A Revision of the Yoyetta abdominalis (Distant) Species Group of Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettinae), Introducing Eight New Species
Author
Emery, David L.
Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney NSW 2006, Australia
Author
Emery, Nathan J.
Australian PlantBank, Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan NSW 2567, Australia
Author
Popple, Lindsay W.
Entomology Section, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane Qld 4101, Australia
text
Records of the Australian Museum
2019
2019-10-02
71
7
277
347
journal article
10.3853/j.2201-4349.71.2019.1720
2201-4349
4654120
0C138CF3-68E5-4A22-A46E-3DDC57F0FD2E
Yoyetta kershawi
(
Goding & Froggatt, 1904
)
stat. rev., comb. nov.
Figs 2H
,
3L
,
10C
,
13
,
14
Melampsalta kershawi
Goding & Froggatt, 1904: 636
;
Distant, 1906: 176
.
Synonym of
Melampsalta denisoni
Ashton, 1912: 25
;
Burns, 1957: 650
;
Moulds and Cowan, 2002: 26
.
The
holotype
of
Y. kershawi
stat. rev., comb. nov.
is a female from Marysville in
Victoria
. Males from the vicinity of type locality and elsewhere in
Victoria
consistently have a markedly different shaped aedeagus from the
holotype
of
Y. denisoni
(see
Fig. 10
), as well as other specimens matching
Y. denisoni
from
New South Wales
(e.g.,
Fig. 9
). Males with an aedeagus shape characteristic of
Y. denisoni
have not been found in
Victoria
. On the basis of this morphological difference, we hereby raise
Y. kershawi
stat. rev., comb. nov.
from synonymy.
Material examined
.
VICTORIA
:
Holotype
female (by monotypy), [handwritten]
“
Melampsalta kershawi
”
, “GandF
♀
type” / “Marysville” [no collector or date] / “Det by
Goding & Froggatt, 1904
” (T14237,
MMV
).
1♂
2♀♀
,
Country Fire Authority Station
,
Toolangi
,
37°32'32"S
145°28'29"E
,
436m
,
11.i.2017
,
S. Emery
&
T.Corbin
(at light);
2♂♂
2♀♀
, same location,
27.xii.2018
,
S. Emery
&
T. Corbin
(at light) (T 22393–4 [
♀
], T22935–6 [
♂
]);
8♂♂
,
Tennyson Creek
,
5 km
NW of Buldah
,
Vic
,
37°14'S
149°07'E
,
1–16.i.1982
, ANZSES
Expedition
(
HEM
2545–53
) (
MMV
);
1♂
,
38°55'S
146°22'E
, nr
Barrys Ck
,
Wilsons Promontory
,
Vic
,
3.i.1989
,
J. Balderson
;
2♂♂
,
36°56'S
148°12'E
,
3 km
NNE Mt Wombago
, E of
Benambra
,
Vic.
,
29.xii.1983
, 1417 m,
K. W. L. Key
, ANIC
Database Nos
20 010696, 20 010700 (
ANIC
);
1♂
,
Fernshaw
, 11.xii.[19]26, E.B.;
1♂
,
Belgrave
,
1.i.1949
,
N. I. A. Webb
(
UQIC
);
1♀
,
S Gippsland
, (no date) (Ashton collection;
AM
K.307127);
2♂♂
,
Dunmoochin
,
1.5 km
NE Cottles Bridge
,
37°37'23"S
145°13'13"E
,
27.x.1998
,
F. Douglas
;
23♂♂
4♀♀
,
Country Fire Authority Station
,
Toolangi
,
37°32'32"S
145°28'29"E
,
436m
,
11.i.2017
,
S. Emery
&
T. Corbin
(at light);
12♂♂
4♀♀
, same location,
27.xii.2018
,
S. Emery
&
T. Corbin
(at light);
1♀
,
Dandenong Range National Park
.
,
28.xii.2016
,
L. Rogan
(DE);
1♂
,
Morwell National Park
,
31.i.1995
,
K. Harris
, 510-0001;
1♀
,
Dandenong Range
,
Lyrebird
track,
37°53'10"S
145°22'15"E
,
27.xii.2010
,
A. Thornhill
, 510-0011 (
LWP
);
6♂♂
8♀♀
,
N. Walkerville
,
28.xii.1988
,
H. Abbott
;
3♂♂
3♀♀
, same data,
2.i.1989
;
1♂
, same data,
9.i.1989
;
1♂
, same data,
10.i.1989
;
1♂
1♀
, same data,
13.i.1989
;
1♂
, same data,
16.i.1989
;
1♂
, same data,
27.xii.1989
;
2♀♀
, same data,
27.xii.1988
;
1♂
,
Reeves Beach
, nr
Woodside
,
16.i.1989
,
H.Abbott
;
8♂♂
1♀
,
10 km
E of Warburton
,
6.i.1987
,
G. & J. Burns
;
6♂♂
3♀♀
,
Mt Oberon
,
2.i.1989
,
K. L. Dunn
;
5♂♂
3♀♀
,
Mt Oberon
,
Wilsons Prom.
