Scaralina obrienae Yanega & Van Dam 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Yanega, Douglas
name: Goemans, Geert
name: Dam, Matthew Van
name: Gómez-Marco, Francesc
name: Hoddle, Mark
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Fulgoridae
Scaralina
Scaralina obrienae

description: Scaralina obrienae Yanega & Van Dam, sp. nov.
(Figs 5, 23, 37, 52, 67, 79, 88)
Etymology. This species is named to honor Lois O’Brien, a prominent researcher on Fulgoroidea, who was helpful throughout the present study, including supplying much of the material of this species.
Diagnosis. Many specimens of this taxon resemble the specimens of S. orientalis from northeastern Mexico, but in addition to the apparent allopatric distribution, some structural features, including the male gonostyli, rounded upper frons, and expanded lower frons, along with some coloration features such as the medially pale clypeus, suggest that it is more than just a geographic variant. As in marmorata, there is considerable variation in coloration between the various Mesoamerican populations (especially in the development of the orange coloration of the basal and claval regions of the forewing, and also the frons and clypeus), though they tend to be quite consistent at any given locality. For example, specimens from Guerrero have the frons pale with dark spots, while nearly all other populations have at least half the frons completely dark. Guatemalan specimens often have the frons almost entirely dark. One Guatemalan specimen entirely lacks the basal band on the forewing (both the dark and pale portions), but is otherwise identical to specimens collected at the same time and place. Specimens from Tejupilco and Calvillo have much more yellow on the abdomen, and some differences in the male gonostyli, so they are only tentatively associated with this species.
This is one of several taxa that show unmistakable affinities to S. marmorata in structural details, and while extremely similar, it is different enough to suggest they are not truly conspecific. In particular, the recognition of this taxon as distinct relies in large part upon the diagnostic utility of the male gonostyli, because if coloration alone were to be used as a guide, many localized color variants might be segregated and named if approached more typologically, or more apparent intergradation that might lead to consolidation if done conservatively. For example, while obrienae is fairly consistent in appearance from Guerrero and Chiapas through Guatemala, specimens from intermediate areas such as Jalisco and Aguascalientes show coloration more similar to orientalis, but the frons and male anatomy suggest they belong within obrienae. Any subdivisions will require much more extensive geographic sampling, or genetic analyses, or both. We suspect that this species will be found to feed on Quercus laurina or Q. affinis.
Description. Head (Figs 37, 52). Rim of vertex mostly pale; three very broad pale marks anteriorly, otherwise black; supra-ocular lobes pale apically; posterior rim mostly pale, except darkened adjacent to supra-ocular lobes; dark spots of vertex posterior in position; black markings very well-defined and restricted to lateral bands and posterior spots. Frons with a narrow pale upper margin, black just below this (pale markings at corner of frontal crease near ocellus evanescent), and the ground color near the lower margin variable, most typically a little less dark, except for darker spots surrounding setal bases, but sometimes almost entirely black, and occasionally significantly paler than upper frons. Lateral margin of frons slightly concave, lower lobes slightly expanded. Clypeus typically extensively pale (Fig. 37), though even the darkest specimens are pale-marked along midline and just laterad of midline. Rostrum typical for genus.
Thorax (Fig. 52):Pronotum ground color pale, orange-tinted tan, dark markings generally very highly contrasting; post-ocular pronotal spots well-defined, large; midline of dorsal pronotal face pale, with black submedian bands curving laterally towards posterior, and anterolateral corners also black. Mesonotum center mostly pale, black markings relatively extensive otherwise; medial carina low; lateral carinae pale, almost straight, very slightly sinuate anteriorly or posteriorly; posterior mesonotal lobe rounded. Dorsal setae long. Legs as in generic diagnosis, markings also highly contrasting.
Wings (Figs 5, 23, 67). Forewings with dark markings on basal half of 1st claval vein somewhat interrupted; a narrow, continuous dark transverse patch from costa to clavus, at the level of the first branch of M (which is abbreviated relative to other species), and semi-translucent orange basal markings in the membrane; postcostal cell black with well-defined, small, pale orange spots throughout; remainder of wing quite clear, with very limited, faint spotting. Costal crossveins relatively few, mostly straight or slightly arcuate but oblique, very obscure or absent in basal half or more of cell; M with 2–3 main branches (generally 2), crossveins between them mostly straight, widely spaced, making exceptionally large, elongate-rectangular cells; at first branch of M, M is closer to CuA than to Sc; CuA with 3–4 branches, rarely more than 1 of these coming directly off of CuA, and the first branch typically precedes the claval vein juncture; greatest distance between Pcu and A 1 veins exceeds greatest distance between A 1 and wing margin; fused vein posterior to juncture very short. Hind wing hyaline except base, which is orange.
Abdomen (Fig. 23) Aside from posterolateral pale markings, the dorsum and venter both nearly solid black throughout most of the range, though occasional Mexican specimens may have some pale markings more medially on the terga. The female supra-anal plate is large and typically somewhat lighter apicomedially, merging with the pale lateral markings.
