Two new genera and five new species of Mugadina - like small grass cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettini) from Central and Eastern Australia: comparative morphology, songs, behaviour and distributions Ewart, A. Zootaxa 2018 2018-04-20 4413 1 1 56 8K29K Ewart, 2018 Ewart 2018 [151,400,548,574] Insecta Cicadidae Xeropsalta GBIF Animalia Hemiptera 27 28 Arthropoda species thomsoni sp. nov.  Jundah Grass Ticker (No. 344), Ewart 2009, 127 (Pl. 2, M), 128, 144; Noonbah Tan, Marshall et al.2016 Fig. 2b, p. 25     Types. QUEENSLAND.  Holotypemale, T244500, Waterlooshearing sheds, Thomson R., Noonbah Stn., SWQ, A.E.,  2.ii.2009, 24°13'37.0''S 143°17'15.7''E, specimen recorded (QM).   Paratypes: QUEENSLAND. 13♂, Thomson R.crossing, 4 km W. Jundah, SWQ.,  1.ii.1999, AE. 24°49.36'S 143°01.14'E, 2 specimens recorded;  1♂, Waterlooshearing sheds, Thomson R., Noonbah Stn., SWQ,  2.ii.2009, 24°13'37.0''S 143°17'15.7''E, specimen recorded (AE); 2♂, Diamantina River, Birdsville, SWQ, 25°54'00.8''S 139°21'15.4E'', 15.i.2007, L. Popple & J. Hereward, Lignum, 633-0001 to 633-0002 [633-0001 recorded];  4♂, Simpson DesertNP, Big Redsand dune, in grass and small forbs, 25°54'02''S139°04'01E'',  15.01.2007, L. Popple& J. Hereward, 633-0003 to 633-0006 (LWP);1M #, 09.AU.QL.EAT.,  20 kmE of Windorah, SWQ., 25°25.782'S 142°47.628'E, 2.ii.  2009, 121m, K. Hill& D. Marshall, molecular voucher 09.AU.QL.EAT.01, specimen recorded;  1♂, Noonbah( Stn), SWQ, 24°05'S 143°09'E,  13.i.2000, A.J. Emmott, in Vergemont Ck;  1♂, 02.AU.QL. VER.11, Vergemontchannels, Noonbah( Stn.),  14.i.2002, 24.0888°S 143.146°E, K. Hill, D. Marshall, J. Cooley& M.S. Moulds;  1♂, FL.02.QL.WJH.01.T02, Thomson Rivercrossing, Jundah,  15.i.2002, 24.8317°S 143.049°E, K. Hill, D. Marshall, J. Cooley & M.S. Moulds ( MSM); 1♂, Thomson R.crossing, 4 kmW. Jundah, SWQ.,  1.ii. 1999, AE. 24°49.36'S 143°01.14'E (ANIC).1♂, Thomson R. crossing, 4 kmW. Jundah, SWQ., 1.ii.1999, AE.  24°49.36'S 143°01.14'E ( BMNH).  SOUTH AUSTRALIA:  1♀, Australia: SA, AU.SA.CCL, Cooper Creekcamp on Birdsville Track,   10m, 28°37.428'S 138°42.585'E,  30.i.2015, D. Marshall (QM); 10M #, 2♀, Australia: SA, AU.SA.CCL, Cooper Creekcamp on Birdsville Track,   10m, 28°37.428'S 138°42.585'E,  30.i.2015, D. Marshall, male songs recorded; Australia: SA: AU.SA.OON, 1M #,  25 kmN of Maree on Birdsville Track. 36m, 29°28.562'S 138°13.455'E, 29.i.2015, D. Marshall;  3♂, 30°02'S 138°41'E, 20kmS of Moolawatana Hstd, S.A.,  23.i.1976, M.S. & B.J. Moulds; 1♂, as previously, with genitalia preparation, HIL1 (MSM).   NEW SOUTH WALES:  1♂, Australia: 09.AU.NS.WGS.01.T03, 30 kmNNW of Tibooburra, Strzelecki Desert, 29.1706°S 141.949°E,  03.ii.2009, D. Marshall( MSM).   Distribution ( Figs. 8, 30) and Habitat. Occurs relatively widely in Central Australia, occurring along the arid flood plains and seasonal grasslands of the Lake Eyre basin, including the Diamantina, Thomson, Cooper Creek, Warburton, and Bulloo rivers and other river systems draining towards and into the Lake Eyre Basin. These cover the regions of southwestern Queensland, northeastern South Australia, and the northwestern corner of N.S.W. Specimens have been captured in January and February, emergences only following significant rains.  Specific locations in S.W. Queenslandinclude Vergemont Channels at Noonbah Station(  32 kmNW of Stonehenge);  Thomson Rivercrossings near Jundah; Cooper Creekcrossing, 20 kmsoutheast of Windorah; Birdsville, and approximately 30 kmW. of Birdsville, eastern Simpson Desertenvironment. In South Australia, locations include the Cooper Rivercrossing on the Birdsville Track,  25 kmN of Maree on Birdsville Track, and 20kmS. of Moolawatana Hstd. (northwest of Lake Frome). The NSWoccurrence is  30 kmNNW of Tibooburra, Strzelecki Desert, near the ' Silver City Highway'.   