Stenopsoides newi Semeraro, 2021

Semeraro, Linda, Fletcher, Murray J., Malipatil, Mallik B., Constant, Jerome & New, Timothy R., 2021, Revision of a unique Australian leafhopper genus Stenopsoides Evans (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Idiocerinae: Macropsini), Zootaxa 4999 (2), pp. 117-131 : 122-124

Stenopsoides newi Semeraro sp. nov.

( Figs 1A,E,I , 3A–E , 6 )

Description. Body length ♀ 6.5–7.4 mm (n=3). General colour yellow, unicolorous. Face generally yellow except for reddish brown fine pitting particularly around vertex, anteclypeus and lorum orange or vermilion. Pronotal tubular extension yellow with brown coarse pitting amalgamated dorsomedially so tubular projection may appear to have a diffuse brownish stripe dorsally; calli smooth yellow (distinct), mesonotum and scutellum smooth, yellow. Tegmen mostly transparent with a hint of yellow; base of tegmen along costal margin vermillion; veins yellow. Fore and midfemur mostly orange or brown and hindfemur brown at apex, basal 1/4 of tibia brown.

Head. ( Figs 1A,E , 3A,C,D ) Distance between coronal pits slightly greater than inter-ocellar distance; distance between ocelli around 1.8–1.9 times distance of ocellus to eye (or subequal to slightly closer to midline of face than to eye); frontoclypeus either slightly wider than or equal/ subequal to length, width around 0.5–0.7 times width of face between eyes; lorum either equal in width to length or slightly narrower than long; maxillary plate narrowly visible posterior to lorum; anteclypeus strongly flexed mesad, slightly constricted preapically and expanded at apex, apical margin truncate but slightly sinuate medially.

Thorax. ( Figs 1A,I , 3A,B,C ) Pronotal extension conical and directed dorso-anteriad, tapered gradually towards apex and rounded; pronotum rugose with some brown pitting, striae not distinctly visible; raised median ridge along apical 1/8 of pronotum dorsally and full-length ventrally. Mesonotum + scutellum without distinct pitting or if present only very fine and concolorous; width across base 1.2–1.3 times mesonotum + scutellum length. Tegmen length 3.2 times its width. Legs metafemur with apical setal formula 2+1+1 or 2+1+0 with preapical setae fine; metatibia with 7–8 macrosetae on anterodorsal margin; 3–4 fine setae on anterior face of metatibia.

Abdomen. ( Fig. 3E ) Female seventh sternite (7S) shape as in generic description, width around 2.7 times maximum height. Ovipositor apex not protruding, level with apex of pygofer in ventral view (n=1).

Etymology. This species is named as tribute to Emeritus Professor Tim New who was Linda Semeraro’s principal supervisor on her thesis project on macropsine leafhoppers.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♀, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia, Karratha , 14 Sep 1985, R.P. McMillan ( WAM, Reg no. 28360) . PARATYPES 1♀ AUSTRALIA: Western Australia, Karijini National Park , 17 km W of Ranger Station, 20 April 2003, T. Weir, 22°33’47”S 118°15’30”E ( ANIC) ; 1♀, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia, Pilbara region, 52 km W of Mt Bruce on Mt Bruce - Hammersley Rd; 14 km past Wittenoom Gorge toff.; 11 Jun 2004, M. Bulbert & S. Lassau: 22°33’21”S 117°57’35”E, PILB023SW ( AMSA)

For the specimen from Karratha the following coordinates: 20°44’06”S 116°50’53”E were extrapolated from the data on the label and used in the distribution map.

Distribution. Western Australia ( Fig. 6 ).

Host. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis. Stenopsoides newi Semeraro sp. nov. may be recognised from other species in this genus by a combination of characters. It has a larger body size than either S. punctatus Semeraro sp. nov. and S. truncatus Semeraro sp. nov. but overlaps in size with S. turneri .

It is mostly yellow with some orange on the face, legs and base of tegmen; the scutellum is bright yellow, contrasting with the pronotum and tegmen. The extended pronotum bears a single diffuse brown stripe dorsally, ( S. turneri has lateral stripes on either side of the pronotal extension and S. punctatus Semeraro sp. nov. and S. truncatus Semeraro sp. nov., have no brown stripes). Similar to S. punctatus Semeraro sp. nov., the extended pronotum in lateral view is directed dorsoanteriad and is conical, tapering to a rounded apex (differs to S. turneri which is slightly flattened and broadened at apex and from S. truncatus Semeraro sp. nov. which is truncate at apex when viewed dorsally).

There is some brown banding on apex of hind femur and base of hind tibia which is contrasted against the rest of the yellow leg (other species have entirely yellow legs, or only some orange markings). The coronal pits are slightly further apart than the inter-ocellar distance (in other species they are about the same distance from each other). Similar to S. truncatus Semeraro sp. nov., there are no brown spots on the tegmen ( S. punctatus Semeraro sp. nov. has spots evenly over the tegmen and S. turneri has spots in costal cell only).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Key features, A–D. lateral habitus, E–H. face, I–L dorsal head, pronotum and scutellum; A, E, I. Stenopsoides newi Semeraro sp. nov.; B, F, J. Stenopsoides punctatus Semeraro sp. nov.; C, G, K. Stenopsoides truncatus Semeraro sp. nov.; D, H, L. Stenopsoides turneri Evans.

FIGURE 3. Stenopsoides newi Semeraro sp. nov., A. lateral habitus, B. dorsal habitus, C. ventral head (face) and pronotum, D. face, ventral view, E. female seventh abdominal sternite (7S), pygofer and ovipositor, in ventral view.

FIGURE 6. Distribution map of Stenopsoides in Australia based on reference collection specimens.