Proekoides Stiller
Creators: name: Stiller, Michael
name: Webb, Michael D.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Cicadellidae
Proekoides

description: Proekoides Stiller
Figs 15–18, 32
Proekoides Stiller 1986: 153–158.
Type species: Proekoides hawekwae Stiller, 1986, by original designation.
Revised generic diagnosis and description
1. Small leafhopper; male and female: length from apex of crown to apex of tegmina, male 3.1–3.7 mm; crown length medially 0.7–0.9 mm; crown angle 70–90°.
2. Dorsum of head in male and female with longitudinal brown to dark brown line from apex of crown to base of head, lateral margin of marking amorphous (Fig. 15J), weakly developed (Fig. 15G, H), or reduced (Fig. 15F, K).
Terminalia in male:
3. Valve crescentic (Fig. 17C), length/width=0.2.
4. Pygofer deeply incised in dorsal view; pygofer lobe in lateral view, acutely triangular, mediodorsal margin in lateral view with concavely curvate process (Fig. 17 I); in dorsal view with base mediad, subbase and apex angled and curved posteriad (Fig. 17J), with subapical, dorsal tooth; 3–6 macrosetae, rarely 8 (length 86–166 µm) (e.g., Fig. 17B).
5. Segment 10 large, narrow (0.6–0.7 times as wide as width across pygofer at point of greatest width of segment 10), elongate, reaching apex of pygofer lobe (dorsal view, length/width=0.8–1.1) (e.g., Fig. 17A).
6. Connective wider than long (greatest length/greatest width=0.6–0.8), stem short, wide, arms slightly shorter to much longer than stem (length arm/length stem=0.9–1.7).
7. Aedeagus with base of anterior margin of shaft with paired teeth; dorsal apodeme reduced, preatrium produced (Fig. 16A–J).
Terminalia in female:
8. Sternite 7 with posterior margin with medial, wide, curvate or angulate notch, laterally triangular; greatest length/greatest width=0.5, depth of notch/greatest length=0.2–0.3, angle of notch 131–144° (e.g., Figs 15N, O, 18A).
9. Valvula 3 with 1–3 rows of marginal to submarginal setae (Fig. 18H); protruding 0.13–0.20 times longer than greatest length of pygofer in lateral view (e.g., Fig. 15B, E).
10. Valvifer 2 sculpture pore-like (Fig. 18E).
Etymology. In retrospect, Proekoides Stiller, 1986 was named for its similar appearance to Proekes Theron, 1975. Gender determined in Greek by - ekes, meaning ‘point’, as feminine and prefix in Greek, pro, meaning ‘before’. The suffix in Latin, - oides, meaning ‘like, resembling, having the form of’ (Brown 1956).
Description.
Male and female.
Color.
Head. Light yellow to stramineous ground color, dark to rust-brown marking from apex of crown to anterior margin of head (Fig. 15A–L), or marking faint as in Fig. 15K.
Face. 8–12 dark brown horizontal arcs (Fig. 15P).
Tegmina. Ground color ochraceous, opaque, veins brown, light to dark brown reticulations in claval cells and outer discal cells (Fig. 15A–L).
Hind wing. Translucent, sometimes light brown mesally.
Morphology.
Head. Wider than pronotum. Discal region smooth, frontal region and face shagreened. Crown angle in male 78–88°, in female 75–86°.
Face. Clypeus cuneate, broad, abruptly narrowed at junction with clypellus. Clypellus straight in lateral view, parallel-sided and rounded ventrally in frontal view, produced beyond narrow gena below lorum.
Ocellus. Ocellus diameter/interocular distance=0.4–0.5.
Pronotum. Lateral margin short, non-carinate.
Tegmina. Tegmina with four apical, two anteapical cells, appendix absent. Length/width, males=2.0–2.3, females=2.1–2.2, male and female=2.0–2.2.
Hind wing. Length/width, males=3.0–3.4, females=2.9–3.3, male and female=3.0–3.4.
Tegmina-hind wing relation. Length tegmina/length hind wing, male=1.1–1.2, female=1.1–1.2, male and female=1.1–1.2; width tegmina/width hind wing, male=1.4–1.8, female=1.6–1.8, male and female=1.6–1.8.
Chaetotaxy. Profemur row AV 8–10 short, wide setae, row IC 6–8 in male, 7–9 in female, female P. piketensis, IC 7–10; AV 1 single, AM 1 single. Spinulation of protibia 1+4, mesotibia 4+4, metafemur apex 2+2+1. Metatarsus 1 apical plantar setae include four rounded platellae and one acute seta; metatarsus 2 apex with two acute (lateral and medial respectively), two rounded (intermediate) platellae.
Measurements.