Description.MALE (Pl. 3A, B)  Head: Supra-antennal plate black, brown adjacent to pedicels; postclypeus pale to medium brown along lateral and ventral margins, also along vertical midline and dorsal surface, remaining medial area black, with brown colouration partially extending between transverse ridges; gena and mandibular plate pale to medium brown, partially covered by pale brown pubescence; frons predominantly pale brown, with localised black margins; vertex pale brown with localised black areas around lateral ocelli; epicranial suture pale brown; ocelli pink to dull red; anteclypeus pale brown with deep brown dorso-lateral margins; mentum and rostrum pale brown, dark brown along lateral margins of rostrum; pedicels medium to dark brown; antennae deep brown to black.  Thorax: Pronotum predominantly pale brown, with a relatively broad dark brown envelope enclosing the thin pale brown central fascia, the dark brown to black envelope splaying outwards along the anterior pronotal margin and more extensively along the anterior margin of pronotal collar; dark brown to black patches along the lateral fissures, also patches of dark colour between lateral and paramedian fissures, also locally within paramedian fissures; anterior pronotal margin pale brown, pronotal collar pale brown, the lateral angle of collar dark brown; metanotum pale yellowish-brown.  Mesonotum: with black submedian and lateral sigilla, the margins somewhat irregular and broken; distal termination of submedian sigilla expands outwards into and between the anterior arms of cruciform elevation including scutal depression; remaining colouration pale brown; cruciform elevation pale brown, darker medially; wing grooves pale yellow-brown with pale yellow pubescence.  Wings: Fore wing pterostigma very faintly pigmented, slightly translucent; basal membrane white to off-white; leading edge of costa dark brown, remaining venation medium to pale brown, slightly darker proximal to wing margins; hind wing without infuscation; plaga and areas adjacent to 3A and 2A veins opaque white, remaining venation pale brown tending darker proximal to margins.  Legs: Fore coxae and trochanters pale brown medially, dark brown peripherally; mid and hind coxae and trochanters mainly pale brown, dark brown along the anterior and distal faces; fore femora pale brown medially, darker brown around margins, dark brown spine; mid and hind femora pale brown with dark brown fasciae; fore tibiae and tarsi medium brown, dark brown claws; mid and hind tibiae and trochanters pale brown with thin darker brown fasciae, and dark tips to claws.  Opercula: Uniformly pale yellow-brown; basal area domed; general outline rounded with slight but distinct elongation along axis between crest and disto-median margin.  Timbals: Rib structures as in diagnosis, with long rib 4 fused dorsally to basal spur.  Abdomen and pygofer: Tergite 1 pale yellow-brown with submedial dark brown to black areas; tergites 2 to 7 with conspicuous dorsal medium brown areas of similar size, not covering intersegmental membranes, the colouration on tergite 2 darker than other tergites; specimens from the Birdsville and more southerly locations are notable in exhibiting deep brown to black and more sharply defined dorsal tergite colouration patterns (Plate 3B); auditory capsules mostly black to deep brown, in some specimens with upper part paler yellow-brown; lateral tergite colouration is dominantly pale yellow-brown, but ventro-laterally is interrupted by conspicuous black roughly triangular-shaped patches, not extending on to intersegmental membranes; the colouration along the ventro-lateral margins returns to pale yellow-brown; tergite 8 predominantly pale brown to yellowish-brown, with a very narrow dorsal medium brown area, and