Prodigiella, Pecly & Quintas & Domahovski & Cavichioli & Mejdalani, 2024

Pecly, Nathalia H., Quintas, Victor, Domahovski, Alexandre C., Cavichioli, Rodney R. & Mejdalani, Gabriel, 2024, A new genus and species of Cicadellini (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, European Journal of Taxonomy 921, pp. 64-75 : 66-69

Prodigiella gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E082B625-FD2F-4A58-9A17-69241A4D3372

Figs 1–17

Type species

Prodigiella silvanoi sp. nov.

Diagnosis

Relatively small (6.3–7.7 mm) sharpshooters ( Figs 1–2 , 17 ) with crown, pronotum, and mesonotum greenish-yellow mottled with dark brown lines and spots; posterior ⅔ of pronotal disc with large green area. Frons ( Figs 2–3 ), in lateral view, with inferior third distinctly angulate. Forewing with corium and clavus mostly green; distal half with irregular transverse dark brown markings; apical portion with large, arcuate red area located before translucent membrane. Males with aedeagus ( Figs 6–8 ) asymmetrical; shaft curved ventrally, with two basal processes, one directed ventrally, another directed dorsally; apical portion of shaft bifid, right side with one retrorse process, left side bearing two or three associated processes. Females with sternite VII ( Figs 9–10 ) subquadrangular, with posterior margin slightly rounded; ovipositor valvula II ( Figs 13–15 ) distinctly expanded beyond basal curvature, its dorsal margin with 35–40 teeth, most of them triangular and bearing denticles, and ventral margin without preapical prominence.

Etymology

From the Latin ‛ prodigialis ’, meaning ‛eccentric’, in reference to the peculiar form of the aedeagus ( Figs 6–8 ), plus the feminine suffix ella.

Description

HEAD ( Figs 1–3 ). In dorsal view, well produced anteriorly; median length of crown approximately ½ of interocular width and 3/10 of transocular width; anterior margin broadly rounded; without carina at transition from crown to face; ocelli located on imaginary line between anterior eye angles, each ocellus slightly closer to adjacent anterior eye angle than to median line of crown; coronal suture distinct; crown without transverse concavity before ocelli and without median fovea; surface smooth and glabrous; frontogenal suture extending onto crown and attaining ocellus. Antennal ledge, in dorsal view, not protuberant; in lateral view, with anterior margin oblique and convex. Frons convex and robust; surface of median area slightly granular; muscle impressions distinct; in lateral view, inferior third distinctly angulate; epistomal suture incomplete medially. Clypeus, in lateral view, with superior portion continuing contour of frons and inferior portion more nearly horizontal; in ventral view, apex rounded.

THORAX ( Figs 1–2 ). In dorsal view, with pronotal width approximately equal to transocular width of head; lateral pronotal margins slightly convergent anteriorly; posterior margin slightly emarginate; disk mostly smooth; dorsolateral carina complete, rectilinear, declivous anteriorly. Mesonotum with scutellum not transversely striate. Forewing with texture mostly coriaceous, apical membrane restricted to portions of first, second, and third apical cells; apical margin convex; veins distinct; with four apical cells, base of fourth slightly more proximal than base of third; with three closed anteapical cells, their bases slightly proximal in relation to claval apex; without anteapical plexus of veins. Hind wing with vein R2+3 incomplete. Hind legs with femoral setal formula 2:1:1; length of first tarsomere slightly greater than combined length of two more distal tarsomeres; first tarsomere with pair of conspicuous, elongate dorsoapical setae, plantar surface with two parallel rows of very small setae.

