Revision of the Southern African leafhopper genus Pravistylus (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae) 2468
Stiller, M.
Zootaxa
2010
2010-05-14
2468
1
1
81
8RN2G
Stiller, 2010
Stiller
2010
[151,428,1639,1665]
Insecta
Cicadellidae
Pravistylus
Animalia
Hemiptera
15
16
Arthropoda
species
digitidiscus
sp. nov.
( Figs 1 h; 2 c; 3ad; 4 ab; 5 ad; 6 aa; 7 m& n; 8 k & l)
Diagnosis. Plate generally triangular; apex narrow, digitate, directed dorsally, that protrudes for at least half its length into genital capsule; plate usually 0–3 macrosetae, sometimes one plate setous; 2.1–2.4 times as long as wide; length of apex 0.1–0.3 times as long as length of plate ( Fig. 2 c). Style distal part separate from base; apophysis digitate, and extending about half-way into plate ( Fig. 5ad). Female sternite 7 almost square, posterior margin ligula short, sometimes recessed into base ( Figs 7 m& n).
Etymology. Latin, plate, ( discus) with apex finger-like ( digitus). Male and female. Ochraceous. Sometimes fuscous marking on laterodorsal anterior margin of pygofer. Hind wing very small, rounded ( Fig. 8 k, male; Fig. 8 l, female). Male. Dimensions. (n = 74) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.3–2.7 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.7–3.2 mm; vertex medially 0.5 mm; vertex next to eye 0.3 mm; pronotum medially 0.3 mm. Width: head 0.8–0.9 mm; pronotum 0.7–0.8 mm. Ocellar diameter 24.5–30.0 µm; ocellocular distance 38.6–50.5 µm. Genital capsule. Pygofer with dorsal and ventral margins parallel ( Fig. 1 h). Pygofer lobe broadly rounded, about two thirds as wide as pygofer ( Fig. 1 h). Plate triangular; lateral subbasal margin sinuous, tufts of setae proximally and distally of sinuation; mostly without macrosetae, or rarely up to three macrosetae, sometimes on one plate; plate 2.1–2.4 times as long as greatest width at base; length of apex 0.2–0.3 times as long as length of plate ( Fig. 2 c); apex of plate of undissected specimens often bent dorsally at 90°, with apex extending into gap between otherwise closed ventral margins of pygofer lobes. Aedeagus, in lateral view, with shaft widely C-shaped, arising basally from atrium; preatrium reduced; dorsal view, shaft wide at base, tapering towards apex; dorsal apodeme constricted medially; gonopore subapical, lateroventral, dorsal apodeme constricted ( Figs 3ad, 4 ab). Style distal part moderately separate from anterior medial lobe; apophysis elongate, digitate; extending about half-way into plate ( Fig. 5ad). Connective stem Y-shaped, broader than base, about one third as long as base; lateral view, apex curved dorsally ( Fig. 6aa). Female. Dimensions. (n = 60) Length: apex of vertex to apex of tegmina 2.4–2.7 mm; apex of vertex to apex of abdomen 2.9–3.3 mm; vertex medially 0.5 mm; vertex next to eye 0.3 mm; pronotum medially 0.3– 0.4 mm. Width: head 0.9–1.0 mm; pronotum 0.8–0.9 mm. Ocellar diameter 24.8–30.2 µm; ocellocular distance 40.8–55.1 µm. Genitalia.Sternite 7 base almost square; short, median posterior ligula; less than half as long as median length of the base; sometimes recessed into base; notch shallow ( Fig. 7 m, ligula marginal, Longtom Pass specimen; Fig. 7 n, ligula recessed, Trout Cottage specimen).
Material examined. Holotypemale. South Africa, Mpumalanga. Trout Cottage, road between Mt Sheba and Sabie, 24°58ʹS, 30°39ʹE, 1826 m, 12.xi.2005, DVac ( SANC). Paratypes. 133♂, 89♀, 7 nymphs. Mpumalanga. 1♂, Pilgrim’s Rest, 24°55ʹS, 30°44ʹE, 27.ii.1991, sweeping; 13♂, 18♀, Mauchsberg Passnear transmitter tower, 25°10ʹS, 30°37ʹE, 1860 m, 6.iii.2003, DVac, grass and forbs on east and west facing slopes of summit near mast; 2♀, Deer Cottage, road between Mt Sheba and Sabie, 24°58ʹS, 30°41ʹE, 1918 m, 12.xi.2005, DVac; 21♂, 6♀, road between Graskopand Pilgrim’s Rest, 24°56ʹS, 30°47ʹE, 1639 m, 12.xi.2005, DVac, grass regrowth after fire; 19♂, 5♀, Mt Shebaroad, 24°54ʹS, 30°42ʹE, 1874 m, 12.xi.2005, DVac; 24♂, 7♀, same data as holotype; 4♂, 9♀, Trout Cottage, road between Mt Sheba and Sabie, 24°58ʹS, 30°40ʹE, 1881 m, 12.xi.2005, DVac; 2♂, 6♀, 2 nymphs, road between Longtom Passand Sabie, 25°08ʹS, 30°36ʹE, 2133 m, 13.xi.2005, DVac; 8♂, 5♀, road between Longtom Passand Sabie, 25°09ʹS, 30°37ʹE, 2014 m, 13.xi.2005, DVac; 5♂, 6♀, road between Longtom Passand Sabie, 25°09ʹS, 30°37ʹE, 1899 m, 13.xi.2005, DVac; 5♂, 9♀, Longtom Pass, valley opposite summit of pass, 25°07ʹS, 30°37ʹE, 2101 m, 13.xi.2005, DVac, also Festucasp. (Poaceae); 20♂, 7♀, 1 nymph, Malidyke Blue Swallow Reserve, 24°57ʹS, 30°59ʹE, 1367 m, 13.xi.2005, DVac, grassland rehabilitation with Themeda triandradominant; 8♂, 8♀, Mauchsberg, Longtom Passnear mast, 25°09ʹS, 30°37ʹE, 2200 m, 13.xi.2005, DVac, short grass; 4♂, 1♀, 4 nymphs, Blyde River Nature Reserve, 24°41ʹS, 30°52ʹE, 1464 m, 14.xi.2005, DVac, moribund grass and Festucasp., all M. Stiller( BMNH, INHS, SANC).