a localised brown area laterally. Sternite II pale yellow-brown, localised dark patch medially; sternite III pale yellow-brown, with a localised brown medial patch, and a localised smaller black area anterio-medially; sternites IV to VII pale yellow-brown, with diffuse darker brown medial patches, not crossing the intersegmental membranes; sternite VIII pale yellowish-brown with a pair of well defined dark brown submedial anterior areas. Pygofer predominantly pale brown with localised narrow black lateral anterior margin. Essential genital structures as in generic diagnosis.  FEMALE(Pl. 6B). Available female specimens are almost uniformly pale-yellow to pale yellow-brown, near to straw coloured. The colouration is completely different to that of the males, as also seen in  X. aridula(see below), this providing a cryptic appearance within the grasslands in which this species inhabits.  Head. Supra-antennal plate, vertex, frons, postclypeus, gena, mandibular plates, pedicels, and anteclypeus uniformly pale to medium yellow-brown; the medial segments only of the transverse ridges pale to medium brown; ocelli pale pink; compound eyes brown; small brown patches present on supra-antennal plates and adjacent vertex; labrum and labium pale to medium brown, darker apically; rostrum extends to mid-coxae.  Thorax. Pronotum and pronotal collar mainly straw colour, central fascia outline weakly visible; weak brown markings dorsally on pronotal collar. Mesonotum mainly pale straw colour, the outlines of the sigilla just discernable, less so for the lateral sigilla. Metanotum straw yellow.   FIGURE 18.  Xeropsalta thomsoni  n. sp.(A) to (D), waveform plots of field recording, in open net, from the Thomson River flood plain, 130 km S. W. of Longreach (Noonbah Station), western Queensland. Fig. 18A, complete phrase, starting as relatively tightly compacted sets of pulses extending to ~3 s, after which they progressively open up between 3–4 sec, thereafter forming repeated, well defined echemes continuing to the end of song. The mean echeme RR is 3.6 Hz. Fig. 18B, shows the initial 700 ms of song, showing initial sets of isolated pulse doublets extending to about 200 ms, after which the pulse doublets progressively coalesce into discrete macrosyllables, each comprised of 6 pulses. Fig. 18C, between about 2–3.5 s into the song, there is a progressive merging of the macrosyllables leading into the initial phase of the rearrangement of the song into echemes. These are comprised of sets of triplet syllables (forming macrosyllables) enclosed by short echemes comprised from 5–16 sets of merged triplet syllables. At approximately 4 s into the songs, these develop into the discrete and repeated macrosyllables, occurring throughout the remainder of the song. Fig. D, the final 8 echemes of the song phrase are shown in detail. Each echeme comprises 4–9 discrete (separated) macrosyllables, these each comprised two (more rarely 3) syllables, excepting the two final macrosyllables which are almost fused, each with 5 to 6 syllables. Each syllable comprises 6 pulses, with pulse PRR of 885–1075 Hz. Mean macrosyllable RR (excluding the final two in each echeme) are 38–42 Hz, and the echeme RR are 3.6 Hz. Fig. 18E, song of  X. thomsonifrom Birdsville, southwestern corner of Queensland, recorded on the Diamantina Riverflood plain. The structure of the song is very close to that of the Thomson R. specimens, the only significant difference being the consistently slightly lower pulse, syllable, macrosyllable and echeme RR, possibly temperature related (recording by L.W. Popple; compare also Fig. 21). Filtered A to D 3kHz; E to 5 kHz.   FIGURE 19.  