Opsius versicolor (Distant)

El-Sonbati, Saad A., Wilson, Michael R. & Dhafer, Hathal M. Al, 2020, The Tamarix feeding Leafhopper genus Opsius Fieber, 1866 (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae, Opsiini) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with description of a new species, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 67 (1), pp. 1-12 : 1

Opsius versicolor (Distant) Figs 13-18 , 32-34 , 47-49 , 65-69

Cestius versicolor Distant 1908: 310

Opsius dissimilis Vilbaste 1961: 43

Hishimonus tamaricus Ishihara 1972: 84

Cestius sakroensis Ahmed and Sultana 1994: 126

Description.

In addition to generic characters, with the following characteristics.

Male genitalia. Pygofer slightly angled posteriorly (Fig. 65 ); subgenital plates with stout apex (Fig. 47 ); connective Y-shaped (Fig. 49 ); apodemes tiny, not exceeding the first segment; apodeme width three times as distance between each apodeme, posterior margin gradually tapering, concave at preapical margin (Fig. 66 ); aedeagus with only a dorsal process, both straight or slightly curved inward preapically but not bent, aedeagal shafts with diverging branches, ratio of distance between two shafts at mid-length to tip length 5/11, straight, shorter than basal process, two times as wide as basal process, basal process extending narrower to each other, pointed; phallobase not inflated (Figs 32 , 33 ).

Female genitalia. Female 7th sternite 2.5 times as broad at base as long medially, posterior margin with median lobe-like projection with V-shaped notch in middle, posterolateral angles conically rounded (Fig. 67 ); first valvula convex; second valvula gradually tapered apically with rather small and serrate tooth on dorsal surface (Figs 68 , 69 ).

Measurement.

♂ 3.3 mm; ♀, 3.7 mm; pygofer, 0.65 mm; valve, 0.31 mm; subgenital plate, 0.46 mm; style, 0.31 mm; connective, 0.26 mm; apodemes, 0.10 mm; aedeagus to process, 0.26 mm; aedeagus to shaft, 0.17 mm; distance at top of aedeagal shafts, 0.17 mm; distance at mid-length of aedeagal shafts, 0.08 mm; female 7th sternite, 0.80 mm.

Specimens examined.

10♀ 9♂, KSA: Jazan, Baish, Wadi Baish : 17°22.46'N, 042°32.24'E, Light trap, 30.I.2015, Mashry, H. & Iftekhar, R.; 1♀ 1♂ , same but AlAriydah, Jizan Dam: 17°02.62'N, 042°98.36'E, 187 m, Beating , 21.V.2012, Al Ansi, A.; 1♀ , same but Wadi Jizan: 17°01.28'N, 042°59.19'E, 158 m, Sucking, 16.III.2014, El-Sonbati, S.; 1♀ , same but Fifa, AlAbsia : 17°15.83'N, 043°06.49'E, 1770 m, 17.III.2014; 27♀ 118♂ , KSA: Asir, Wadi Qounonah : 19°24.67'N, 041°36.39'E, 348 m, Light trap, 11.III.2012, El-Sonbati, S. & Al Dhafer, H.; 1♀ , same but Wadi Al Talalea : 19°02.90'N, 041°58.17'E, 242 m, Sweep net, 1.V.2012, Al Dhafer, H., Abdeldayem, S., Al Ansi, A. & Al Othman, A.; 2♀ 3♂ , same but Wadi Namar : 24°34.04'N, 046°40.59'E, Sweep net, 29.II.2012, Al Ansi, A., Al Harbi, M. & Al Othman, A.; 1♂ , same but Wadi Targ : 19°37.39'N, 042°18.02'E, 1317 m, Light trap, 14.III.2012, Fad, H. & Setyaningrum, H.; 1♀ 1♂ , same but Wadi Tourabah : 20°14.37'N, 041°15.23'E, 1757 m, Light trap, 9.III.2012, Al Dhafer, H., Fadl, H., Abdel-Dayem, S., El Torky, A. & Al Ansi, A.; 2♀ 1♂ , same but Khamis Mushayt, Wadi Bisha : 18°20.02'N, 042°42.22'E, 1990 m, Sweep net, 27.IV.2011, Sharaf, M., Al Ansi, A. & Setyaningrum, H.; 2♀ 2♂ , same but Al-Hubail, Wadi Reem, 9.II.2016, Vacuum , 18°06.98'N, 042°13.94'E, 451 m, A. Ansi.; 22♀ 33♂ , KSA: Bahah, Shada, Wadi Neera : 19°44.87'N, 041°20.01'E, 471 m, Vacuum, 10.XII.2014, Al Dhafer, H., Fadl, H., Abdel-Dayem, S., El Torky, A.; 1♀ , KSA: Najran, Hubuna, Al Dhaiqah : 17°50.71'N, 044°15.83'E, 1228 m, Sweep net, 14.I.2013, AlAnsi, A., Rasool, I. & Khan, S.; 1♀ , KSA, Muzahimiyah, Al Khararah : 24°24.35'N, 046°14.67'E, Light trap, 17.IV.2012, Al Dhafer, H., Fadl, H., Abdel-Dayem, S., El Torky, A. & AlAnsi, A.; 1♀ , KSA, Riyadh, Al Ammariyah : 24°40.00'N, 043°40.00'E, Beating, 22.II.2012, Al Drayhim, Y., Al Dhafer, H., El-gharbawy, A. & El-Sonbati, S .; 2♀ 4♂, Oman: Samad Ashan, Aswareeg , 1-10.X.2017, 22°49.50'N, 058°09.12'E, A. Al-Jahdhami; 1♂ , same but, 9-10.VIII.2017; 1♀ 5♂, Muscat (Seeb), Botanic Garden , 5-8.XI.2017, Light trap, 23°33.59'N, 058°07.79'E, A. Al-Jahdhami .

