Nesocerus nigrum, Krishnankutty & Dietrich, 2011

Krishnankutty, Sindhu M. & Dietrich, Christopher H., 2011, Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of an endemic leafhopper genus Nesocerus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Idiocerinae) from Madagascar, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 162 (3), pp. 499-543 : 531

NESOCERUS NIGRUM SP. NOV. ( FIGS 4I, J , 10A–G )

Diagnosis: This species is similar to N. tulearensis in the shape of the subgenital plate, style, connective, and aedeagus, but may be distinguished by the presence of black markings extending along the pronotum and by the absence of an elongate posterodorsal pygofer process.

Description: Length of male, 7 mm.

Coloration: Crown with three longitudinal black markings, median one v-shaped extending to face. Antennae with pedicel and flagellum brown, scape dull yellow. Frontoclypeus without median stripe, with numerous irregular black markings above antennal ledge, pair of longitudinal lateral stripe along muscle impressions. Clypeogenal and laterofrontal suture, gena with black markings. Lorum with black line confined to base. Clypellus completely black. Pronotum mostly black with scattered yellow spots. Mesonotum with basal black triangle joined with median line not extending to scutellar suture. Scutellum with pair of black markings. Forewing hyaline with black and white claval vein. Legs pale yellow, fore and mid femur without any markings, hind femur with thin black lines along dorsal surface.

Structure: Clypellus with sides concave, apex as wide as base, in profile flat. Rostrum extending beyond mid coxae. Forewing with r-m1 crossvein absent. Metatibial setal rows PD, AD, and AV with 15, eight, and nine macrosetae, respectively.

Male genitalia: Pygofer with subdorsal process arising near posterior margin; posterolateral margin with long setae. Subgenital plates in lateral view weakly depressed, with short fine setae along lateral margin and dorsum of apex; in ventral view lateral margin near base strongly convex abruptly tapering towards truncate apex, two rows of macrosetae along distal two thirds of lateral margin and a few widely spaced macrosetae along mesal margin. Style in lateral view with broad apodeme; apophysis uniformly broad, curved beyond midlength to dorsally directed broad apex, apex with single basal and subbasal processes. Connective in dorsal view semicircular, fused with preatrium of aedeagus. Aedeagus in lateral view with atrium narrow; socle well developed; shaft in lateral view slender, curved anterodorsad, tapered towards apex with ventrally directed long apical process reaching beyond half length of shaft; shaft in posterior view slightly narrowed near apex; gonopore subapical on posterior surface of shaft basad of processes.

Material examined: Holotype male, MADAGASCAR: Province d’Antsiranana , Sakalava Beach, dwarf littoral forest, 10 m, 12°15′46″S, 49°23′51″E, 27.iv.– 13.v.2001, M. Irwin, R. Harin’Hala, malaise trap, across sandy trail, MA-01-04B-08 ( CAS).

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the black coloration on the pronotum.

Figures

Figure 4. Nesocerus spp. nov., dorsal habitus and face of holotype male. A, B, Nesocerus recurvus.; C, D, Nesocerus dorsalis; E, F, Nesocerus dentatus; G, H, Nesocerus unimaculatus; I, J, Nesocerus nigrum; K, L, Nesocerus tristriatus; M, N, Nesocerus brevipinguis; O, P, Nesocerus nanus; Q, R, Nesocerus mananarensis; S, T, Nesocerus quinquespinosus.

Figure 10. Nesocerus spp. nov. Male pygofer in lateral view (A, H, O), male subgenital plate in ventral (B, I, P) and lateral views (C, J, Q), aedeagus in lateral (D, K, R) and caudal views (E, L), style in lateral view (F, M, S), style and connective in dorsal view (G, N, T). A–G, Nesocerus nigrum; H–N, Nesocerus tristriatus; O–T, Nesocerus brevipinguis.