Xeropsalta thomsoni  n. sp.Song details as in Figs. 18A to D. Fig. 19A, time expanded details of the macrosyllable structures within a single echeme, the initial five macrosyllables each comprised two nearly merged syllables. The final two macrosyllables are each comprised of three nearly merged syllables. Fig 19 B, C, waveform and envelope plots, time expanded, of the final macrosyllable shown in Fig. 19A, showing the three syllables, each with 6 clearly defined pulses, the mean duration of the individual pulses 0.37 ms, and PRR ranging between 1069–1085 Hz. Fig.19D, E, waveform and envelope plots of segment of extended macrosyllable (see Fig. 18C for location), emitted prior to the break-up of the song into discrete echemes. This shows a short segment of continuous song, in which four macrosyllables are discernable, each macrosyllable finishing with a high amplitude pulse, each macrosyllable with three clearly defined sets of double pulses, the strongest followed by weaker secondary pulses (timbal relaxation 'OUT' pulses). The arrangement of the pulses, including the secondary pulses, indicates an apparent groupings with 2, 4, and 3 pulses, shown in the plot. Filtered 3 kHz.   FIGURE 20.Comparison of the above  X. thomsoni  n. sp.song in terms of: (A), waveform plot showing the temporal structures; (B), spectrogram, showing a dominant frequency band between approximately 6.6–10.5 kHz, with no change of frequencies during the song; (C), amplitude spectra showing the clearly defined, and relatively narrow frequency band between 8.2–11.4 kHz, with the inferred dominant frequency centered at 9.7 kHz.  Wings. Venation pale brown to yellow-brown; basal membrane off-white to colourless. Legs. Uniformly yellow to pale yellow-brown, becoming pale brown to medium brown on tarsi, claws dark brown.  Abdomen. Tergites all pale straw colour with a narrow medium brown dorsal fascia extending along tergites 1 to 7, in some specimens from cruciform elevation. Sternites uniformly pale straw colour; ovipositor sheath pale to medium brown; ovipositor sheath extends 1.8 to 2.1 mmbeyond termination of final sternite.   FIGURE 21.Comparison of two additional sets of  Xeropsalta thomsoni  n. sp.calling songs from the Simpson and Strzelecki Deserts, central Australia (recorded by D.C. Marshall). (A), recording code 09.AU.NS.WGS.T03, Strzelecki Desert track, 30 km north of Tibooburra, northwestern corner of N.S.W. One complete song phrase, showing the initial sequence of repeated isolated syllables/macrosyllables, initially single syllables, increasing to sets of 4 coalesced syllables. At approximately 1.2 s, the macrosyllables are followed by repeated echemes, comprising 8 reducing to 4 macrosyllables, the echeme RR increasing from 2.3 to 4.4 Hz during song emission, the macrosyllable RR relatively stable at 23 Hz. Note is made of the decreasing lengths of the initial macrosyllables in the initial three echemes. The final two macrosyllables in each echeme are doublets. Amplitude spectra (not shown) indicate a clearly defined peak with dominant frequency at 10.0 kHz, and bandwidth of 3.6 kHz. (B), recording location and code as in Fig. 21A, time expanded segment of a single macrosyllable (location indicated in Fig. 21A at 3.0 s, by open bracket), showing three syllables, each with the characteristic 6 dominant pulses, the individual syllable durations ranging between 7–7.3 ms. The dominant pulses exhibit small following secondary pulses which are interpreted as 'OUT' pulses produced by relaxation of the timbals. (C), field recording, recording code 1034-Cooper-Ck-2015, Birdsville Track, southwest end of Lake Killamperpunna. Waveform plot of junction between two song phrases, effectively joined by the sequence of repeated isolated macrosyllables, these typically marking the start of a phrase. Fig. 21D shows the following full song phrase. (D), recording details as in Fig. C. The complete song phrase (9.8 s). The