Tapajosa arawaka De Haas & Gaiani 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Haas, Matthé Cornelis De
name: Gaiani, Marco A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Cicadellidae
Tapajosa
Tapajosa arawaka

description: Tapajosa arawaka De Haas & Gaiani sp. nov.
(Figs 1–7)
Material examined. Holotype ♂: “ Curaçao - Klip 82 in garden (12.315, -69.104), 25.III.2019, leg. G. van Buurt ”, in coll. RMNH.
Paratypes: “ Curaçao - Mahaai, 26.XII.1951, 1♂, leg. B. de Jong ”; “ Curaçao - Magdalenaweg, 9.XI.1952, 1♂, leg. B. de Jong ”; “ Curaçao - Julianadorp, 9.I.1953, 1♂, leg. B. de Jong ”; “ Curaçao - hofje Groot Piscadera, 27.I.1949, 5♂ 11♀, leg. Burgers ”; “ Curaçao - Carmabi, 25-26.X.1956, 1♂, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao - Zwarte Berg, 30.X.1956, 2♀, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao - Westpunt, 4.XI.1956, 1♀, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao - Hofje v.d. Mark, 5.XI.1956, 1♀, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao, at light, 2♂, leg. B. de Jong ”; “ Curaçao, at light, 1957, 1♀, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao - Piscadera, 16.I.1957, 1♂, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao - Savonet, 22.III.1957, 1♂, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao - St. Christoffel, 22.III.1957, 2♀, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao - Julianadorp, at light, V–VI.1957, 18♂ 6♀, leg. V. Ypenburg ”; “ Curaçao - Julianadorp, at light, V–VI.1957, 5♂ 1♀, leg. B. de Jong ”; “ Curaçao - Hofje Scottegat Weg Noord no. 121, on Capsicum annuum, 9.VI.1957, 2♀, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao - Piscadera Bay, on Acacia tortuosa, 11.VI.1957, 2♀, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao - Piscadera binnenbaai, on Acaciella villosa, 12.VI.1957, 1♀, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao - Piscadera, on Acacia tortuosa, 19.VI.1957, 1♂ 1♀, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao - Plantage de Noordkant, on Caesalpinia coriaria, 26.VI.1957, 1♀, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao, I-1966, 1♂, leg. A.J. Kruseman ”; “ Curaçao - Piscadera Bay, at light, 14.XI.1973, 1♂, leg. J.H. Stock ”; “ Curaçao - Piscadera Bay, 14.I.1974, 1♀, leg. J.H. Stock ”; “ Curaçao - Klip 82 in garden (12.315, -69.104), 25.III.2019, 3♂ 6♀, leg. G. van Buurt ”, 1♂ 1♀ in coll. CMH, 2♂ 5♀ in coll. NIVIP.
Non-types: “ Curaçao - Bullebaai, 24.II.1957, 1 nymph L5, leg. R. H. Cobben ”; “ Curaçao - Savonet, 22.III.1957, 1 nymph L5, leg. R. H. Cobben ” in coll. RMNH.
Diagnosis. Together with Tapajosa spinata Young, 1968, Tapajosa arawaka sp. nov. differs from other species in the genus by the aedeagal processes, which are only branched basally. In all the other known species the aedeagal processes, if branched, are so medially or apically. T. arawaka is distinguishable from T. spinata by: 1) the number of basal spines, three in T. spinata and two in T. arawaka sp. nov., and 2) the shape of the apex of the aedeagal processes, more or less straight in T. spinata and strongly curved in T. arawaka sp. nov.
Type locality. The novel taxon is described from several locations on the island Curaçao. Curaçao is part of the Lesser Antilles and located approximately 65 kilometres from the coast of Venezuela.
Description. Measurements Body length: ♂ 8.64–9.72 (average 9.21) mm (n=13); ♀ 8.64–10.2 (average 9.54) mm (n=13).