Male terminalia (Figs 79, 88). Gonostyli black apically, varying medially from largely pale to almost entirely black. Dorsal margin of gonostyle incurved strongly near the setose bulge, and at almost a right angle to the margin, and there is a strong curving but almost transverse ridge on the dorsal incurved surface separating the medial portion from the relatively short apical portion. Dorsal setose bulge very prominently convex and shelf-like, at a right angle to the side of the gonostyle, setae generally dark, short, and varying slightly in density, often appearing sparser than in other taxa. Lateral hook strong, apically curved, basal ridge feebly arcuate, often almost straight, and typically with a few very short setae.
Type material. Holotype, male: GUATEMALA: Baja Verapaz: “km 156 on road to Coban,” 19.ix.1990, P. Hubbell (ASULOB).
Paratypes (38 specimens) as follows: GUATEMALA: Alta Verapaz: “ Reserva conservacion de orquideas, ORQUIGONIA, 1460m,” 15°26’17”N, 90°24’44”W, 5.vii.2015, J. Monzón, 1M (UVGC); same data but 27.xi.2017, J. Monzón, Z. Falin, 1M (UVGC); Baja Verapaz: “km 156 on road to Coban,” 19.ix.1990,P. Hubbell, 1F (ASULOB); same but 15.v.1991, P. Hubbell, 1M (GGCB 0171); same but “Hotel Posada Montaña del Quetzal,” Purulhá, 1600m, 16.xi.2004, G. Goemans, 1M (GGCB 0264); same but 1646m, 15°11’45”N, 90°12’27”W, 15.ix.2009, J. Monzón, 1F (UVGC); 6 km E Purulhá, 26–31.v.1989, J.E. Wappes, 1F (ASULOB); El Progreso: “ Cerro Pinalon, Bosque Pino, 2219m,” 15°04’22”N, 89°56’53”W, 16–18.v.2010, J. Monzón, B. Sutton, G. Steck, P. Skelley, 6M (UVGC); Guatemala: [illegible] 15.v.1996, J. Schuster, 1M (GGCB 0175); Huehuetenango: Aldea Chiaque, 2040m, 15°10’10”N, 91°30’0”W, 16.viii.2018, D.C. Hawks, 1M (UCRC ENT 516400); same, but 18.vii.2012, J. Monzón 1F, 1M (UCRC ENT 516379 & 516380); Aguacatán, 2000m, at light, viii.2000, J. Monzón, 1M (GGCB 0269); Sacatepequez: “ San Cristobal El Bajo Finca El Pilar, arriba 2175m,” 14°32’03”N, 90°41’35”W, 12.vi.2009, J. Monzón, F.R. Camposeco, 1F, 3M (UVGC); Zacapa: “ 5 km SE La Union town, Finca Los Chorros, 1474m,” 14°56’33”N, 89°16’33”W, 13.vii.2011, J. Monzón, F.R. Camposeco, 1F, 1M (UVGC); MEXICO: Chiapas: “ 9 mi N Teopisca on Pan Am Hwy,” at light, 31.v.1987, W.B. Warner, 1M (ASULOB; dissected); “ Hwy 199 11 km NE Sn Cristóbal,” 8000 ft, at MV and UV, 28.v.1987, D.A. Rider, E.G. & T.J. Riley, 1M (ASULOB); 8 mi SE San Cristóbal, 17.v.1969, J.M. Campbell, 1F (CNC); 10 mi NE San Cristóbal, 5.v.1969, H.J. Teskey, 1F (CNC); 10 mi E San Cristóbal, 10–14.ix.1985, B. Ratcliffe, C. Messenger, 1F (UNSM); Lago de Montebello, 15.vi.1986, Reifschneider, 1M (UNSM); Guerrero: near Taxco, “from swifts WNS-1985-3, HO-31B,” 27–30.vi.1985, D.F. Whitacre, 1M (ASULOB); 6 km NE Ximilcotitlán, 2065m, 17°22’13”N, 99°23’39”W, 5–7.viii.2018, J. Monzón, D.C. Hawks, 3F, 2M (UCRC ENT 516395–99); Hidalgo: “ Hwy 105, 9 mi N Metzquititlan,” 6700 ft, 16.vi.1983, C.W. & L. O’Brien, G.B. Marshall, 1F with strepsipteran (ASULOB); Jalisco: Paso de Guadalupe, 10 mi N Guadalajara, at light, 5.vii.1958, D.R. Giller, 1M (INHS 96444).
Additional material examinated (not on map). MEXICO: Aguascalientes: Calvillo, 5.vii.1984, Carroll, Schaffner, Friedlander, Woolley, at light, 1M (ASULOB; dissected); México: Tejupilco, Temescaltepec, vii.1932, H. Hinton (CAS; dissected); same but 17.vi.1933, 1M (UDCC _ NRI 9297); Michoacán: Morelia, 1917m, 15.viii.2022 (iNaturalist obs. # 131019897); one damaged male specimen labeled “COLUMBIA, Bogota, Dec 1931 ” (ASULOB), presumably mislabeled.
Distribution. Widely distributed in eastern and central Mexico, south to Guatemala; Guadalajara in Jalisco is as far north and west as any definitively confirmed specimens have been found, though this may be refined with better sampling.
description: Published as part of Yanega, Douglas, Goemans, Geert, Dam, Matthew Van, Gómez-Marco, Francesc & Hoddle, Mark, 2024, Description of a new genus of North and Central American planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) with fourteen new species, pp. 1-53 in Zootaxa 5443 (1) on pages 40-41, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5443.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/10997023