Distribution.

European Russia ( Dlabola 1961), India, Indonesia ( Metcalf 1967), Pakistan ( Ahmed and Sultana 1994), Saudi Arabia ( Dlabola 1979); Oman (present study) (Figs 75 , 76 ).

Ecology and biology.

Opsius versicolor was the most common species collected during this study comprising approximately 50% of the total number of specimens examined. Relative abundances varied, with numbers peaking in March in Asir Province, peak abundance in January in Jazan Province, and in November in Baha Province, KSA (Figs 77-79 ).

Diagnosis.

Males of O. versicolor can be distinguished by tiny apodemes not exceeding the first segment, aedeagal shafts with diverging branches, and the basal process contiguous or coherent to each other. This species dimorphic, with the crown of males being slightly produced (Figs 13-16 ), and that of females parallel (Figs 17 , 18 ).

Figures

Figures 1 - 22. Habitus of Opsius spp. 1 - 4. O. heydeni (Lethierry), ♂, 1. dorsal view; 2. lateral view; 3. dorsal view of head and thorax; 4. face; 5 - 8. O. richteri Dlabola, ♂, 5. dorsal view; 6. lateral view; 7. dorsal view of head and thorax; 8. face; 9 - 12. O. scutellaris (Lethierry), ♂, 9. dorsal view; 10. lateral view; 11. dorsal view of head and thorax; 12. face; 13 - 18. O. versicolor (Distant), ♂, 13. dorsal view; 14. lateral view; 15. dorsal view of head and thorax; 16. face; 17. ♀, dorsal view; 18. ♀, dorsal view of head and thorax; 19 - 22. O. wilsoni sp. nov., ♂, 19. dorsal view; 20. lateral view; 21. dorsal view of head and thorax; 22. face.

Figures 23 - 37. Male genital structures of Opsius spp. 23 - 25. O. heydeni (Lethierry). 23. Aedeagus dorsal view; 24. Lateral view; 25. Style; 26 - 28. O. richteri Dlabola. 26. Aedeagus dorsal view, 27. Lateral view; 28. Style; 29 - 31. O. scutellaris (Lethierry). 29. Aedeagus dorsal view, 30. Lateral view; 31. Style; 32 - 34. O. versicolor (Distant). 32. Aedeagus dorsal view, 33. Lateral view; 34. Style; 35 - 37. O. wilsoni sp. nov. 35. Aedeagus dorsal view, 36. Lateral view; 37. Style.

Figures 38 - 52. Male genital structures of Opsius spp. 38 - 40. O. heydeni (Lethierry). 38. Subgenital plate, 39. Valve; 40. Connective; 41 - 43. O. richteri Dlabola. 41. Subgenital plate, 42. Valve; 43. Connective; 44 - 46. O. scutellaris (Lethierry). 44. Subgenital plate, 45. Valve; 46. Connective; 47 - 49. O. versicolor (Distant). 47. Subgenital plate. 48. Valve; 49. Connective; 50 - 52. O. wilsoni sp. nov. 50. Subgenital plate, 51. Valve; 52. Connective.

Figures 53 - 74. Male / Female genital structures of Opsius spp. 53 - 57. O. heydeni (Lethierry). 53. ♂, Pygofer, 54. ♂, Apodeme; 55. ♀, 7 th sternite; 56 - 57. ♀, Ovipositor. 58 - 62. O. richteri Dlabola. 58. ♂, Pygofer, 59. ♂, Apodeme; 60. ♀, 7 th sternite; 61, 62. ♀, Ovipositor. 63, 64. O. scutellaris (Lethierry). 63. ♂, Pygofer, 64. ♂, Apodeme; 65 - 69. O. versicolor (Distant). 65. ♂, Pygofer, 66. ♂, Apodeme; 67. ♀, 7 th sternite; 68, 69. ♀, Ovipositor. 70 - 74. O. wilsoni sp. nov. 70. ♂, Pygofer, 71. ♂, Apodeme; 72. ♀, 7 th sternite; 73, 74. ♀, Ovipositor.

Figures 75 - 79. 75, 76. Distribution of Opsius spp. 75. World distribution (point indicates presence in the country). 76. Local distribution; 77 - 79. Habitats of Opsius spp. 77. Locality: Muzahimiyah, Al Khararah: 24 ° 24.35 ' N, 46 ° 14.67 ' E; 78. Locality: Abha, Sad Abha: 18 ° 19.32 ' N, 42 ° 31.00 ' E; 79. Type locality: Jazan, Wadi Jazan: 17 ° 01.275 ' N, 42 ° 59.187 ' E.