view widely C-shaped; gonopore subapical, dorsal ( Figs 3 c View FIGURE 3 , 4 c View FIGURE 4 ). Style distal part far from base; apophysis acute, 3–4 teeth; preapical lobe right-angled; anterior medial arm short ( Fig. 5 n View FIGURE 5 ). Connective in lateral view straight; in dorsal view with stem expanded apically, about one third length of arms ( Fig. 6 b View FIGURE 6 ).

Female. Dimensions. (n = 47) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.1–2.5 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.6–3.0 mm; vertex medially 0.4 mm; vertex next to eye 0.3 mm; pronotum medially 0.3 mm. Width: head 0.8–0.9 mm; pronotum 0.7–0.8 mm. Ocellar diameter 13.7–24.5 µm; ocellocular distance 44.4–60.7 µm.

Genitalia. Sternite 7 posteriorly with median notch flanked by rounded lobes (notch rounded as in Fig. 7 h View FIGURE 7 , notch stepped as in Figs 7 g & i View FIGURE 7 ).

Material examined. Holotype male. South Africa, Western Cape. Wemmershoek Dam, N Franschhoek, 33°51ʹS, 19°03ʹE, 201 m, 14.xii.2004, DVac ( SANC). Paratypes. 135♂, 86♀, 8 nymphs. Eastern Cape. 1♂, Misgund, 33°45ʹS, 23°30ʹE, 20.i.1982, J.G. Theron, sweeping, Elytropappus rhinocerotis (Asteraceae) ; 2♂, Devil’s Bellows Neck, 32°25ʹS, 26°40ʹE, 1646 m, 19.iv.2006, DVac; 1♂, Joubert Pass, Lady Grey, 30°43ʹS, 27°15ʹE, 1920 m, 19.iv.2006; 3♂, 2 nymphs, Naude’s Neck, Rhodes, 30°46ʹS, 28°06ʹE, 2593 m, 27.iv.2006, DVac. Free State. 1♀, Platberg, E near masts, 28°15ʹS, 29°12ʹE, 2362 m, 11.i.2006. KwaZulu-Natal. 6♂, 14♀, 3 nymphs, Tugela River, summit of Drakensberg, 28°45ʹS, 28°53ʹE, 2980 m, 5.i.2007, sweeping; 2♂, Elands River, valley on summit of Drakensberg, 28°45ʹS, 28°48ʹE, 3040 m, 7.iv.2007, sweeping; all M. Stiller. Western Cape. 1♂, Slagboom, 33°14ʹS, 19°17ʹE, 29.xii.1967, sweeping; 1♂, Jonkershoek, 33°56ʹS, 18°52ʹE, 28.xi.1968, sweeping; 5♂, 1♀, Paradyskloof, Stellenbosch, 33°57ʹS, 18°51ʹE, 6.xi.1969; 5♂, Slagboom, 33°14ʹS, 19°17ʹE, 13.xii.1969; 3♂, 1♀, Table Mountain, 33°28ʹS, 18°22ʹE, 23.xii.1969; 1♂, 1♀, Chapman’s Peak, Drive Hout Bay, 34°04ʹS, 18°21ʹE, 28.ix.1970, M.C. Walters; 1♂, Rawsonville, 33°41ʹS, 19°19ʹE, 16.i.1971; 2♂, 3♀, Chapman’s Peak Drive, Houtbaai, 34°04ʹS, 18°21ʹE, 19.ii.1971; 10♂, Jonkershoek, 33°56ʹS, 18°52ʹE, 23.xi.1971; 6♂, 5♀, Ceres, 33°22ʹS, 19°18ʹE, 25.xi.1971; 1♂, Pearly Beach, 34°39ʹS, 19°30ʹE, 50 m, 15.xii.1971; 1♀, between Koelenhof and Klapmuts, 33°53ʹS, 18°48ʹE, 15.xi.1974; 5♂, 3♀, Viljoen’s Pass, 34°05ʹS, 19°04ʹE, 5.xii.1974; 1♂, 3♀, Kraaifontein, 33°51ʹS, 18°44ʹE, 3.xii.1975; 1♂, Rondebosch Common, 33°57ʹS, 18°29ʹE, 15.xi.1976; 1♂, 2♀, Clanwilliam, Cedarberg, 32°30ʹS, 19°15ʹE, 21.xii.1976; 1♂, 1♀, Clanwilliam, Cedarberg, 32°30ʹS, 19°15ʹE, 14.x.1977; 1♀, Cape Point, 34°20ʹS, 18°29ʹE, 4.iii.1978; 4♂, 4♀, Betty’s Bay, 34°22ʹS, 18°56ʹE, 30.xi.1979; 2♀, Cape Point, 34°20ʹS, 18°29ʹE, 3.v.1985; all other J.G. Theron; 1♂, Sweetwater Resort, Kommetjie, 34°10ʹS, 18°20ʹE, 20 m, 8.xii.2004; 18♂, 9♀, Silvermine Nature Reserve, Noordhoek, 34°04ʹS, 18°24ʹE, 438 m, 9.xii.2004, DVac; 1♂, 4♀, Arniston, 34°39ʹS, 20°13ʹE, 40 m, 11.xii.2004, DVac, grass in depression, Ehrharta calycina var. calycina (Poaceae) common; 9♂, 5♀, 3 nymphs, Bainskloof Pass, W Breerivier Station, 33°32ʹS, 19°10ʹE, 261 m, 13.xii.2004, DVac, Eragrostis curvula , Cynodon dactylon , Pentaschistis pallida (Poaceae) ; 17♂, 4♀, Gevonden Farm, E Rawsonville, 33°42ʹS, 19°14ʹE, 296 m, 13.xii.2004, sweeping, Ehrharta ramosa , Pentaschistis pallida regrowth after fire; 1♂, Mitchell’s Pass, S Ceres , 33°25ʹS, 19°17ʹE, 342 m, 13.xii.2004; 12♂, 10♀, same data as holotype; 12♂, 11♀, Theewaterskloof Dam, between Franschhoek and Villiersdorp, 33°57ʹS, 19°10ʹE, 341 m, 19.xii.2004, DVac; all M. Stiller ( BMNH, INHS, SANC).