first 2 s comprise repeated isolated macrosyllables, these initially with 3–4, increasing to 6 syllables. After 2 s, the song components aggregate into repeated echemes, each with 5–6 discrete macrosyllables, the numbers listed above each echeme. The initial macrosyllables of the first nine echemes are relatively broad, 173–95 ms durations. All remaining macrosyllables in all echemes are more constant in widths, ranging between 64–26 ms (mean 40 ms). The echeme RR slowly increases during the song. Amplitude spectra (not shown) indicate a clearly defined peak with dominant frequency at 9.4 kHz, and bandwidth of 3.8 kHz. (E), Time expanded waveform of the final seven echemes in the song shown in Fig. D above, these showing the discrete macrosyllables, the final two in each echeme are doublets. the syllable durations within the macrosyllables range between 7.0–8.1 ms, each syllable comprised of 6 pulses (cf. Fig A above).  Measurements.  Thomson River specimens, S.W Queensland:N= 13♂. Ranges and means (in parentheses), mm; BL: ♂11.3–13.8 (12.9); ♀10.8–12.5 (12.0). FWL: ♂11.4–13.3 (12.1); ♀10.7–12.0 (11.4). HW: ♂2.7–3.1 (2.9); ♀2.7–2.9 (2.8). PW: ♂2.6–3.0 (2.9); ♀2.7–2.9 (2.8). AW: ♂3.9–4.5 (4.3); ♀3.2–3.8 (3.5). FWL/WR: ♂2.47–2.96 (2.64); ♀2.51–2.73 (2.61).    Cooper Creek specimens, southerly extension to Simpson Desert, South Australia; N= 96 3♀. Ranges and means (in parentheses), mm; BL: ³ 12.9–15.5 (14.3); ♀13.5–14.3 (14.1). FWL: ³ 13.2–14.8 (13.9); ♀13.3–14.4 (14.0). HW: ³ 3.3–3.7 (3.5); ♀3.4–3.5 (3.5). PW: ³ 3.4–3.7 (3.6); ♀3.3–3.5 (3.4). AW: ³ 4.8–5.1 (4.9); ♀4.0– 4.4 (4.2). FWL/WR: ³ 2.48–2.65 (2.63); ♀2.44–2.71 (2.58). These measurements indicate that the specimens from the Cooper Creek location are slightly larger than those from the Thomson River locations.   Etymology: Named after Sir Edward Thomson after whom the Thomson River is named. This species was initially discovered along the Thomson River systems, south western Queensland. 1838188754 2009-02-02 Waterloo & Thomson R. & Noonbah Stn. & A. Ewart -24.226946 Types. 1 143.2877 27 28 2 QUEENSLAND holotype 1838188756 1999-02-01 Thomson R. & W. Jundah QUEENSLAND 27 28 13 13 QUEENSLAND paratype 1838188740 2009-02-02 Thomson R. -24.226946 Noonbah Stn. 1 143.2877 Waterloo 27 28 1 1 QUEENSLAND paratype 1838188747 2007-01-15 Popple & Hereward & K. Hill & D. Marshall 2009121 -25.4297 Big Red 1 142.7938 Simpson Desert 27 28 4 4 QUEENSLAND paratype 1838188745 2000-01-13 A. J. Emmott & Vergemont Ck -24.083334 Stn 1252 143.15 Noonbah 27 28 1 1 QUEENSLAND paratype 1838188761 2002-01-14 VER Cooley & M. S. Moulds Vergemont -24.0888 Stn. 50 143.146 Noonbah 27 28 1 1 QUEENSLAND paratype 1838188743 1999-02-01 2002-01-15 1999-02-01 MSM Thomson R. & Jundah Thomson River -24.8317 Hill 50 143.049 Jundah 27 28 2 2 QUEENSLAND paratype 1838188744 BMNH, SOUTH, AUSTRALIA Australia -24.822666 SOUTH AUSTRALIA 12 143.019 27 28 1 SOUTH AUSTRALIA paratype 1838188748 [544,1368,1225,1250] Birdsville Track Australia Cooper Creek 27 28 1 1 paratype 1838188765 2015-01-30 D. Marshall & Birdsville Track Australia 10 -28.6238 Cooper Creek 1 138.70975 27 28 2 2 paratype 1838188776 2015-01-30 Marshall Australia 10 -28.6238 25 km N of Maree on Birdsville Track 1 138.70975 27 28 1 paratype 1838188774 1976-01-23 M. S. & B. J. Moulds Australia -30.033333 Moolawatana Hstd 1224 138.68333 27 28 3 3 paratype 1838188769 [976,1256,1406,1430] NEW, SOUTH, WALES United Kingdom NEW SOUTH WALES 27 28 1 NEW SOUTH WALES paratype 1838188768 2009-02-03 MSM D. Marshall Australia -29.1706 Strzelecki Desert 48 141.949 Tibooburra 27 28 1 1 paratype 1838188766 Noonbah Station 27 28 1 Queensland 1838188767 Lake Frome Thomson River Cooper River 27 28 1 In South Australia 1838188773 NSW Strzelecki Desert Silver City Highway' 27 28 1 In South Australia