Zammara conflutrimacula Sanborn 2023, n. sp.
Creators: name: Sanborn, Allen F.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Cicadidae
Zammara
Zammara conflutrimacula

description: Zammara conflutrimacula n. sp.
(Fig. 1)
Zammara strepens (non Amyot & Audinet-Serville) Thouvenot 2007: 13–14, Fig. 2.
Type material. Holotype. “ FRENCH GUIANA: Kourou / Commune Espace Chawari, / RN1 pk 70, 5º 05’ 47.61”N / 52º 46’22.34”W, 17-X-2020 / Light trap, J. Lapèze coll.” male (FSCA).
Remarks. The previous identification (Thouvenot 2007) of the species as Zammara strepens is incorrect based on the two tarsi present in this new species and the three tarsi of Orellana strepens (Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843). There has been confusion historically as to the number of tarsi present in species and genera of Zammarini. Goemans (2016) provides a detailed history of the confusion and suggested that Zammara strepens be reassigned to Orellana Distant, 1905a after studying the holotype of the species. The reassignment of the species to Orellana became official earlier this year (Sanborn 2023) based on the presence of the three segmented tarsi. The new species has two-segmented tarsi and thus cannot represent a species of Orellana. In addition, the new species is smaller, has reduced fore wing infuscation, and smaller piceous markings when compared to Orellana strepens. The image in Thouvenot (2007) matches the holotype and is considered to be another example of the new species.
Goemans (2016) gave a probable identification of Zammara hertha Schmidt, 1919 for Thouvenot’s (2007) specimen. Zammara hertha is known from Ecuador and Peru (Goemans 2016; Sanborn 2020a, c) and lacks the interconnecting spots of infuscation on the distal fore wing radius anterior 2, radius posterior and median vein 1 found in the new species. In addition, the posterior opening to the dorsal timbal cavity is smoothly curved and the timbal cover does not extend anteriorly under the base of the hindwing in the new species.
Etymology. The name is a combination of conflu - (L. confluus, flowing together, uniting), - tri - (L. tri-, thrice) and - macula (L., macula, spot, stain, mark) in reference to the proximal fusion of the spots of infuscation on the distal radius anterior 2, radius posterior and median vein 1 of the forewing.
Description. Ground color green marked with piceous and castaneous. Green altered to tawny in softening jar. Turquoise along posterior of dorsal abdominal segments, legs, opercula, posterior ventral segments, and proximolateral sternite VIII in live specimen (Figs. 1G and 1H).
Head. Head not as wide as mesonotum, ground color with castaneous fascia extending from medial ocell to supra-antennal plate along anterior arm of epicranial suture, expanding posteriorly over anterior vertex from anterior terminus to anterior cranial depression, short castaneous fascia extending anterolaterally from anterior cranial depression halfway across vertex, supraantennal plate ground color with castaneous spot on medial half not including margins, piceous surrounding ocelli, posterior cranial depression castaneous, dark castaneous spot on posterior angle of median eye. Head covered with sparse, short piceous and golden pile dorsally, long golden pile posterior to eye. Ocelli ochraceous ringed with rosaceous, eyes castaneous. Ventral head ground color, gena with castaneous fascia extending from medial eye towards lorum not reaching margin, castaneous anteromedial spot around base of antennae, lorum ground color with castaneous mark on anteromedial corner connecting to castaneous centraland posterior regions. Postclypeus weakly sulcate posteroventrally, ground color with castaneous fascia along midline expanding on central ventral surface not reaching apex, dorsal anterior margin castaneous with small fascia extending onto anterior ventral surface, twelve transverse ridges castaneous. Anteclypeus ground color with castaneous anterolateral corner, short castaneous fascia on either side of midline on middle carina. Short golden pile on gena, lorum, lateral postclypeus and lateral anteclypeus, long golden pile radiating from gena, lorum and anteclypeus, short white pile on anterior lorum and lateral gena, longer white pile ventral to eye. Mentum ground color with castaneous fascia along distal midline and castaneous spot on either side of distal half not reaching distal margin, labrum dark castaneous, labium ground color with lateral castaneous spot at base, castaneous along midline, becoming castaneous then piceous distally, reaching to distal hind trochanters. Scape, pedicel and first flagellar segment piceous, remaining antennal segments ground color.