Remarks. The plate of this species ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 aa) and that of P. mollidiscus sp. n. ( Fig. 2 z View FIGURE 2 ) are uniformly triangular and with similar dimensions. However, in P. mollidiscus the apex of the plate is expanded and membranous and the aedeagus of P. mollidiscus is C-shaped ( Fig. 3 g View FIGURE 3 ), with a tubular shaft that is directed posteriorly. The aedeagus of P. deltoplacus has a much narrower and longer shaft ( Figs 3 c View FIGURE 3 , 4 c View FIGURE 4 ). These two species are sympatric in the Eastern Cape Province. Pravistylus deltoplacus has a much wider distribution, from the western parts of the Western Cape Province ( Fig. 8 f View FIGURE 8 , specimen recorded from Silvermine) to high altitude grasslands in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Province ( Fig. 8 g View FIGURE 8 , specimen from Tugela River source). Females from the Western Cape ( Fig. 7 h View FIGURE 7 , Clanwilliam specimen; Fig. 7 g View FIGURE 7 , Betty’s Bay specimen) and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces ( Fig. 7 i View FIGURE 7 , Tugela River specimen) do not depict significant differences.

Pravistylus deltoplacus also resembles Elginus theroni ( Stiller 2009b) in colouration, internal and external morphology and distribution. Elginus and Pravistylus species are separated by the symmetry of the shaft, that in the former is asymmetrical, and in the latter is symmetrical. In E. theroni the aedeagus is variably asymmetrical, evident in the placement of the gonopore subapically and laterally on the shaft. Additional differences between P. deltoplacus and E. theroni are in a number of features tabulated below ( Table 1).