Dictyomeria, Song & Webb & Liang, 2016

Song, Zhi-Shun, Webb, Michael D. & Liang, Ai-Ping, 2016, Phylogenetic analysis of the Oriental genera of Orthopagini Emeljanov, 1983 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Dictyopharidae: Dictyopharinae), with a systematic revision of the genus Centromeria Stål, 1870, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 178 (1), pp. 33-87 : 74-75

DICTYOMERIA GEN. NOV

Type species. Centromeira simulata Distant, 1906 , by present designation and monotypy.

Etymology. The new generic name is a combination of ‘ Dictyo - plus the suffix ‘ meria ’. The gender is feminine.

Diagnosis. This new genus can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: cephalic process in front of eyes strongly upturned, gradually convergent anteriorly, more or less truncate apically; vertex with median carina distinct at base, absent in middle, and high and sharp from anterior margin of eyes to apex, lateral carinae in front of eyes more or less parallel anteriorly, truncate apically; frons with median carina robust and strongly convex, intermediate carinae extending anterior margin of eyes; pronotum with median carina sharp and complete, intermediate carinae absent; tegmina with a large sublunate streak on apical region; legs moderately elongate, fore femora not flattened and dilated, with a small spine near apex; hind tibiae with seven apical teeth.

Description. Head ( Fig. 27A – C ) produced in a moderate and slightly slender cephalic process. Cephalic process ( Fig. 27A – C ) in front of eyes strongly upturned, gradually convergent anteriorly, more or less truncate apically. Vertex ( Fig. 27A ) broadest at base, posterior plane elevated above pronotum; lateral carinae high and sharp, slightly convergent at base, abruptly constricted in front of eyes, strongly upturned and nearly parallel anteriorly; anterior margin broadly and angulately convex; posterior margin ridged and angularly concave at about 90°; median carina distinct at base, absent in middle, high and sharp towards apex. Frons ( Fig. 27C ) with lateral carinae ridged, gradually diverging posteriorly and slightly expanded outwards below antennae; posterior margin concave; median carina robust and strongly convex, intermediate carinae extending to anterior margin of eyes, not to frontoclypeal suture. Postclypeus and anteclypeus ( Fig. 27C ) strongly convex at middle, with distinct median carina. Rostrum short, extending base of hind femora; basal segment distinctly longer than distal segment. Compound eyes oval and large. Ocelli relatively large, reddish. Antennae with very small scape; pedicel large and subglobose, with more than 50 distinct sensory plaque organs distributed over entire surface; flagellum long, setuliform.

Pronotum ( Fig. 27A ) distinctly shorter than mesonotum medially, narrow anteriorly, broad posteriorly; anterior margin centrally angularly convex, lateral marginal areas straight and sloping, with two long longitudinal carinae on each side between eyes and tegulae, posterior margin angularly concave at about 110°; median carina sharp and high, with a big lateral pit on each side, intermediate carinae absent. Mesonotum ( Fig. 27A ) tricarinate, lateral carinae incurved anteriorly towards median carina. Tegmina ( Fig. 27D ) hyaline, with a large sublunate streak on apical region; slender and elongate, more or less parallel anteroposteriorly, somewhat truncate apically, with ratio of length to width about 4: 1; veins without setae; MP bifurcating MP 1+2 and MP 3+4 near middle and posterior to CuA; transverse veins scarce, with 11 or 12 apical cells between RP and CuA; stigmal area elongate, with two cells. Legs relatively short, fore and middle femora moderately elongate, hind tibiae about 1.5 times as long as hind femora; fore femora not flattened and dilated, with a minute spine near apex; hind tibiae with seven lateral spines and seven apical spines; hind tarsomeres I and II both with between 16 and 20 apical teeth.

Male unknown and female genitalia identical to other Orthopagini genera.

Diversity and distribution. The new genus is monotypic and only found in north-eastern India.

Remarks. The new genus can be easily distinguished from Centromeria by: vertex with median carina high and sharp from anterior margin of the eyes to the apex; lateral carinae in front of eyes more or less parallel anteriorly, truncate apically; tegmina with a large sublunate streak on apical region; legs distinctly short; and hind tibiae with seven apical teeth. Dictyomeria gen. nov. is more closely related to Orthopagus in our phylogenetic analysis, but can be separated from the latter by the cephalic process in front of eyes strongly upturned and the frons with median carina robust and strongly convex. It is also externally similar to Indomiasa , but may be distinguished from the latter by the pronotum with anterolateral angles angulated, and two lateral carinae between eyes and tegulae distinct and complete, and legs relatively short and stout.

Figures

Figure 27. Dictyomeira simulata: A, head, pronotum, and mesonotum, dorsal view; B, head and pronotum, lateral view; C, head, ventral view; D, tegmen.