Desudaboides nigrifrons, Constant, Jerome, 2010

Constant, Jerome, 2010, Review of the Australian genus Desudaboides Musgrave with descriptions of four new species (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoridae), Zootaxa 2351, pp. 39-48 : 45-46

Desudaboides nigrifrons n. sp.

Figs. 1 E–F , 6 .

Etymology. nigrifrons : from niger (adj., Latin) = black and frons (Latin) = frons. The name refers to the colour of the frons.

Material examined. Holotype 3: [Kuranda, N. Qld, Speewah, Ganyan Dr., 20.x.2003, P. Erbe. m. v. lamp ] [ ASCT HE029967] ( ASCU) coordinates of Kuranda: 16°49'S 145°39'E.

Diagnosis. The species is immediately recognized by the following combination of characters: (1) frons with large black marking on disc, (2) hind wings without red or orange, (3) abdominal tergites black, (4) size less than 24 mm.

Description. LT: 3 (n = 1): 17.6 mm.

Head: pale rosy-yellow; vertex with 2 black spots along posterior margin and 3 black spots on anterior carina, slightly extending on frons ( Figs. 1 E–F ); vertex constricted in middle ( Fig. 1 E ); disc of frons with large black patch irregularly extending to sides of frons; clypeus with black patches on margins and 3 pairs of brown spots along median line ( Fig. 1 F ); labium brown apically, surpassing hind coxae; carinae of frons well marked ( Fig. 1 F ); pedicel large, reniform; ratio BV/LV = 8.1; BF/LF = 1.4.

Thorax: pale rosy-yellow; pronotum with 2 small black spots behind vertex and small black spot behind eyes; disc with 2 pairs of irregular black markings; 3 small black spots along hind margin; mesonotum with 6 black spots along pronotum margin, sometimes confluent; disc with angulous black marking on each side, anteriorly joining median black spots; median carina black; scutellum with basal black spot at each side and larger black spot in middle; metanotum black with transverse pale yellow marking ( Fig. 1 E ); lateral thoracic pleura irregularly marked with black; ratio LP+LM/BT = 0.9; LM/LP = 2.0.

Tegmina: basal half variegated brown, with base and clavus rosy; rosy areas with black-brown spots; apical half hyaline with irregular dark brown marks and irregular, broad, ante-apical, oblique, brown line; veins rosy-brown to brown (fig. 1 E); ratio LTg/BTg = 3.0.

Hind wings: basal half black with elongate white markings between veins A1 and A2, between veins M and SCu, and along vein Sc; apical half hyaline; veins black, Sc white near base ( Fig. 1 E ).

Legs: pale yellow strongly marked with irregular black patches; tibiae I and II with 3 rings and tarsi black; hind tibiae with 4 lateral and 7 apical spines; spines black apically ( Fig. 1 E ).

Abdomen: tergites black ( Fig. 1 E ); sternites yellow-brown with hind margin paler.

Genitalia 3: see Figs. 4 A–C .

Biology. The only known specimen has been caught at light trap.

Distribution ( Fig. 6 ). NE Queensland.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Distribution map of Desudaboides melindae and D. nigrifrons in Australia.

FIGURES 1 A – J. Desudaboides: habitus in dorsal view and frons in normal view. A – B, D. fletcheri. C – D, D. melindae. E – F, D. nigrifrons. G – H, D. rentzi. I – J, D. fuscomaculata.

FIGURES 4 A – C. Desudaboides nigrifrons, genitalia 3. A, pygofer, anal tube and gonostyle, lateral view. B, anal tube, dorsal view. C, pygofer and gonostyli, postero-ventral view. An: anal tube; G: gonostyli; Py: pygofer. Scale 1 mm.