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

description: Salka dimorpha sp. nov.
(Figs. 5, 13, 68–79, 117 –118)
Body pale brown, infuscated in some paratypes. Vertex ochreous, bearing black spot posteriorly. Pronotum ochreous anteriorly; mesonotum with basal triangles black; fore wing with brochosome field darkened. Abdomen infuscated.
Head slightly narrower than pronotum; vertex about twice as wide as median length. Pronotum about twice as wide as long; mesonotum nearly as long as pronotum. Male abdominal sternal apodemes rounded apically, exceeding posterior margin of 3rd sternite. Female 7th abdominal sternite rectangular, with posterior margin sinuate and sharply produced posteriad at middle (Fig. 117) or with posterior margin convex near middle and rounded apically (Fig. 118). Ovipositor (3rd valvulae) determinately extending beyond pygofer.
Body length (mean): 3, 2.6–3.3 mm (2.9 mm); Ƥ, 2.6–3.4 mm (3.0 mm). This species shows dimorphism of body size in both sexes. Large individuals: 3, 3.1–3.3 mm (3.2 mm); Ƥ, 3.1–3.4 mm (3.2 mm). Small individuals: 3, 2.6–2.7 mm (2.6 mm); Ƥ, 2.6–2.8 mm (2.7 mm).
Male genitalia (Figs. 69–79). Pygofer broad basally, with lobe quadrangular and rounded caudally, bearing single macroseta on dorsal margin, tuft of short macrosetae and irregular rows of long macrosetae at lower basal angle, with dorsal and ventral processes; base of pygofer longer than dorsal margin; dorsal process straight, tapering at apical 1/6, extending near caudal margin; ventral process thin, sinuate, extending slightly beyond pygofer. Subgenital plate trapezoidal, widened at basal 1/3, gradually narrowed apicad, bearing 5–6 macrosetae; subgenital plate of large individuals in lateral view with apex hook-like (Fig. 69; holotype); small individuals with apex obtuse (Fig. 73; some paratypes). Style long, widened at basal 2/5, gently curved dorsad at apical 1/3, with apophysis long, ca 0.2 times as long as style, with some minute furrows apically. Connective Y-shaped, with a distinct median anterior lobe; arms nearly as long as stem. Aedeagus compressed, U-shaped in lateral view; shaft bearing 2 apical processes; apical processes thin, weakly curved cephalad; shaft curved dorsad near base, with dorsal margin convex subapically; preatrium short; gonopore apical on caudal surface.
Type series. Holotype: 3, Genka-Ôkawa, Nago, Okinawa Is., Ryukyus, Japan, 20. II. 2008, M. Hayashi et al. Paratypes: [Tokunoshima Is.] 13, Tôbe For. Rd., Amagi, 3. VII. 2007, M. Hayashi leg.; 13 1Ƥ, Mt. Inokawa-dake, Tokunoshima, 5. VII. 2007, M. Hayashi leg.; 1Ƥ, Mt. Amagi-dake, Tokunoshima, 3. VII. 2007, M. Hayashi leg.; 1Ƥ, Agon, Isen, 2. VII. 2007, M. Hayashi leg.; [Okinawa Is.] 13 1Ƥ, Oku, Kunigami, 30. IV. 2007, M. Hayashi et al.; 13, same data except 2. III. 2009; 13 1Ƥ, Oku For. Rd., Kunigami, 2. III. 2009, M. Hayashi et al.; 1Ƥ, Mt. Terukubi-yama, Kunigami, 18. VI. 1994, M. Hayashi et al.; 23 3Ƥ, same data except 21. II. 2008; 13 3Ƥ, same data except 12. XII. 2009; 1Ƥ, Yona, Kunigami, 13. XI. 1985, M. Hayashi et al.; 13, Ibu, Kunigami, 21. II. 2008, M. Hayashi et al.; 13 2Ƥ, Mt. Yonaha-dake, Kunigami, 15. V. 1993, M. Hayashi et al.; 13, same data except 8. X. 1995; 13, same data except 12. IX. 2005; 83 8Ƥ, same data as holotype; 33, same data except 19. III. 2010, N. Ohara leg. (ELKU); 13 1Ƥ, Takazato, Ôgimi, 30. IX. 2007, M. Hayashi et al.; 13, same data except 22. II. 2008; 33 6Ƥ, Mt. Akamata-yama, Ôgimi, 22. III. 2010, N. Ohara leg. (ELKU); 13 3Ƥ, Ôura, Nago, 15. VI. 1994, M. Hayashi et al.; 13 1Ƥ, same data except 6. X. 1995; 1Ƥ, Mt. Katsuu-dake, Nago, 22. II. 2008, M. Hayashi et al.; 1Ƥ, Gogayama, Nakijin, 25. III. 1993, M. Hayashi et al. The holotype is deposited in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan.
Distribution. Japan (Ryukyus: Tokunoshima Is., Okinawa Is.).
Remarks. This species shows dimorphism of body size in both sexes, but large individuals (in holotype) are slightly different from smaller ones (in some paratypes) only in the configuration of female 7th sternum and the apex of the male subgenital plate. I concluded that these differences are infraspecific variations, because both size classes were observed in the same localities. This leafhopper has the following diagnostic characters of male genitalia among the Japanese congeners: pygofer broad basally and bearing irregular rows of long macrosetae.
Bionomics. The host plants are unknown, but this species probably lives in the herbaceous layer along mantle communities of subtropical forests. Adults become abundant in February to March and again in June to July.
Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Greek word “ dimorpha ”, referring to the dimorphism of body size.
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 32-33, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.280852