Salka nusukuensis Ohara, 2012, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Ohara, Naomichi
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Cicadellidae
Salka
Salka nusukuensis

description: Salka nusukuensis sp. nov.
(Figs. 7, 15, 91–102, 120)
Body infuscated, brown in some paratypes. Vertex pale ochreous, creamy white in some paratypes, bearing black spot posteriorly; face pale ochreous to creamy white; postclypeus brown anteriorly; anteclypeus infuscated. Pronotum with anterior margin and longitudinal median area pale ochreous; mesonotum pale ochreous, with basal triangles black; fore wing pale brown with brochosome field infuscated. Abdomen infuscated.
Vertex 2.2 times as wide as median length; coronal suture indistinct; pronotum 1.9 times as wide as long; mesonotum about as long as pronotum. Male abdominal sternal apodemes not reaching posterior margin of 3rd sternite. Female 7th abdominal sternite quadrilateral, with posterior margin convex at middle with apex dull. Ovipositor (3rd valvulae) slightly extending beyond pygofer.
Body length (mean): 3, 2.9–3.4 mm (3.2 mm); Ƥ, 2.9–3.4 mm (3.2 mm).
Male genitalia (Figs. 92–102). Pygofer oblong caudally, bearing 1–2 macrosetae on dorsal margin, tuft of short macrosetae at lower basal angle and numerous short setae scattered, with dorsal and ventral processes; dorsal process bent dorsad and narrowed at basal half, with apex obtuse; ventral process sinuate near base, tapering, nearly reaching caudal margin. Subgenital plate widened in basal half, straight in apical half, bearing 4 macrosetae. Style slender, with apical extension of apophysis short, ca 0.7 times as long as subapical one, with some minute furrows. Connective U-shaped, with central lobe distinct. Aedeagus strongly bent dorsad near base, bearing pair of asymmetrical apical processes extending laterally; longer apical process bent dorsad near middle; preatrium short; gonopore apical on caudal surface.
Type series. Holotype: 3, Nosoko, Ishigaki Is., Ryukyus, Japan, 29. VI. 2008, M. Hayashi et al. Paratypes: [Ishigaki Is.] 113 25Ƥ, same data as holotype; 13 3Ƥ, same data except 3. VII. 2008; 33 7Ƥ, Mt. Nosoko-dake, 19. I. 2009, M. Hayashi et al.; 6Ƥ, Itona, 2. X. 1995, M. Hayashi et al.; 23 1Ƥ, Tomino, 20. IV. 2005, M. Hayashi et al.; 13, Mt. Yarabu-dake, 14. V. 2000, M. Hayashi et al.; 123 12Ƥ, same data except 29. VI. 2008; 2Ƥ, Mt. Maese-dake, 29. X. 2007, M. Hayashi et al.; 1Ƥ, same data except 30. VI. 2008; 13 1Ƥ, same data except 27. VI. 2009; 143 10Ƥ, same data except 13. II. 2011; 13, same data except 10. III. 2011; [Iriomote Is.] 3Ƥ, Funauki, 15. III. 2000, M. Hayashi leg.; 1Ƥ, Hoshidate, 5. XI. 1985, M. Hayashi et al.; 13 3Ƥ, Shirahama Pass, 29. VI. 2009, M. Hayashi et al.; 3Ƥ, Mitara, 9. III. 2011, M. Hayashi et al.; The holotype is deposited in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan.
Distribution. Japan (Ryukyus: Ishigaki Is., Iriomote Is.).
Remarks. This new species is similar to S. maesatoensis sp. nov., but it is distinguishable by the following characters of male genitalia: dorsal pygofer process large and bent dorsad at apical half; ventral pygofer process short and sinuate; style bearing short apical part of apophysis; aedeagus with pair of apical processes (not an apical one and a subapical one); apical processes extending laterad.
Bionomics. This leafhopper may inhabit peripheries of subtropical forests. The host plants are Viburnum odoratissimum var. awabuki (K. Koch) (Caprifoliaceae) and Zanthoxylum ailanthoides Sieb. et Zucc. (Rutaceae). Adults seem to occur throughout the year.
Etymology. This species is named after the ancient name of the type locality of the holotype.
description: Published as part of Ohara, Naomichi, 2012, Taxonomic study of the Japanese species of the genus Salka Dworakowska (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae), pp. 22-40 in Zootaxa 3281 on pages 35-37, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.280852