Thorax. Dorsal thorax ground color marked with castaneous and piceous. Prothorax with castaneous fascia on midline expanding anteriorly and posteriorly, thin piceous fascia on dorsal midline within castaneous fascia, castaneous within fissures, mark in paramedian fissure curving onto disk terminating anterior to median terminus of lateral fissure, fascia in lateral fissure connecting to posterior ambient fissure, castaneous within ambient fissure except posterior to medial paramedian fissures, short golden pile and short piceous pile on disc and within fissures. Pronotal collar ground color, castaneous expanding from midline fascia onto anteromedial pronotal collar, castaneous expanding from lateral ambient fissure onto lateral part of pronotal collar, posterior lateral angle margin marked with piceous, covered with short golden and short piceous pile, denser laterally, pronotum width about 1.63X head width. Mesothorax ground color, submedian sigillae castaneous with ground color medial margin connecting across anterior midline, castaneous on disc posterior to submedian sigillae, mark extending anteriorly as thin fascia between submedian sigillae, posteriorly on midline towards but not reaching cruciform elevation, posterolateral regions extending posteriorly to encircle castaneous scutal depressions, anteromedial and posteromedial lateral sigillae castaneous, posteromedial mark continuing posteriorly to posterior mesothoracic margin, dark castaneous spot on anterolateral lateral sigilla, cruciform elevation ground color with piceous marks on either side of anterior arms of cruciform elevation, cruciform elevation posterior margin piceous, posterior lateral mesonotum ground color, posterior wing groove ground color with anterior piceous mark. Short golden pile on disc, longer and denser golden pile in wing groove. Metanotum ground color with medial and lateral castaneous spots. Ventral thoracic segments ground color, with castaneous fascia on basisterna and episternam 2 and 3, castaneous spots on anterior katepisternum 2, medial anepisternum 2. Thoracic sternites covered with short white pile and radiating long golden pile and white pubescence.
Wings. Fore wings and wings hyaline. Costa and radius & subcostal vein ground color at base becoming castaneous distally, remaining venation tawny becoming castaneous distally, arculus and posterior anal veins 2+3 piceous, castaneous mark on base of costa, anterior base of radius & subcostal vein, base of cubitus anterior, base of cubitus posterior + anal vein 1, and distal node. Basal cell green, pterostigma present, infuscation on medial vein at divergence of median vein 3+4, across median vein posterior to node, across radius posterior from middle of ulnar cell 1 to distal ulnar cell 2, on medial crossvein, on mediocubital crossvein, on radial crossvein extending anteriorly across radius anterior 2 and proximal apical cell 1 to radius anterior 1, on distal radius anterior 2, radius posterior and median vein 1 with proximal portions of these spots fusing, spot on radius posterior 2 expanding across distal apical cell 1 to radius anterior 1, spot on distal median vein 3 and distal cubitus anterior 1, basal membrane of fore wing grayish with piceous posterior margin. Hindwing venation piceous except ground color bases of radius posterior, cubitus posterior and anal vein 3, cubitus anterior castaneous. Anal cell 3 and anal cell 2 along anal veins 2 and 3, anal cell 1 along anal vein 2 grayish, grayish margined with infuscation anal cells 2 and 3, infuscation along hindwing margin.
Legs. Legs with two-segmented tarsi, ground color marked with castaneous and piceous. Castaneous marks on anterolateral coxae and distal coxae, spots on anterior and posterior surfaces of trochanters, femora with castaneous base and striped with longitudinal castaneous fascia, fore and middle tibiae becoming castaneous distally, fore and middle tarsi castaneous, hind tarsi ground color with light castaneous distal pretarsus, pretarsal claws castaneous with piceous tips. Fore femora with small, finger-like proximal spine acutely angled, secondary spine almost perpendicular to femoral axis, triangular, small angled tertiary spine, primary spine piceous, secondary spine ground color, tertiary spine castaneous. Tibial spurs and tibial combs castaneous with piceous tips. Legs with short golden pile and radiating long golden pile. Meracanthus elongated triangle curving mediad, ground color with castaneous spot on medial base, reaching beyond middle of operculum.
Opercula. Male operculum ground color with thick transverse castaneous fascia near base from meracanthus to anterolateral margin, dark castaneous spot on either side of lateral terminus of mark, lateral margin curving mediad from base forming an obtuse angle, straight posterolateral margin, curved posterior margin, rounded medial margin, opercula not meeting medially, reaching middle of hind trochanter medially, reaching to posterior of sternite II, covering tympanal cavity.