,
2.i.1989
,
K. L. Dunn
, found dead;
2♂♂
,
Healesville
,
25.i.1992
,
C. Rojewski
;
1♂
,
Norman Bay
, tidal river,
Wilsons Promontory
,
14.i.1986
,
K. L. Dunn
;
1♀
,
Hurstbridge
,
2.i.1986
,
T. R. New
;
1♀
,
Waldron Mtn
, near
Cann River
,
31.xii.1975
,
M. S. Moulds
;
2♂♂
,
Warburton
,
14.xii.2007
,
Stephen Smith
;
2♂♂
, same data,
7.i.2011
;
4♂♂
,
Starvation Ck
,
McMahons Creek township
,
1.i.2011
,
Stephen Smith
;
4♂♂
, same data,
9.i.2011
;
3♂♂
4♀♀
,
Starvation Ck
, nr
McMahons Ck township
,
37°45'S
145°51'E
,
23.xii.2007
,
S. Smith
;
1♀
, same data,
25.xii.2007
(
MSM
).
NEW SOUTH WALES
:
10♂♂
16♀♀
,
Frank Tetley Park
, nr
Fred Piper Lookout
,
Brown Mtn
, nr
Bega
,
9–12.i.1982
,
M. S. & B. J. Moulds
(
MSM
).
Distribution, habitat and seasonality
. This species inhabits cool temperate eucalypt forest in far southern
New South Wales
and northern and eastern
Victoria
where it extends from east Gippsland south and west through the Great Dividing Range to the Greater Melbourne region and Wilsons Promontory (
Fig. 5
). Adults are present between November and January and occur principally in the upper canopy. Most specimens have been collected at light. Large emergences are known to occur, although these appear to be infrequent.
Figure 13
.
Yoyetta kershawi
(Goding & Froggatt)
stat. rev., comb. nov.
(A)
male Toolangi, (37°32'S 145°28'E) dorsal habitus;
(B)
male Toolangi, ventral habitus;
(C)
male, Dunmoochin (35°16'S 145°06'E), dorsal habitus;
(D)
holotype female, Marysville (37°30'S 145°44'E), dorsal habitus;
(E)
, female Toolangi, (37°32'S 145°28'E) dorsal habitus;
(F)
female Toolangi, (37°32'S 145°28'E) ventral habitus. Scale bars = 10 mm.
Description
Male
(
Figs 13
A–C, 14).
Head
approximately as wide as mesonotum; most specimens predominantly dull black, with a brown to orange-brown central marking on posterior dorsal area extending between lateral ocelli and through dorsal postclypeus; ocelli pink to red; postclypeus predominantly black, with circular dull reddish-brown markings above either side of central orange line, black transverse grooves below with orange-brown lateral and posterior margins, rounded laterally; lora black; gena black; anteclypeus black; rostrum black anteriorly, variably ochraceous centrally, black at apex, extending to posterior margin of middle coxae; eyes brown to dull black; antennae black, supra-antennal plates black.
Thorax
almost entirely black (or sometimes a mix of dark brown and black); pronotum predominantly black, paramedian and lateral fissures black with intermediate ridges variably dull orange-brown laterally on lighter coloured specimens; pronotal collar black, brown in some specimens, sometimes with central lateral section ochraceous posteriorly. Mesonotum black, cruciform elevation arms black, lateral depressions brown; scutal depressions black; parapsidal sutures black; metanotum black.
Legs
with coxae black; coxal joints bright red; meracantha small creamy, pointed, black at base, partly overlapping opercula; trochanters red; meron reddish; fore femora striped black and red; mid and hind femora with lateral and anterior surfaces black, inner side ochraceous to dark brown; femoral joints orange to pale yellow; tibiae black to dark brown laterally becoming ochraceous medially and towards base, with fore tibial spines black, mid and hind tibial spines variably pale brown and black at tips; tarsal joints orange;
Figure 14
.
Yoyetta kershawi
(Goding & Froggatt)
stat. rev., comb. nov.
: illustration of
male pygofer and internal genitalia;
(a)
viewed laterally from the left;
(b)
viewed ventrally;
(c)
aedeagus;
(d)
apex of theca, viewed laterally from left; and
(e)
apex of theca, viewed
ventrally. Characters as depicted in
Fig. 4
. Specimen from Toolangi (
37°32'S
145°28'E
).
tarsi dark brown, becoming black towards claws; claws brown, black at tips.
