Acuera transferred to Curtara DeLong & Freytag

Domahovski, Alexandre Cruz & Cavichioli, Rodney Ramiro, 2023, Phylogenetic analysis and revision of the leafhopper genus Acuera DeLong & Freytag (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Gyponini) based on morphological data, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 81, pp. 79-164 : 79

3.3.7. Species of Acuera transferred to Curtara DeLong & Freytag

Fig. 51

Curtara facera (DeLong & Freytag, 1974): 194 (comb. nov.) ( Acuera (Parcana) ). Mexico.

Curtara labella (Osborn, 1938): 45 (comb. nov.) ( Ponana ). Bolivia.

Curtara nama (DeLong & Freytag, 1974): 196 (comb. nov.) ( Acuera (Parcana) ). Peru.

Curtara patula (DeLong & Freytag, 1974): 194 (comb. nov.) ( Acuera (Parcana) ). Argentina and Brazil: Minas Gerais [new record], Paraná [new record] and Rio Grande do Sul [new record].

Comments.

Curtara is the second largest genus of Gyponini , currently comprising 171 described species. Our phylogenetic analysis including eleven species of Curtara recovered the genus as polyphyletic (Fig. 7 ). As in the results of the three previous unpublished analyzes of Gonçalves (2016) and Domahovski (2017, 2021b), we recovered Curtara forming two separate clades representing the majority of the species of this genus. The first clade, comprising the type species of Curtara and also other species of the subgenera Curtara and Mysticana , was supported by four synapomorphies: 46:1, forewing with veins outlined by black coloration; 89:1, valve with pair of oblique submedian integument thickening; 97:1, pygofer with inner apical portion of dorsal margin weakly sclerotized; 143:1, ovipositor straight; and eight homoplasies: 10:0, anterior margin of crown, not projected over anterior margin of eye; 39:0, mesonotum, without pair of black maculae on median portion; 52:1, external discal cell bearing a apical accessory vein; 90:1, presence of excavation on posterior margin of valve; 91:1, excavation on posterior margin of valve deep; 117:0, subgenital plate with short filiform setae; 121:0, connective with dorsal median keel absent; and 131:1, apodemal process of aedeagus with subapical excavation on dorsal margin. We recovered A. patula (Fig. 51I-K ) strongly supported (SR = 100) inside this clade and we suggest transfer this species to Curtara . The second clade was recovered with low support as sister group of Effossana gen. nov., including the type species of the subgenera Ardasoma , Labata , Sinchora , Remarana and Retusana and received elevated branch support (SR = 95), being supported by two synapomorphies: 38:1, mesonotum with pair of black maculae near anterior margin; 49:1 clavus with a cross vein between anal veins, near base, and five homoplasies: 10:0, anterior margin of crown, not projected over anterior margin of eye; 77:1 metatibia with AD row bearing 14 macrosetae; 85:1, female sternite VIII with median longitudinal carina on apical half; 98:1, pygofer with sclerotized processes apically; and 106:1, anal tube sclerotized. As a parer with the taxonomic review and phylogenetic analysis of Curtara is in preparation, we will not propose any taxonomic changes for its subgenera in this study.

We also suggest transferring A. facera , A. labella , and A. nama to the genus Curtara . Acuera facera (Fig. 51A-C ) was described based on a male from Oaxaca, Mexico and placed in the subgenus Acuera Parcana . This species is very similar to Curtara enadara DeLong & Freytag, 1976, described from Acapulco, Mexico, in the coloration and shape of the male genitalia and apparently is phylogenetically related to this species.

Osborn (1938) originally described Acuera labella (Fig. 51D-F ) in the genus Ponana Ball, 1920, based on a single female from Bolivia and DeLong (1977) transferred this species to the genus Acuera , not assigning it to any one of the subgenera. Based on our study we suggest that A. labella not belong to the genus Acuera or Parcana stat. nov. and we tentatively placed it in the genus Curtara until males can be studied.

Acuera nama (Fig. 51G-H ) was described based on two males from Peru and placed in the subgenus Acuera Parcana . This species apparently is closely related to the clade composed by the type species of the subgenera Ardasoma , Labata , Sinchora , Remarana and Retusana , whereas A. facera and A. labella are related to the clade composed by species of the subgenera Curtara and Mysticana .

Additional material examined.

Curtara patula (DeLong & Freytag, 1974) comb. nov. Brasil: Minas Gerais: 1♂, [new record], " Brazil: MG: P. N. do\ Caparaó, 20.40956°S 41.84904°W, 1517 m,\ 03-07.III.2017 M. Savaris \ & A. L. Norrbom " (DZUP) . - Paraná: [new record] 4♂, 2♀, " Guarapuava - Paraná \ Est. Águas Santa Clara\ Brasil [dates between X.1986 and XII.1987]\ Lev. Ent. Profaupar\ Malaise " (DZUP); 2♂, " Brasil , PR, Foz do Jordao \ Salto Segredo \ x-xi.2004\ E.D.G. Soares leg" (DZUP); 2♂, 1♀, " Brasil , Paraná, Parque \ Estadual de Vila Velha \ 25°13′5.9″S 50°2′31.2″W \ Malaise2 [dates between IX.1999 and X.2000]\ Provive" (DZUP) . - Rio Grande do Sul: [new record]. 1♂, "Brasil, RS, Passo Fundo ,\ M. Atlântica, 28°13′50.7″S 52°24′17,04″W, 671 m,\ 23.XII.2016, P.R.V. \ da Silva Pereira leg." (DZUP) .

Figures

Figure 7. Phylogenetic relationships of Acuera found in the implied weighting analysis for the two equally most parsimonious trees, K = 3.700 and 4.284, length = 514, consistency index = 0.362, retention index = 0.771. Symmetric resampling values (<50) are marked next to branches; red stars represent the type species of the three subgenera of Acuera. Synapomorphies are marked with black circles, while homoplasies are marked with empty circles.

Figure 51. Species transferred to Curtara. A - C C. facera comb. nov., holotype male, USNM, dorsal, lateral and frontal views. D - F C. labella comb. nov., holotype female BMNH, dorsal, lateral and ventral views. G, H C. nama comb. nov., holotype male, NCSU, dorsal and lateral views. I - K C. patula comb. nov., male, DZUP, dorsal, lateral and ventral views.