MALE TERMINALIA. Pygofer ( Fig. 4 ), in lateral view, well produced posteriorly; posterior margin truncate; without processes; macrosetae distributed mostly on apical third and more anteriorly near ventral margin. Valve ( Figs 4–5 ), in ventral view, short and subtriangular. Subgenital plate ( Figs 4–5 ), in ventral view, subtriangular; broad at basal third, with outer margins approximately parallel, then narrowing gradually to apex; with uniseriate macrosetae laterally, microsetae also present; plates separated throughout their length; in lateral view, not extending as far posteriorly as pygofer apex. Style ( Fig. 5 ), in dorsal view, extending posteriorly beyond apex of connective; without preapical lobe; apical portion curved outwards; outer preapical border with setae; apex subacute. Connective ( Fig. 5 ), in dorsal view, Y-shaped, small, arms short and robust; stalk short, narrow, with distinct median keel. Aedeagus ( Figs 6–8 ) asymmetrical; shaft long and curved ventrally, with two basal processes, right one ( Figs 6b, 7b, 8b ) slender and directed ventrally, left one ( Figs 6c, 7c, 8c ) robust and directed dorsally; apical portion of shaft distinctly bifid and with membranous projections, right side ( Fig. 6d ) with obtuse apex and bearing one retrorse preapical process with membranous base ( Fig. 7e ), left side ( Fig. 6f ) with truncate apex and bearing two or three associated processes with membranous bases ( Fig. 7g ); aedeagal atrium with single ventral process ( Fig. 6a ) and pair of long, narrow dorsal apodemes connected to anal tube. Paraphyses absent.

FEMALE TERMINALIA. Sternite VII ( Figs 9–10 ), in ventral view, simple, subquadrangular, with posterior margin slightly rounded. “Internal” sternite VIII forming large but poorly defined bilobate structure [of gray tonality in macerated specimens] located at ovipositor base. Pygofer ( Figs 9–10 ), in lateral view, well produced posteriorly; apical portion triangular, apex subacute; macrosetae located mostly on apical portion and extending anteriorly along ventral margin. Valvifer I ( Fig. 11 ), in lateral view, guttiform, distinctly expanded on median portion. Valvula I ( Figs 11–12 ), in lateral view, with blade more distinctly narrowed along apical fourth; apex acute; base forming distinct rounded lobe projected anteriorly; dorsal sculptured area extending from basal portion to apex, formed mostly by linear processes arranged in oblique lines, basal processes positioned more horizontally; ventral sculptured area restricted to apical portion, formed mostly by linear processes; ventral interlocking device elongate, located on basal half of valvula. Valvula II ( Figs 13–15 ), in lateral view, distinctly expanded beyond basal curvature, narrowing gradually toward apical portion; without preapical prominence; apex subacute; dorsal margin with 35–40 continuous teeth, most teeth triangular and bearing denticles, basalmost teeth (located on ascending portion of blade) small and irregular, followed by elongate teeth that become progressively smaller toward apex; blade with distinct ducts extending toward teeth and apex. Gonoplac ( Fig. 16 ), in lateral view, with basal half narrow and apical half distinctly expanded; apex obtuse; surface with tiny tegumentary processes (denticuli) on apex and extending anteriorly along ventral margin; few setae also present.

Distribution

Atlantic Forest biome of southern and southeastern Brazil (Paraná and Rio de Janeiro states). See discussion below for notes on the record from Rio de Janeiro.

Figures

Figs 1–8. Prodigiella silvanoi gen. et sp. nov., ♂, paratype. 1. Body, dorsal view (total length = 6.9 mm). 2. Body, lateral view. 3. Face, anteroventral view. 4. Genital capsule, lateral view, showing position of aedeagus. 5. Valve, subgenital plates, connective, and styles, dorsal view. 6. Aedeagus and anal tube, lateral view (left side). 7. Aedeagus and anal tube, lateral view (right side). 8. Aedeagus, ventral view. Abbreviations:Aed = aedeagus; Ant = anal tube; Con = connective; Fra = angle of frons; Mac = macroseta; Mem = membranous area; Mic = microseta; Pyg = pygofer; Sgp = subgenital plate; Sty = style; Val = valve. See description of male terminalia for letters associated with Figs 6–8. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

Figs 9–16. Prodigiella silvanoi gen. et sp. nov., ♀, paratype. 9. Apical portion of abdomen, ventral view. 10. Apical portion of abdomen, lateral view. 11. Valvifer I and valvula I, lateral view. 12. Apical portion of valvula I at higher magnification. 13. Valvula II, lateral view. 14. Basal portion of valvula II at higher magnification. 15. Apical portion of valvula II at higher magnification. 16. Valvifer II and gonoplac, lateral view. Abbreviations: Den = denticle; Duc = duct; Ram = ramus; Stvii = sternite vii; Tgvii-ix = tergites; Too = tooth; Vfi = valvifer I; Vfii = valvifer II; Vid = ventral interlocking device. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 17. Prodigiella silvanoi gen. et sp. nov., ♀, photographed at Parque Estadual da Pedra Branca, Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. See discussion for notes on the records of the new species from State of Rio de Janeiro.