Wings
with fore wing costal veins typically black (sometimes brown); pterostigma with reddish-brown mottling; basal membranes vivid red; basal cell translucent brown; veins mainly black to dark brown, with eight apical cells; hind wing plaga white, extending over medial third of anal lobe, remainder of anal lobe diffuse white, veins mainly brown, CuA black proximally, brown after junction, with six apical cells.
Opercula
(
Fig. 3L
) medium, spatulate, following body axis ventrolaterally; black at bases, red over remainder, including crests; clearly separated.
Timbals
(
Fig. 2H
) with five distinct long ribs, long ribs 1–4 each spanning across timbal membrane and fused dorsally along basal spur; long rib 4 narrowing over third quarter; long rib 5 noticeably shorter than other long ribs; large ridged dome on posterior timbal plate extending across two-thirds of timbal; apodeme pit oval-shaped and conspicuous.
Abdomen
with tergites 1–7 black, tergite 8 black, lateral margins red. Epipleurites black. Sternite I black, partly ochraceous around inner surface of tympanal cavity; sternite II black with small central ochraceous marking; sternites III–VII black, posterior margin of sternite VII red; sternite VIII black on anterior margin, bright red over remainder, with black to pale brown pubescence.
Genitalia
(
Figs 10C
,
14
). Pygofer mainly black; dorsal beak black, upper lobe prominent, pointed, red at tip; basal lobe dark brown to black; anal styles bright red. Uncus red, in lateral view beak-like and stumpy; lobes in ventral view less produced, rounded laterally; claspers divided, closely applied, with apices gradually tapering laterally. Aedeagus with pseudoparameres extending around half the length of theca; theca gradually recurved ventrally at 180° towards apex, with translucent flanges along outer margin of recurvature, these smooth dorsally,> 2× diameter of theca, tapering towards apex of theca; apex transparent, sclerotized, knob-like, sometimes weakly bifurcate (
Fig. 10C
), with multiple small cornuti on ventral border.
Female
(
Fig. 13
D–F).
Head
and
thorax
similar to male, generally with blacker coloration. Colour morphology ranges from brown to black (
Figs 13
D– E).
Wings
similar to male, with basal membranes typically vivid red.
Abdomen
with tergites 1–8 black. Sternites I–VIII black, red posterior margin on Sternite VIII; abdominal segment 9 black dorsally with two small, orange, triangular spots either side of midline, orange laterally with posterior black spot, red ventrally, dorsal beak black; anal styles and ovipositor sheath red; ovipositor dark brown to black, extending up to approximately
1 mm
beyond dorsal beak.
Measurements
(in mm; range with mean in parentheses:
12 males
,
8 females
). Body length: male 24.5–28.4 (26.6); female 25.6–28.0 (27.0). Fore wing length: male 28.2–32.4 (30.0); female 30.6–34.5 (32.5). Head width: male 6.8–7.3 (6.9); female 7.2–8.0 (7.6). Pronotum width: male 6.5–7.0 (6.8); female 7.5–8.2 (7.8). Abdomen width: male 6.8–7.8 (7.4); female 7.6–8.9 (8.2). Ovipositor length: 8.2–9.0 (8.7).
Colour forms
.
Yoyetta kershawi
stat. rev., comb. nov.
occurs in two broad colour forms: brown and black. The brown form (as per the “
type
” female and
Fig. 13D
) is characterized by a mixture of brown and black colouration on the thorax and brown along the costal veins (
Fig. 13A,B,E,F
). The black strongly predominates, particularly in male specimens.
Distinguishing features
. Apart from
Yoyetta denisoni
and
Y. timothyi
sp. nov.
,
Y. kershawi
stat. rev., comb. nov.
is readily distinguished morphologically from all other species of
Yoyetta
in the abdominalis group using the following combination of characters: (1) large size with body length>
23 mm
and forewing length>
28 mm
; (2) contrasting black and red markings with red coloration confined to coxal joints and fore femora, basal membranes, sternite VIII and opercula (male), coxal joints, fore femora and ventral and lateral surfaces of abdominal segment 9 (female); (3) black coloration of sternites. Males of
Y. kershawi
stat. rev., comb. nov.
can be distinguished from
Y. denisoni
and the black colour form of
Y. timothyi
sp. nov.
by the simple, knob-like apex of the aedeagus, in contrast to the terminus of the other two species, which is heavily bifurcated and splayed into two lateral arms. Females of
Y. kershawi
stat. rev., comb. nov.
can be distinguished from
Y. timothyi
sp. nov.
by examining the basal membranes of the fore wings, which are vivid red to pink (cf. orange, pale orange-white in
Y. timothyi
sp. nov.
). Females of
Y. kershawi
may be indistinguishable from
Y. denisoni
,
although the latter species is separated geographically, apparently being restricted to
New South Wales
.
Calling song
. The calling song of
Y. kershawi
stat. rev., comb. nov.
has not been recorded to date.