Colouration (Fig. 2). Colouration similar in both sexes. Base colour of thorax reddish brown, with yellow spots which are variable in shape and extensiveness. Vertex with yellow spots along the compound eyes and four yellow spots along the posterior margin. Ocelli placed on yellow spots. Anterior of ocelli is a median yellow line reaching the anterior margin of the vertex, along this stripe are two yellow triangular or roundish spots. Margin of vertex for the main part with yellow spots. Frontoclypeus mainly yellow, at commissure with the clypeus reddish brown. Anteclypeus yellow anteriorly, brownish posteriorly. Labrum brown. Antennal ledge, gena, proepisternum, proepimeron, anepisternum and mesepimeron largely of a light whitish yellow colour. Pronotum reddish brown, anteriorly with two rows of larger yellow spots, posterior of these two rows are numerous smaller yellow spots. Scutellum reddish brown with anteriorly several yellow spots, apex completely yellow. All legs brownish, femurs with lighter spots medially and apically. Forewings wine-red, each cell is medially filled with a dull yellowish stripe, apical cells completely fuscous. All veins light yellow, except for the costal, apical and posterior veins, and the crossveins between the apical cells, which are wine red or brownish. Hindwings hyaline, apex fuscous. Abdomen dark, sternites with variable yellowish patches. Pygofer in males and females dark with yellowish spots.
Structure (Fig. 2). Head moderately produced. Vertex short with sparse pubescence. Lateral and posterior margin of frontoclypeus, anteclypeus, gena and lorum with slightly longer and denser pale pubescence. Pronotum anteriorly smooth, median and posterior part of pronotum transversely striated. Lateral constrictions of pronotum rounded.
Male terminalia. Pygofer well produced, apically rounded (Fig. 3A, 5A). Subgenital plates basally fused, each plate triangular and basolaterally with several macrosetae. Genital styli pointed, with two small but distinct mesal anteapical teeth, followed by a row of small denticles (5–7) basad (Fig 4C, 5B). Connective in dorsal view obtusely Y-shaped, stalk short and slender, arms broad (Fig. 5B). Aedeagal shaft in lateral view short and broad, sclerotized basally, membranous apically (Fig. 5A–B). Aedeagus with two symmetrical or slightly asymmetrical, long and slender basal processes, directed posterodorsally (Fig. 5A–B, 6D–E). Basal processes variable in shape, in lateral view usually more or less straight for most of its length, though sometimes slightly curved medially, apically weakly or strongly curved posteroventrally. Aedeagal processes with a single basal spine, which is strongly curved and pointing caudad (Fig 5B, 6D).
Female terminalia. Abdominal sternite VII in ventral view 1.37x longer than wide, with its lateral margins convergent posteriorly, giving it a trapezoid shape (Fig. 5C, 6B). Posterior margin of 7th sternite more or less straight, surface of 7th sternite covered with numerous irregular placed setae (Fig. 6B). First ovipositor valvulae in lateral view slightly rectilinear, dorsal sculptured area formed by scale-like processes, arranged in oblique lines. Ventral sculptured area formed by scale-like processes arranged irregularly. Apex acute, with denticles on anterior and posterior margins (Fig. 6D). Second valvulae in lateral view more or less rectilinear; dorsal margin bearing 21–23 teeth, each tooth subtriangular, with posterior side longer (Fig. 6E). Ducts extending toward each tooth and apex of valvulae, apex rounded with denticles on dorsal and ventral margins. Preapical ventral widening of valvulae conspicuous. Gonoplacs in lateral view with a rounded apex (Fig. 6C).
Nymph (♂ L5) (Fig. 7). Base colour dirty white. Vertex largely whitish, with brown markings: two spots along posterior margin, a spot anterior of each eye, spot along posterior margin and in front of eye connected by a light brown band. Two spots just anterior of middle of vertex, junction of frons and vertex with three spots. Frons with five brown vertical stripes, one on each lateral side of the frons starting at the junction of frons and vertex and three at the frontal side of the frons starting slightly lower. Pronotum with anterior part largely brown, posterior part mainly dirty white with only posterior margin brown, except medially where the posterior margin is dirty white. Abdomen dirty white with four broad brown stripes.
Etymology. The specific name is derived from “ Arawak ”, the Arawak were the first indigenous people to have inhabited Curaçao.
Biology. R.H. Cobben collected the species from the following plants: Acacia tortuosa, Acaciella villosa [A. villosa is only found in Jamaica, the true foodplant was probably A. glauca], Caesalpinia coriaria, Capsicum annuum and Hibiscus esculentus [= Abelmoschus esculentus]. In 2019, specimens of the novel taxon were collected from Agave vivipara (Fig. 1), a native plant on Curaçao, in a garden. The species was also present on non-native plants, for instance it was found on Vitis sp. (G. van Buurt, pers. comm.).
description: Published as part of Haas, Matthé Cornelis De & Gaiani, Marco A., 2024, A new species of Tapajosa Melichar from Curaçao, Lesser Antilles (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Proconiini), pp. 133-141 in Zootaxa 5497 (1) on pages 135-139, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5497.1.8, http://zenodo.org/record/13618007