Remarks. The long and narrow process at the apex of the plate is unique. This narrow apex is however difficult to see in undissected specimens, as it is inserted into the pygofer between the ventral margins of the pygofer lobe. Also the plate is usually devoid of macrosetae. Measurement of its length is less accurate because the apex of the plate is bent at 90°. In species such as P. mecistoplacus sp. n.( Fig. 2 b) the plate is more elongate (2.4–3.0 times as long as wide) than in P. digitidiscus( Fig. 2 c) (plate 2.1–2.4 times as long as greatest width at base) and has the apex inserted into the genital capsule, but with the apices shorter than that of P. digitidiscus. Additionally P. mecistoplacushas 3–4 subapical macrosetae on the plate and the style has the distal part close to its base of the style ( Fig. 5 f) and is positioned near the valve. Also P. mecistoplacushas the aedeagal shaft arising dorsally from the atrium and the shaft is narrowly curved ( Figs 3 h, 4 h). The sternite 7 of the female of P. mecistoplacushas an elongate triangular or convex ligula on a rectangular base ( Figs 7ar–at). The sternite 7 of P. digitidiscushas a short ligula arising from a square base ( Figs 7 m& n). In P. pollediscus sp. n.the process of the plate is short, and does not reach the ventral margin of the pygofer lobe, and the length of is plate 1.6–1.9 times as long as wide and it always has subapical macrosetae. Otherwise the style and aedeagus of P. pollediscusand P. digitidiscusare similar, although the shaft in dorsal view in P. pollediscus is parallel-sided, and in P. digitidiscusit tapers. In P. longitrunculusthe apex of the plate is truncate and touches the ventral margin of the pygofer, that sometimes is parted in this region, but the apex of the plate never protrudes into the genital capsule. The length of the plate of P. longitrunculusis 1.7–1.9 times as long as wide, that is a little less than for P. digitidiscus(2.1–2.4 times as long as greatest width at base). The elongate shape of the plate of P. varicudiscusis similar to that of P mecistoplacusand P. digitidiscuswhen viewed ventrally. In lateral view the long and right-angled apex of the plate of P. varicudiscusis the distinguishing feature of this species.
2005-11-12
SANC
South Africa
1826
-24.966667
Trout Cottage
1249
30.65
16
17
1
Mpumalanga
holotype
[151,1031,1045,1074]
1991-02-27
-24.916666
Pilgrim's Rest
1249
30.733334
16
17
1
1
Mpumalanga
2003-03-06
1860
-25.166666
Mauchsberg Pass
1247
30.616667
16
17
31
18
13
Mpumalanga
2005-11-12
1918
-24.966667
Deer Cottage
1249
30.683332
16
17
2
2
Mpumalanga
2005-11-12
1639
-24.933332
Pilgrim's Rest
1249
30.783333
Graskop
16
17
27
6
21
Mpumalanga
[530,1366,1195,1223]
2005-11-12
1874
-24.9
Mt Sheba
1249
30.7
16
17
24
5
19
Mpumalanga
2005-11-12
SANC
South Africa
1826
-24.966667
Trout Cottage
1249
30.65
16
17
31
7
24
Mpumalanga
2005-11-12
South Africa
1881
-24.966667
Trout Cottage
1249
30.666666
16
17
13
9
4
Mpumalanga
2005-11-13
South Africa
2133
-25.133333
Sabie
1247
30.6
Longtom Pass
16
17
8
6
2
Mpumalanga
2005-11-13
South Africa
2014
-25.15
Sabie
1247
30.616667
Longtom Pass
16
17
13
5
8
Mpumalanga
[231,1329,1344,1372]
2005-11-13
South Africa
1899
-25.15
Sabie
1247
30.616667
Longtom Pass
16
17
11
6
5
Mpumalanga
2005-11-13
South Africa
2101
-25.116667
Longtom Pass
1248
30.616667
16
17
14
9
5
Mpumalanga
2005-11-13
South Africa
1367
-24.95
Malidyke Blue Swallow Reserve
1249
30.983334
16
17
27
7
20
Mpumalanga
2005-11-13
South Africa
2200
-25.15
Longtom Pass
1247
30.616667
Mauchsberg
16
17
16
8
8
Mpumalanga
2005-11-14
BMNH, INHS, SANC
M. Stiller
South Africa
1464
-24.683332
Blyde River Nature Reserve
1249
30.866667
16
17
5
1
4
Mpumalanga