Aethodelphax sagittatus ( Beamer, 1947 ) Beamer, 1947

Bartlett, Charles R., 2011, Aethodelphax prairianus gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) and seven congeneric species from North American Delphacodes, Zootaxa 2837, pp. 48-66 : 61-63

Aethodelphax sagittatus ( Beamer, 1947) , comb. nov.

( Figs. 8 , 9 C, D)

Delphacodes sagittata Beamer 1947: 64 , 71.

Type locality. USA: Georgia, Okefenokee swamp.

Diagnosis. Color. Uniformly stramineus, including male pygofer; parameres, diaphragm, and processes of segment 10 darker.

Structure. Length male brachypter (n=5) 2.20±0.08, width 0.69±0.03; female brachypter (n=5) length 2.35±0.29, width 0.70±0.34. Head just narrower than prothorax, ratio vertex L:W (n=10) 1.31±0.17. Calcar bearing (n=5) 19–26 fine black-tipped teeth. Genitalia with pygofer opening about as tall as wide in caudal view ( Fig. 8 D), lateral margins of opening carinate; diaphragm well developed ( Figs. 9 C, D), narrowing medially, dorsal armature of the diaphragm strongly produced dorsocaudally, taller than wide, rounded apically. Parameres pediform ( Fig. 8 E), dorsal margin in caudal view weakly sinuate, angled slightly ventromedially; outer angle broad and acute, inner angle more elongate, acute, basal angle strongly produced caudally, blunt. Aedeagus ( Fig. 8 F) laterally flattened, straight, dorsal apex with large tooth, subapical ventral margin bearing serrate flange on both left and right side, low dorsal serrate flange beginning near midlength extending distally; gonopore subapical, ventral. Aedeagal suspensorium distinct, encircling aedeagus, portion between aedeagus and segment 10 as wide as long in caudal view. Segment 10 elongate in lateral view, bearing pair of short, pointed processes on ventrocaudal margin, just longer than wide at base, plus second pair of processes of nearly the same size at midlength of ventral margin of segment 10 in lateral view.

Remarks. Aethodelphax sagittatus can be most readily recognized by the pair of processes on segment 10 and the aedeagus bearing foliations and a large subapical dorsal tooth. The second pair of processes on segment 10 is shared with A. paraparvulus and A. alatus , but neither of these species have the large subapical dorsal aedeagal tooth. All observed specimens were brachypterous.

Reported hosts. None.

Distribution. USA: FL, GA, LA.

Material observed. PARATYPES: USA: Georgia: [Charlton Co.,] Okefenokee swamp, B[illy’s].I[sland]., 7– 27–[19]39, R. H. Beamer (1f, SEMC); Okefenokee swamp, 7–25–[19]39, R. H. Beamer (3f [1 macropter], SEMC); Florida [Hendry Co.,] La Belle, 7–16–[19]39, P. B. Lawson (1f, SEMC).

Other material observed: USA: Louisiana: [St. Tammany Parish] Ramsay, 3–3–1947, R. H. Beamer (10m, 5f, SEMC); Florida: [Seminole Co.,] Sanford, 7–28–1948 (1m, SEMC).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Aethodelphax sagitattus (Ramsay, LA; scale = 0.5 mm (A – C), 0.2 mm (D, H )). A. dorsal view; B. frons; C. lateral view; D. pygofer, caudal view; E. left paramere, widest view; F. aedeagus, left lateral view, apex at top; G. apex of aedeagus, ventral view; H. pygofer, lateral view.

FIGURE 9. Genital diaphragm armature. A. Aethodelphax megadontus, caudal view; B. A. paraparvulus, caudal view; C. A. sagitattus, caudal view; D. A. sagitattus, lateral view (genital diaphragm hatched); E. A. paraparvulus, lateral view.