Sophonia chandrai Meshram & Ramamurthy, 2013, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Meshram, Naresh M.
name: Ramamurthy, V. V.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Cicadellidae
Sophonia
Sophonia chandrai

description: Sophonia chandrai sp. nov.
(Figs. 1–13)
Yellow. Forewing hyaline, yellowish, with pale brown stripe along anal margin rarely reaching apex of clavus, claval apex brown; second apical cell with black spot.
Head angularly produced. Anterior margin of pronotum not extending beyond eyes. Anteclypeus not exceeding facial margin (Fig. 4). Frontoclypeus broad with distinct transverse ridges and face with distinct median carina. Frontal suture extending onto vertex, terminating laterad of ocelli (Fig. 4). Ocelli near lateral margins of crown, distance between eye and ocellus 3X diameter of ocellus. Crown broadly concave and with irregular sculpturing anteriorly. Antennae situated somewhat at level with upper margin of eye in facial view. Scutellum 1.5 X as long as pronotum, transverse depression distinct and nearly reaching lateral margin. Pronotum 0.35X longer than broad and 0.64X longer than crown (Fig. 5). Forewing without appendix (Fig. 6).
Male genitalia. Pygofer triangular, slightly pointed at apex, with several macrosetae at posterior margin, ventral process long, thin with pointed apex (Fig. 12). Subgenital plate broader at base than at apex, with median row of stout macrosetae (Fig. 8). Style preapical lobe robust, apophysis slender, apex with short, beaklike extension (Fig. 7). Connective Y-shaped with stem 3X as long as arms, apex expanded (Fig. 11). Aedeagus robust, membranous. Dorsal apodeme robust with one pair of long, recurved apical process about as long as dorsal apodeme in lateral view; two pairs of lateral shorter, spinelike processes, one basolaterally and one near apex; aedeagal shaft curved ventrally in proximal 0.33, posteriorly in middle 0.33 and dorsally in distal 0.33 region; apex flared and rounded (Figs. 9&10).
Female genitalia. Hind margin of seventh sternite almost straight, with median bilobed short extension (Fig. 13), ovipositor extending well beyond pygofer.
Measurements. Male 4.8 mm long, 1.1 mm wide across eyes, 0.83 mm wide across hind margin of pronotum. Female 5.5 mm long, 1.33 mm wide across eyes, 1.2 mm wide across hind margin of pronotum
Type material. Holotype ♂, INDIA: Manipur: Tupul (25°6'29"N 92°21'42"E, 1379 M), 07.vii.2012, Mercury vapour lamp, Roni, K. Paratypes 3♂ & 4♀, same data as Holotype (NPC).
Etymology. The species is named after Dr. C A. Viraktamath in recognition of his invaluable contributions to the taxonomy of leafhoppers.
Remarks. Sophonia chandrai sp. nov. resembles S. complicata Viraktamath & Wesley, but can be distinguished by the shape of the aedeagus (features of S. complicata in parentheses): Pygofer ventral process long, thin with pointed apex without spinelike branch at base (slender process arises, directed caudally, upcurved at right angles at midlength, apex slightly hooked, bearing spinelike branch at base). Dorsal apodeme of aedeagus robust with one pair of long, recurved, apical process about as long as dorsal apodeme in lateral view; two pairs of lateral shorter, spinelike processes, one basolaterally and one near apex (two arms of dorsal apodemes well separated, wing like, completely covering entire length of shaft laterally, each arm with dorsomedian, caudal, and caudoventral, long processes).
Sophonia complicata Viraktamath & Wesley
Sophonia complicata Viraktamath & Wesley 1988: 210, Figs. 208–220
Material examined. Paratype ♂ & 1 ♀, INDIA: Mizorum: Aizawl, 18.xi.1981, C. S. Wesley Coll. (NPC).
In the key to the species of Sophonia by Viraktamath and Wesley (1988), the new species runs to Sophonia complicata Viraktamath & Wesley, but the male genitalia characters do not agree. Couplet 10 can be modified as follows to include the new species
10. Vertex with median, broad, orange stripe continued on pronotum, anteriorly narrowed; posterior half on pronotum broadned and blackish, scutellum blackish (Viraktamath & Wesley 1988: Figs 154–155); pygofer process short, blade-like, and pointed at apex Viraktamath & Wesley 1988: Fig.159); aedeagus shaft tubular with apical, ventrally directed, platelike process (Viraktamath & Wesley 1988: Figs 162–163)...................................................... illuminata (Distant)
- Vertex, pronotum, and scutellum whitish yellow; pygofer process long, slender and elbowed (Fig. 12); aedegus not as above.................................................................................................... 11
11. Two arms of dorsal apodeme well separated, winglike, completely covering entire length of shaft laterally Viraktamath & Wesley 1988: Figs 218–220)).................................................... complicata Viraktamath & Wesley
- Dorsal apodeme robust with one pair of long, recurved, apical process about as long as dorsal apodeme in lateral view; two pairs of lateral shorter, spinelike processes, one basolaterally and one near apex (Fig. 9&10)............. chandrai sp. nov.
description: Published as part of Meshram, Naresh M. & Ramamurthy, V. V., 2013, Description of a new evacanthine leafhopper species Sophonia chandrai sp. nov., with new record of Chudania axona (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from India, pp. 224-230 in Zootaxa 3717 (2) on pages 225-227, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3717.2.6, http://zenodo.org/record/223079