A new genus and species of Delphacini (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Argentina
Author
Marino De Remes Lenicov, A. M.
Author
Varela, G.
text
Zootaxa
2014
3861
2
177
184
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3861.2.5
40a7308e-af28-4c66-8bce-39b4e23c4cf8
1175-5326
230714
782DB448-D86E-4BB8-9DB0-3EDB013BED62
Pyrophagus
Remes Lenicov
, new genus
Type
species.
Pyrophagus tigrinus
Remes Lenicov & Varela
,
sp. n.
Description.
Blackish, yellow-cream marked delphacids. Vertex as long as wide, lateral margins subparalleled but expanded laterally before and behind eyes, basal compartment twice as wide at hind margin at its greatest length, about 0.4 times length of vertex. Fastigium not or scarcely projected before eyes, evenly rounded to frons in profile. Arms of submedian carina meeting acuminately just anterior to fastigium; submedian frontal carina simple, rather thick at base; frons twice longer than wide, slightly constricted between eyes, lateral margins slightly convex; post- and anteclypeus together slightly shorter than frons, rostrum extending to metacoxa; antennal segments cylindrical, slender, surpassing frontoclypeal suture.
Pronotum at midlength shorter than vertex, lateral carinae distinct, posterolaterally directed, slightly curved, not reaching posterior margin. Disc of mesoscutum 3 times longer than scutellum; mesonotal lateral and median carinae short, subparalleled, becoming obsolete at middle of mesonotum. Tegulae conspicuous. Post-tibial spur slender, narrowing distally, bearing many black-tipped teeth on outer margin (
22 in
holotype
) plus apical tooth. Postbasitarsus as long as post-tarsal segments II and III together, spinal formula of hind leg 5-7-4.
Male genitalia
. Pygofer dorsally short, ventrally long, ovate in caudal view, nearly twice higher than its
maximum
width; dorsolateral margins expanded in subquadrate angle, ventrolateral margins distinctly sinuous in profile; medioventral process strong, subquadrate and protruding dorsocaudally; diaphragma uniformly sclerotized, wider at middle of genital segment, dorsal margin with medial protuberance slightly rounded and caudally protruded. Aedeagus short and tubular, broader and slightly compressed in basal 1/3; in lateral view slightly dorsocaudally directed, ending in strongly bent, laterobasally directed spinose process; phallotreme subapical and elongate. Parameres S-shaped, dorsolaterad directed, tips moderately convergent apically. Connective elongate and slightly sinuate, joined ventrally at base of aedeagus. Suspensorium forming short, rectangular plate, ventrally embracing base of aedeagal shaft. Anal segment short, ringlike, ventro-caudal margin armed with two ventrocaudally directed, basally separated processes.
Female genitalia.
Ovipositor short, not surpassing anal segment; valvifers VIII expanded basally to form inner lobe; without visible genital scale; gonapophyses IX slender, dorsally finely denticulated, anal style moderately short.
This new genus includes a single species,
P. tigrinus
Remes Lenicov & Varela
,
sp. n.
, the
type
species by original designation.
Etymology
. The generic name is derived from the Greek
pyro-
, combining
pyr,
meaning "fire", plus
phagus
, also from the Greek, referring to feeding. The gender is masculine. This name was chosen in reference to the strong preference of the
type
species which feed on cultivated gramineous plants in the warm regions of
Argentina
.
Remarks.
Pyrophagus
shares a few features with other Neotropical
Delphacini
. It resembles
Euides
Fieber, 1866
and
Tarophagus
Zimmerman,
1948
in the following characters: the pygofer bearing ventral median process; the aedeagus with parallelled sides and ending in spinose process; and the anal segment armed.
Pyrophagus
can be distinguished from
Euides
by the vertex comparatively shorter, with the submedian carina meeting acuminately just anterior to the fastigium; carination on frons distinctive and noticeably contrasting in color; the male genitalia with well-developed diaphragm; suspensorium short and the anal segment with the processes basally separated. Females of
Pyrophagus
resemble those of
Tarophagus
species in the basal inner projection of valvifer VIII but can be separated from latter by the lack of the distinctive longitudinal pale stripe on the vertex and thorax; the frontal median carina simple and the fastigium rounded and shorter.