Northern Apennines as centre of speciation: a new Verdanus species group (Hemiptera, Cicadomorpha, Cicadellidae) from Italy and its phylogenetic relationships with V. bensoni and the V. limbatellus group Author Guglielmino, Adalgisa Author Bückle, Christoph text Zootaxa 2009 2264 1 22 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.190799 a419656c-eebb-4f69-9db4-f254cf9b1e91 1175-5326 190799 Verdanus ( Erdianus ) saurosus sp. nov. ( Figs. 5 E–H) Description: As in V. tyrannus , but lateral aedeagus processes dorsally bent, lobe-shaped and shifted in median position ( Figs. 5 E-H). Measurements : Males. Total body length (from vertex to tip of fore wings) 3.9-4.25 mm ; width of head including eyes 1.27-1.28 mm ; length of vertex 0.52-0.57 mm ; length of pronotum 0.47-0.50 mm ; width of pronotum 1.15-1.17 mm ; length of genital plates 0.43-0.44 mm ; length of aedeagus shaft (from basis to phallotrema) 0.32-0.35 mm . - Females. Total body length (from vertex to tip of fore wings) 4.15-4.35 mm ; width of head including eyes 1.33-1.43 mm ; length of vertex 0.62-0.65 mm ; length of pronotum 0.5-0.55 mm ; width of pronotum 1.2-1.37 mm . Type series : Holotype Male: Italy , Toscana (Lucca); Alpi Apuane, M. Corchia, southern slope; ~ 1500m ; 16/8/2008 ; pastures with Brachypodium , Sesleria , Poa , Festuca , Nardus ; Guglielmino & Bückle leg. (loc. 434). Paratypes : same data as holotype , 6 males , 30 females . Type material deposited in Dipartimento di Protezione delle Piante, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy (Guglielmino’s collection) (CG). Geographic distribution : V. saurosus is so far known only from M. Corchia (southern Alpi Apuane) ( Fig. 1 : triangle), at an altitude of about 1500m . Biology : Adults were collected in August in mountain meadows characterized by the presence of Brachypodium (perhaps one of its host plants), Festuca , Sesleria and other Poaceae ( Fig. 2 B). Probably univoltine. Remarks: In general appearance, shape, size, proportions, degree of brachyptery, colouration and markings of body, legs, and fore wings, female and most parts of male genitalia as V. tyrannus . The diagnostic character of this species consists in the shape, direction and above all in the position of the lateral processes of the aedeagus shaft, which are shifted from a subapical to a median position and are bent dorsally ( Figs. 5 E-H). The apical aedeagus appendages are similar in form, direction and orientation to those of V. tyrannus , somewhat more bent in dorsal direction. The shaft is stouter and less curved than in V. tyrannus .