Male. Apex of crown to apex of tegmina 3.1–3.4 mm; apex of crown to apex of abdomen 3.2–3.6 mm; crown length 0.7–0.8 mm; crown length next to eyes 0.4–0.5 mm; pronotum length 0.4 mm; head width 1.1–1.3 mm; pronotum width 1.0– 1.2 mm (Stiller 1986, 0.89–1.12 mm); ocellus diameter 26–29 µm; interocular distance 61– 78 µm; crown angle 74–85°; crown length/crown length next to eye=1.5–1.8; head width/pronotum width=1.1; ocellus diameter/interocular distance=0.4–0.5; crown length/pronotum length=1.6–2.0; pronotum length/pronotum width=0.4.
Female. Apex of crown to apex of tegmina 3.2–3.6 mm; apex of crown to apex of abdomen 3.8–4.2 mm; crown length 0.7 mm; crown length next to eyes 0.4–0.5 mm; pronotum length 0.4 mm; head width 1.2–1.4 mm; pronotum width 1.1–1.2 mm; ocellus diameter 26–29 µm; interocular distance 62–74 µm; crown angle 78–88°; crown length/crown length next to eye=1.5–1.6; head width/pronotum width=1.0–1.1; ocellus diameter/interocular distance=0.4–0.5; crown length/pronotum length=1.6–1.8; pronotum length/pronotum width=0.3–0.4.
Terminalia.
Male.
Segment 10. Deeply incised middorsally. Length/width=1.1–1.3. Greatest width of segment 10/greatest width of pygofer at point of greatest width of segment 10=0.6–0.7.
Pygofer. Depressed in lateral view, equidistant in dorsal view, anterior margin oblique, anterior apodeme wide, triangular; basolateral suture right-angled; pygofer lobe narrowly triangular, with 3–5 setae posterodorsally, 90– 135 µm in length; process strongly to weakly concave, origin medial, approximately at mid-length, orientation posteriorly to posterolaterally, subapex with small, dorsal tooth.
Subgenital plate. Triangular, medial margin sublinear, lateral margin shallowly convex, apex narrowly rounded; 20–25 irregularly arranged macrosetae marginally and submarginally, length/width=1.2–1.5.
Valve. Crescentic, length/width=0.2 (e.g., Fig. 17C).
Style. Slender, with apophyses angled lateroposteriad, anterior medial lobe short, anterior lateral lobe elongate, narrow; extending about half-way into subgenital plate; subapical angle right-angled or obtuse; greatest length/ greatest width=4.0–4.7; length apophysis/greatest length=0.2; length base/length greatest=0.3–0.4; angle of apophysis to sagittal plane 50–58° (Fig. 16P–T).
Connective. Stem short, broad, arms divergent; greatest width across arms/greatest width across stem=1.8–2.2; length arms/length stem=1.0–1.7; angle of arms 81–92°; greatest length/greatest width=0.6–0.8 (Fig. 16K–O).
Aedeagus. Aedeagus symmetrical in anterior or posterior view; shaft tubular, dorsal apodeme reduced, preatrium elongated, about as long as shaft, obtusely angled to shaft, orientation as in Fig. 16A–E, atrium in posterior view rounded, constricted at transition to preatrium, base triangular (Fig. 16F–H) or rectangular (Fig. 16I, J), variably rounded and elongated desclerotized lobe on anterior margin (Fig. 16A–E). Position of aedeagus at rest indicated by dashed lines in Fig.17B, shaft oriented dorsad. Shaft at base of anterior margin (dorsal margin in Stiller 1986, aedeagus dislodged from cavity in segment 10, shaft oriented posteriad) with paired, digitate teeth, curved laterad. Gonopore apical to subapical on posterior margin. Anterior margin of shaft with paired teeth at apex (Fig. 16D) or subapex (Fig. 16A–C), or without teeth on anterior margin (Fig. 16E). Posterior margin of shaft with paired teeth at apex (Fig. 16C) or medially (Fig. 16A, B, D) or single tooth medially and paired teeth basally (Fig. 16E).
Female.
Sternite 7. Sternite 7 trapezoid with lateral margin straight or curvate, shorter posterior margin uniformly excavated, with margins of notch straight or curvate,wide,between posterolateral margins(Figs15N,O, 18A);greatest length/greatest width=0.5; greatest median length/greatest lateral length=0.7–0.8; distal width/basal width=0.7; angle at base of notch 132–146°. The shallowest notch at 152° in the unplaced specimen from Groenkol.
Valvula 1. Parallel-sided, apex acuminate. In P. cedarbergensis and P. postspina sp. n. sculpture appears as elongated, not overlapping (Fig. 18K, L), i.e., valvate; orientation relative to dorsal margin, acute apically and parallel basally.
Valvula 2. Distal half serrate, width slightly more than basal width. Serration irregular with slightly raised, rounded teeth, and serrate trough (Fig. 18I, J).
Valvula 3. P. cedarbergensis, macrosetae about 20 long (27–35 µm) and short (up to 25 µm) setae near apex, shorter setae usually marginal; submarginal macrosetae about 14 longer setae; P. postspina sp. n. 15–20 macrosetae, 27–34 µm long (Fig. 18H). Protrusion of valvula beyond posterior margin of pygofer 0.1–0.2 times that of pygofer length in lateral view.