Abdomen. Abdominal tergite 1 ground color with transverse castaneous fascia along posterior margin, tergite 2 ground color with castaneous anterior margin except rolled back portion medial to timbal cover and anterior and lateral timbal cover with castaneous spot on posterolateral timbal cover, tergites 3 and 4 castaneous with dark castaneous lateral spot and ground color (turquoise in live specimen, Fig. 1H) posterior margin, tergites 5–7 with dark castaneous fascia along anterior margin fusing with lateral spots, becoming wider and darker in posterior tergites, tergite 8 dark castaneous with light castaneous posterior margin and posterior dorsal midline, tergites covered with golden pile. Timbal cover flattened, ground color with large castaneous spot on posterolateral base, dorsal U-shaped opening, incomplete exposing timbal dorsally, anterolateral margin rectangular, ventral margin closing ventral timbal cavity. Timbal white with dark castaneous markings, five ribs visible through opening in timbal cover. Male sternites ground color (turquoise with white pubescence in live specimen), transverse castaneous fascia across midline in sternite I, sternite II with transverse castaneous fascia posterior to anterior margin, membrane between sternites II and III with transverse castaeous fascia across midline, reduced to individual fascia on either side of midline in sternites IV–VI, sternite VII with arching posterior margin, ground color with castaneous anterior margin, sternite VIII ground color with castaneous posterior, narrow U-shaped when viewed from the posterior, male sternites III–VI translucent, long golden pile radiating from sternites, short and long golden pile radiating from sternites VIII, epipleurites ground color, white pubescence present when live (Fig. 1G).
Genitalia. Male pygofer ground color with castaneous anterior base and anterodorsal surfaces, posterodorsal surface piceous, basal lobe with basal half and distal terminus castaneous, uncus piceous proximally, castaneous distally, anal styles piceous. Dorsal beak triangular, base wider than length. Pygofer basal lobe angled laterally from base, flattened, forming an adpressed, finger-like extension along pygofer wall with rounded terminus, extending to lateral angle of pygofer wall, less than half of pygofer length. Upper pygofer lobes absent. Median uncus lobe short, dorsal crest absent, lateral branch of uncus elongated, with parallel sides distally forming a semi-circular notch, large ventral apophysis formed, ventral apophyses meeting under the median uncus lobe forming a large plate to support aedeagus. Aedeagus dark castaneous with dark ochraceous terminal membrane, one long castaneous spine visible on terminus.
Female is unknown.
Measurements (mm). N = one male. Length of body: 29.90; length of fore wing: 41.75; width of fore wing: 12.40; length of head: 4.60; width of head including eyes: 9.80; width of pronotum including suprahumeral plates: 16.00; width of mesonotum: 10.45.
Diagnosis. Zammara conflutrimacula n. sp., Zammara smaragdina Walker, 1850, Zammara lichyi Boulard & Sueur, 1996, and Zammara olivacea Sanborn 2004 are the only species of the genus to exhibit a fusion of three spots on the distal fore wing producing a clear spot on distal apical cells 2 and 3 (although the proximal portion of the spots on the distal radius posterior and median vein 1 can be separate in Zammara smaragdina). Zammara smaragdina can be distinguished by the wavy medial crossvein found in the fore wing. Zammara lichyi can be distinguished by the infuscation covering all fore wing crossveins, the double spot of infuscation on the bifurcation of fore wing median vein into median vein 1+2 and median vein 3+4, and the fore wing length to width ratio of about 2.85 instead of about 3.37 as found in the new species. Zammara olivacea can be distinguished by the infuscation covering all fore wing crossveins, the lack of a spot of infuscation on the bifurcation of fore wing median vein into median vein 1+2 and median vein 3+4, and the fore wing length to width ratio of about 2.90 instead of about 3.37 as found in the new species. Some specimens of Zammara intricata Walker, 1850 may also exhibit this distal infuscation pattern but have a continuous series of fused marks across the middle of the fore wing.
The new species is directed to couplet 8 in key of Zammara produced by Goemans (2016). It shares the two clear spots on distal fore wing apical cells 2 and 3 with the first statement and the not waved median crossvein of the second statement.
Distribution. The species is known only from the type specimen and the illustration in Thouvenot (2007) and is currently endemic to northern French Guiana. Thouvenot (2007) reports the collection site as Dropping Zone 5 along the Régina to Saint-Georges Highway (N2 or D20) in primary forest. The approximate locality is 4.032586ºN, 52.018853ºW. Thouvenot’s (2007) specimen was collected near Brazil so it is hypothesized that the species will probably be added to the Brazilian fauna with further collecting in the region.
description: Published as part of Sanborn, Allen F., 2023, Two new species and two new records for cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) from French Guiana, with an updated faunal list of French Guiana and the first synoptic list for Guyana, pp. 1-74 in Zootaxa 5368 (1) on pages 7-11, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5368.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/10150376