Labramachaerota salonga De Haas & Mertens, 2024

Haas, Matthé Cornelis De & Mertens, Jan E. J., 2024, Two new species of Machaerotidae from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with some additional records of the family (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea), Zootaxa 5433 (4), pp. 546-558 : 554-557

Labramachaerota salonga De Haas & Mertens sp. nov.

( Figures 8–10 )

Specimens examined. Holotype ♂: Congo, Salonga National Park , lowland camp (S01°39.938’ E20°31.945’), 13.XII.2022, on light trap, leg. J. Mertens.

Paratypes: Congo, Salonga National Park , lowland camp (S01°39.95’ E20°31.982’), 10.XII.2022, on light trap, 1♂, leg. M. Nunes ; Congo, Salonga National Park , lowland camp (S S01°39.938’ E20°31.945’), 12.XII.2022, on light trap, 1♀, leg. J. Mertens.

Differential diagnosis. This novel taxon differs from other species in the genus in the fully brown forewings (only basal 1/4 th of forewings is brown in L. korupa and L. luilaka sp. n.), brighter greenish thorax (yellow-green in L. korupa , brown in L. luilaka sp. n.); appendage of pygofer short and broad (longer and slenderer in L. korupa and L. luilaka sp. n.), aedeagus with very few scales which are not adjacent to each other (anterior part of aedeagus largely lightly scaled in L. korupa and L. luilaka sp. n.).

Description. Measurements. Length: ♂ 5.4-5.6 mm (n=2); ♀ 6.4 mm (n= 1).

Colouration. Face completely yellow-green, upper half slightly darker tinged compared to the lower half. The anteclypeus has a distinct medial spot. Antenna dark yellow, scapus with a light margin. Eyes dark ochre, ocelli red. Pronotum yellow-green, posterior half darker tinged, scutellum greenish brown with a dark-brown apex. Foreand middle legs dark brown to black. Apex of femur in forelegs whitish. Hindlegs greenish brown with black tarsi. Abdomen dark brown. Forewings uniformly brown, veins concolourous. Hindwings hyaline.

Habitus. Face sparsely covered with short, brownish hairs, with exception of the upper postclypeus; postclypeus covered in minute and shallow punctures. Pleurostome 2.1x as long as gena proper and 1.6x as long as lorum. Head width (incl. eyes) 0.72x width of pronotum. Vertex nearly smooth, lacking median carina. Pronotum moderately humpbacked, lightly punctate, lacking reticulation. Scutellum 1.5x longer than its width; covered with minute punctures and some scattered more distinct punctures, subapically with moderate depression, anterior of this depression with shallow, transverse furrows. Hindlegs with 2 spines. Veins of forewings with sparse pilosity.

Male genitalia. Pygofer heavily sclerotized in dorso-posterior and posterior part, scabrous part covered with brown setae. Dorso-posterior appendage of pygofer short and relatively broad, completely rugosely spinose, apically directed ventrally; length/position somewhat variable. Subgenital plates fused basally, apex broadly rounded, covered with setae. Aedeagus cylindrical at the base, with very few scales; apex laterally flattened, dorsoventrally narrowing towards the tip, apex directed anterodorsally. Parameres small, broadly subtriangular in lateral view, apex rounded, covered with brown setae.

Distribution. Democratic Republic of the Congo: Salonga National Park.

Ecology. No host plants are recorded since the species was only collected on a light trap. All specimens were collected at the transition between a marsh and terra firma forest at approx. 375 masl. On 10.XII.2022, the light trap was positioned on a dry ledge overlooking the marsh forest below. Vegetation was relatively sparse with mostly woody understorey shrubs and treelets. On 12 and 13.XII.2022 the trap was positioned approx. 70m from the previous spot on a straight section of the trail leading West. The trail provided an opening in the dense and diverse understorey allowing the light to disperse further.

Etymology. The specific epithet ‘salonga’ refers to the location where the species was collected, the Salonga National Park.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Labramachaerota salonga sp. n. male habitus, A) left lateral view, B) dorsal view, C) face, ventral view.

FIGURE 9. Labramachaerota salonga sp. n. terminalia,A) pygofer with subgenital plates in lateral view, B) dorsoposterior appendage of pygofer in posterolateral view, C) pygofer with subgenital plates in posterior view.

FIGURE 10. Labramachaerota salonga sp. n. terminalia, A) aedeagus in posterior view, B) aedeagus in lateral view, C) paramere in lateral view.