Medleria caudata Świerczewski & Malenovský & Stroiński 2018, gen. et sp. nov.
Creators: name: Świerczewski, Dariusz
name: Malenovský, Igor
name: Stroiński, Adam
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Flatidae
Medleria
Medleria caudata

description: Medleria caudata gen. et sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BF1F8ADE- 2703-41 DE-B80F-FDE9F50F452C
Figs 1–10
Diagnosis
The only species in the genus; see diagnosis for the genus.
Etymology
From the Latin adjective ‘ caudatus ’ (= tailed, caudate). The specific epithet refers to the prolonged apical part of the tegmen.
Type material examined
Holotype YEMEN: ♂, [YEMEN, SOCOTRA Island / Dixam Plateau, 850-920m / N 12°31′24″, E 53°58′29″ / 5.ii.2010 / L. Purchart & J. Vybiral leg.], [COLLECTIO / Moravské museum / Brno], dry-mounted, abdomen detached, dissected and stored in glycerol in a glass microvial (MMBC).
Paratypes YEMEN: 3 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, all specimens with the same collecting data as for the holotype, all dry-mounted, abdomens of some specimens detached, dissected and stored in glycerol in a glass microvial (MMBC: 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; NMPC: 1 ♂, 1 ♀).
Description
SIZE. Total length 4.02–4.07 mm.
COLORATION. Ochreous, mottled with small dark brown to black markings on upper part of frons, lateral parts of mesonotum and scutellum, median portion of tegmen, tubercles on clavus and bulla, apical part of tegmen largely dark; abdominal sternites dark brown with yellow margins, legs brownish (Fig. 1A–E).
HEAD. Vertex: A / B = 3.00–4.29; anterior margin delicately arcuate; lateral margins almost straight and parallel, posterior margin sharp and elevated, almost straight; disc of vertex weakly depressed (Figs 1E, 2D–F). Frons: C / E = 0.83–1.00; D / E = 1.17–1.41; median carina reaching frons middle, lateral carinae distinctly longer than median one; area between bases of median and lateral carinae as well as area between lateral carinae and lateral margins depressed (Figs 1D, 3C–D). Disc of clypeus flattened.
THORAx. Pronotum: F / B = 1.50–2.14; anterior margin medially produced and flattened, posterior margin widely concave (Fig. 2C–E). Mesonotum: G / F = 2.00–2.31; G / B+F = 1.25–1.61; G / H = 0.70–0.75; area between median and lateral carinae depressed (Fig. 2C–F). Tegmen: I / J = 1.59–2.08. Metatibia with apical row of seven well-developed spines, external spines longer than ventral ones; basitarsomere with 7 apical spines; second tarsomere with two lateral spines.
MALE TERMINALIA. Anal tube, in lateral view, with ventral margin weakly convex and dorsal margin weakly concave in median portion, postero-dorsal angle right (Fig. 5A–B). Genital style with posterior margin straight, ventral and dorsal margins almost straight, subparallel, postero-ventral angle bluntly rounded, not extending the posterior margin (Fig. 6A–C). Appendage of dorsal periandrium with well-sclerotized small teeth in its median curved part (Fig. 6E). Dorsal part of aedeagus membranous (Fig. 6G).
FEMALE TERMINALIA. Pregenital sternite with posterior margin convex medially, anterior margin concave (Fig. 9A). Anal tube, in lateral view, tapering apicad, with bluntly rounded apex; anus placed anterior to midlength; ventral margin medially weakly arcuate (Fig. 9C); in dorsal view, anal tube widest in its median portion, apically truncate, posterior margin almost straight (Fig. 9B). Gonoplac with its dorsal part with membranous base, strongly sclerotized median portion and two rows of teeth placed posteriorly–external teeth small and flat, internal teeth huge and hook-like; ventral part weakly sclerotized (Figs 8D, 9E). Gonapophysis VIII with dorsal margin bearing three teeth, ventral margin subapically slightly up-folded with four teeth; basal part of gonocoxal process with strongly sclerotized strip (Fig. 9D). Spermatheca with ductus receptaculi not divided into two parts, ribbed, widened apically; diverticulum ductus smooth, with narrow basal part and elongate apical bulba (Fig. 9J). Two large eggs (1.2 mm) in ventro-dorsal position were discovered during dissection of the female abdomen.
Host plant and habitat
The type series was collected by beating shrubs on a warm and sunny day, in a sparse semi-arid shrubland on a coarse, stony substrate of a montane limestone plateau (Fig. 10A–B). The vegetation was almost uniformly composed of Croton cf. socotranus Balf. f. (Euphorbiaceae). This plant species is thus a probable host of M. caudata gen. et sp. nov. (Fig. 10C).
Distribution
Yemen: Socotra Island; so far only known from the Dixam montane plateau (12°31′24″ N, 53°58′29″ E) in the central part of the island.
description: Published as part of Świerczewski, Dariusz, Malenovský, Igor & Stroiński, Adam, 2018, Medleria gen. nov. adds to the biodiversity of Flatidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) in the island of Socotra, pp. 1-19 in European Journal of Taxonomy 422 on pages 5-15, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2018.422, http://zenodo.org/record/1228324