An extraordinary new genus and three new species of Acostemmini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from Madagascar with comments on the morphology and classification of the tribe Author Zahniser, J. N. Illinois Natural History Survey Prairie Research Institute University of Illinois at Urbana / Champaign 1816 S. Oak St. Champaign, IL 61820 USA. E-mail: zahniser @ illinois. edu zahniser@illinois.edu Author Nielson, M. W. Affiliate Faculty, Monte L. Bean Museum Brigham Young University Provo, UT 84602 USA. E-mail: mwnielz @ gmail. com Corresponding author. E-mail: zahniser @ illinois. edu text Zootaxa 2012 2012-02-28 3209 1 28 52 https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.3209.1.2 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.3209.1.2 1175-5326 5248266 Ikelibeloha gen.n. ( Figs. 1–13 ) Type species: Ikelibeloha cristata sp.n. Description. Head. Head (Figs. 1,2,7) distinctly narrower than pronotum; anteriorly-posteriorly compressed. Crown extremely short; median length less than length next to eyes; delimited anteriorly by a single distinct transverse carina turning ventrad laterally and not reaching eyes; yellowish with darker spots medially on each side and next to eyes; surface irregular; texture finely shagreen in darker areas, glabrous or coarsely striate in lighter pigmented areas. Ocelli ( Fig. 7 ) distant from eyes, closer to each other than to eyes; bases stalked, arising from deep circular pits. Face ( Fig. 7 ) below anterior carina finely shagreen with shallow oblique furrows; texture laterad of ocelli glabrous to rugose with coarse oblique furrows. Frontoclypeus ( Fig. 7 ) long, narrow; with median pit between ocelli; with short, curved lateral carinae next to antennae meeting lateral frontal suture and antennal ledge; texture shagreen or glabrous to rugose. Lateral frontal suture distinctly sulcate below antenna; weakly carinate above antenna; sharply angled at meeting point with antennal ledge; extending or nearly extending to ocellus. Antennal ledges sharply carinate. Antennal bases stalked; antennae long, about 2x width of head. Clypellar suture obscure. Clypellus narrow at base, abruptly expanded apically; apex slightly notched. Lora somewhat tumid, elevated above genae; lateral margins deeply sulcate. Genae broad; margin obtusely angulate, not emarginate below eyes; with deep oblique and swirling furrows; with fine erect seta somewhat distant from laterofrontal suture. Thorax. Pronotum (Figs. 1,2) very large, produced into angulate crest dorsally; texture punctate; with median longitudinal keel. Mesonotum (Figs. 1,2) large, bulbous; deep reddish-brown. Mesoscutellum (Figs. 1,2) produced, with median longitudinal carina on posterior half. Wings. Forewing ( Fig. 2 ) squarish apically; appendix extending around apex; bases of C, claval suture, A1, and A2 thick, with punctate indentations; r-m crossvein obliquely meeting R before separation of R veins; R1 , R2 +3, and R4 +5 diverging from nearly same point; base of outer anteapical cell sharply angled; with or without extra costal vein; inner anteapical cell closed (m-cu crossvein present), somewhat expanded apically; with A1-A2 crossvein. Hindwing venation of normal deltocephaline type (e.g. Plate 39, Fig. 9a of Fieberiella florii in Oman [1949] ); with 4 apical cells; with perpendicular r4+5 - m1+2 crossvein; with oblique m3+4 - cuA crossvein . Legs. Profemur row AV with only scattered fine hairlike setae; intercalary row with one row of long fine setae; row AM with AM1 present near midheight of femur and with or without additional fine setae proximally. Protibia somewhat flattened dorsally; without large macrosetae. Mesotrochanter with scattered fine setae. Mesofemur row AV without distinct setae. Metafemur apical macrosetae 2+1+1+1 (females) or 2+1+1 (male); sometimes with few smaller scattered setae. Metatibia somewhat expanded proximally; dorsal surface flat, without setae between rows; row PD setae not alternating much in length, entire row situated on distinctly raised ledge; row AD with macrosetae intercalated with smaller setae; row AV setae extending from apex to base ~3/4 length of tibia; apical pecten setae relatively small, tapered, of even length. Metatarsomere plantar surface with setae indistinct; apex with 4–5 platellae, outermost seta platellate. Female. Pygofer subquadrate; without macrosetae ( Fig. 10 ). First valvifer rhomboidal in shape ( Fig. 10 ). First valvula not strongly convex ( Fig. 10 ); dorsal sculpturing pattern strigate, reaching dorsal margin ( Fig. 11 ). Second valvula broadening subbasally, broad throughout length ( Fig. 12 ); dorsal teeth obtusely triangular, not serrated, present on over 2/3 of length; in profile, teeth from left and right valvulae alternating ( Fig. 13 ). Third valvula with several small setae ventrally near apex. Male. Pygofer posterior margin incised dorsally to about midlength; apex with group of short stout setae; without basolateral membranous cleft (Figs. 3,8). Valve large; lateral margin long, articulating with pygofer; produced, pointed apically; surface with distinctive microtrichia ( Fig. 9 ). Subgenital plates more or less triangular; ~2x longer than wide; without macrosetae; surface with distinctive microtrichia ( Fig. 9 ). Connective with long stem; anterior arms widely divergent; with ventrally directed anteromedial lobe ( Fig. 4 ). Style linear, anteromedial lobe not pronounced; apophysis with well developed preapical lobe separated from distal hook by weakly sclerotized area; distal hook strongly curved, cheliform, forming narrow angle with preapical lobe ( Fig. 4 ). Aedeagus short, stout; with one shaft and gonopore (Figs. 5,6). Segment X short; with darkly sclerotized band dorsally and laterally 4–5x wider than long; remaining parts lightly sclerotized (Figs. 3,8). FIGURES 1–9. Ikelibeloha cristata gen.n., sp.n. 1–2: female paratype; 3–9: male holotype. 1. dorsal habitus; 2. lateral habitus; 3. pygofer, laterally; 4. connective and style, ventrally; 5. aedeagus, caudally; 6. aedeagus, laterally; 7. face; 8. pygofer, dorsally; 9. valve and subgenital plates, ventrally. FIGURES 10–13. Ikelibeloha cristata gen.n., sp.n. 10. pygofer and 1st valvulae; 11. detail of 1st valvula dorsal sculpturing; 12. second valvulae; 13. detail of second valvulae teeth. Distribution. Madagascar , Province d’Antsiranana Remarks. The specimen illustrated in Fig. 7 has the frontoclypeus texture glabrous to rugose, while the other 3 specimens have the frontoclypeus mostly shagreen. Etymology. The genus is named for the Malagasy word meaning “little big headed one”. The gender is feminine.