Valvifer 1. In lateral view, anterior and dorsal margins narrowly rounded, posterior margin acute, ventral margin broadly rounded or similar to dorsal margin. In dorsal view usually strongly fused (Fig. 18C), rarely with weak fusion in P. cedarbergensis, length/width=1.32–1.68 (n=4); P. postspina sp. n., length to width 1.3–1.6 (n=4) (Fig. 18B), in dorsal view as in Fig. 18C, similar in P. cedarbergensis; both species length/width=1.3–1.6. One female from Piketberg, length/width=1.5–1.6, one specimen from Koeberg length/width=1.5–1.7. All specimens (n=12), including unplaced specimens from Groenkol and Wiedouw length/width=1.3–1.7.
Valvifer 2. Elongated, anterior margin straight, posterior margin curvate; P. cedarbergensis length/width=2.5– 2.8 (n=4); 7–9 pore-like structures near ventroposterior margin; P. postspina sp. n. length to width 2.6–2.9 (n=4) (Fig. 18D), 8–10 pore-like structures (Fig. 18E). All specimens with length/width=2.5–2.9, 7–9 pore-like structures.
Remarks. Descriptions of the species of Proekoides are repeated here for clarification of similarities and differences with Colistra. Aspects of the aedeagus are mirrored in C. acapitatus and C. bucapitatus with that of all species of Proekoides, i.e., similar in the elongated preatrium, its obtuse angle to the shaft, tubular shaft, the reduced dorsal apodeme, but differ in the position and numbers of teeth or spines on the shaft. Arrangement of teeth apically and medially on the shaft are unique in each species, but one pair of teeth at the anterior margin of the base of the shaft are present in Proekoides and absent in Colistra. The female sternite 7 of Proekoides has a wide rounded or obtusely angled incision of the posterior margin. The female sternite in Colistra is trapezoid as above, or square, with rounded, posterior margin with narrow, shallow or narrow, deep notch or with posterior margin sublinear. Short series of specimens suggest additional species are yet to be described, e.g., one male and female from Wiedouw (Western Cape province; Wiedouw Farm base of Gifberg Pass; -31.73, 18.77; 3–10 Oct. 2002; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping Diosma hirsuta Rutaceae CCDL 18321; SANC) is examined (male habitus in Fig. 15A) which does not match any of the species of Proekoides. It has a narrow shaft without large teeth, only numerous small denticulations as in P. postspina sp. n., with basal anterior and additional medial, paired teeth. One unplaced female from Groenkol Farm near Graafwater (-32.10, 18.70; 1 Aug. 1996; O.C. Neser, R.G. Oberprieler, M. Stiller leg.; sweeping Aspalathus linearis Fabaceae; CCDL28242; SANC) with typical color pattern of Proekoides, but sternite 7 with very shallow, V-shaped notch. Potential natural distribution of all species of Proekoides in Fig. 32C. Appendix 2 is a table of holotypes and paratypes with corrected grids.
Key to species of Proekoides (males)
1 Apex of aedeagal shaft wider than medial width (Fig. 16B), anterior subapical margin with elongate (1.8–2.3 times longer than wide) paired teeth, posterior subapical margin with short (as long as wide), paired teeth, gonopore elongate, apical (Fig. 16G), preatrium about as long as shaft................................................... P. cedarbergensis Stiller 1986
1’ Apex of aedeagal shaft as wide or narrower than medial width of shaft (Fig. 16A, C–E)............................. 2
2 Anterior margin of shaft without large teeth (Fig. 16E), fine denticulation at apex (Fig. 17F), posterior margin with single and paired teeth medially, preatrium shorter than shaft............................................. P. postspina sp. n.
2’ Anterior margin with large teeth, either apical or subapical paired teeth (Fig. 16A, C, D)............................. 3
3 Apex of anterior margin with paired teeth (Fig. 16D), posterior margin with medial paired teeth (Fig. 16D); preatrium shorter than shaft......................................................................... P. koebergis Stiller 1986
3’ Apex of anterior margin edentate, subapex of anterior margin with paired teeth, preatrium as long as shaft (Fig. 16A, C)... 4
4 Posterior margin subapically with paired teeth, subapical anterior tooth three times longer than wide (Fig. 16C)........................................................................................... P. piketensis Stiller 1986
4’ Posterior margin medially with paired teeth, subapical anterior tooth as long as wide (Fig. 16A).... P. hawekwae Stiller 1986
description: Published as part of Stiller, Michael & Webb, Michael D., 2022, Leafhoppers of the Fynbos Biome of South Africa: Colistra, Proekes, Proekoides and a new genus (Insecta, Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae, Bonaspeiini), pp. 1-79 in Zootaxa 5199 (1) on pages 33-38, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5199.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7251761