Bamboosella dimorpha Sanna, Holzinger & Callot 2025, spec. nov.
Creators: name: Sanna, Francesco
name: Holzinger, Werner E.
name: Cavagna, Francesca
name: Callot, Henry
name: Webb, Michael D.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Cicadellidae
Bamboosella
Bamboosella dimorpha

description: Bamboosella dimorpha Sanna, Holzinger & Callot, spec. nov.
MATERIAL EXAMINED
Holotype:
• ♂ summer morph Italy, Lombardia, prov. Brescia, Gussago, 181m, 45.59407°N, 10.15904°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 18.VII.2018, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. VNHM).
Paratypes:
• 2 ♂♂ summer morph, France, Alsace, Strasbourg, Botanical Garden of Strasbourg University, 140m, 48.58312°N, 7.76723°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys spp., 21.VI.2011, H. Callot leg. (in coll. HC);
• 1 ♂ summer morph, France, Alsace, Strasbourg, Botanical Garden of Strasbourg University, 140m, 48.58312°N, 7.76723°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys spp., 2.X.2012, H. Callot leg. (in coll. HC);
• 1 ♂ winter morph, France, Alsace, Strasbourg, Botanical Garden of Strasbourg University, 140m, 48.58312°N, 7.76723°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys spp., 31.XII.2012, H. Callot leg. (in coll. HC);
• 17 ♀♀, France, Alsace, Strasbourg, Botanical Garden of Strasbourg University, 140m, 48.58312°N, 7.76723°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys spp., 31.I.2013, H. Callot leg. (11 ♀♀ in coll. FS, 6 ♀♀ in coll. VNHM);
• 1 ♂ winter morph, France, Alsace, Strasbourg, Botanical Garden of Strasbourg University, 140m, 48.58312°N, 7.76723°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys spp., 18.III.2014, H. Callot leg. (in coll. VNHM);
• 1 ♂ winter morph, France, Alsace, Strasbourg, Botanical Garden of Strasbourg University, 140m, 48.58312°N, 7.76723°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys spp., 31.III.2014, H. Callot leg. (in coll. VNHM);
• 1 ♂ winter morph, France, Alsace, Strasbourg, Botanical Garden of Strasbourg University, 140m, 48.58312°N, 7.76723°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys spp., 08.IV.2014, H. Callot leg. (in coll. VNHM);
• 3 ♂♂ summer morph, Italy, Lombardia, prov. Brescia, Gussago, 181m, 45.59407°N, 10.15904°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 05.VII.2016, F. Sanna leg. (1 ♂ in coll. FS, 2 ♂♂ in coll. VNHM);
• 1♀, Italy, Lombardia, prov. Brescia, Gussago, 181m, 45.59407°N, 10.15904°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 18.VII.2018, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. VNHM);
• 1 ♂ summer morph, France, Chambéry, Château de Candie, 300m, 45.60111°N 5.90001°E, 5.IX.2020, W. E. Holzinger leg. (in coll. OEKO);
• 2 ♂♂ summer morph, 1♀, Italy, Lombardia, prov. Brescia, Cazzago San Martino, 218m, 45.59244°N, 10.00430°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 07.X.2022, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. VNHM);
• 1 ♂ summer morph, 1 ♂ intermediate morph, 1♀, Italy, Veneto, prov. Verona, Ca’ degli Oppi, 27m, 45.28842°N, 11.13880°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 07.X.2022, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. FS);
• 2 ♂♂ summer morph, 1 ♂ intermediate morph, 1♀, Italy, Veneto, prov. Verona, Bovolone, 24m, 45.27525°N, 11.14233°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 09.X.2022, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. VNHM);
• 1 ♂ summer morph, 5 ♂♂ winter morph, 1 ♂ intermediate morph, 2 ♀♀, Italy, Veneto, prov. Verona, Bovolone, 24m, 45.27525°N, 11.14233°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 31.X.2022, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. FS, except for 2 ♂♂, winter morph, in coll. VNHM);
• 1 ♂ summer morph, 3 ♂♂ winter morph, 2 ♀♀, Italy, Abruzzo, prov. Pescara, Pianella, 89m, 42.42700°N, 14.09919°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 04.XI.2022, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. FS).
Additional specimens:
• 9 ♀♀, Italy, Lombardia, prov. Brescia, Gussago, 181m, 45.59407°N, 10.15904°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 05.VII.2016, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. FS);
• 26 ♂♂ summer morph, 9 ♀♀, 4 nymphs, France, Alsace, Strasbourg, Botanical garden of Strasbourg University, 140m, 48.58312°N, 7.76723°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys spp., 20. VI.2020, H.Callot leg. (in coll. FS);
• 5 ♂♂ summer morph, France, Alsace, Strasbourg, Botanical garden of Strasbourg University, 140m, 48.58312°N, 7.76723°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys spp., 17.VII.2013, H.Callot leg. (in coll. HC);
• 1 ♂ summer morph, 1 ♀, 1 nymph, France, Chambéry, Château de Candie, 300m, 45.60111°N 5.90001°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 5.IX.2020, W. E. Holzinger leg. (in coll. OEKO);
• 2 ♀♀, 2 nymphs, France, near Homps, Pont de Puichéric, 56m, 43.23111°N 2°62194°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys viridoglaucescens, 31.VIII.2020, W. E. Holzinger leg. (in coll. OEKO);
• 1 ♂ winter morph, 1 ♀, France, Alsace, Strasbourg, Botanical garden of Strasbourg University, 140m, 48.58312°N, 7.76723°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys spp., 14.XII.2020, H.Callot leg. (in coll. FS);
• 11 ♂♂ summer morph, 4 ♀♀, 8 nymphs of different instars, Italy, Lombardia, prov. Brescia, Cazzago San Martino, 218m, 45.59244°N, 10.00430°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 07.X.2022, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. FS);
• 2 ♀♀, 5 nymphs of different instars, Italy, Veneto, prov. Verona, Ca’ degli Oppi, 27m, 45.28842°N, 11.13880°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 07.X.2022, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. FS);
• 2 ♂♂ summer morph, 2 ♀♀, 6 nymphs of different instars, Italy, Veneto, prov. Verona, Bovolone, 24m, 45.27525°N, 11.14233°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 09.X.2022, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. FS);
• 1 ♂ summer morph, 14 ♀♀, numerous nymphs of different instars, Italy, Lombardia, prov. Lecco, Maresso, 263 m, 45.68972°N, 9.35916°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys aurea, 09.X.2022, F.Poggi leg. (in coll. FP);
• 7 ♂♂ winter morph, 56 ♀♀, Italy, Lombardia, prov. Lecco, Maresso, 263 m, 45.68972°N, 9.35916°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys aurea, 30.X.2022, F.Poggi leg. (in coll. FP);
• 10♂♂ winter morph, 11 ♀♀, Italy, Veneto, prov. Verona, Bovolone, 24m, 45.27525°N, 11.14233°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 31.X.2022, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. FS);
• 2 ♂♂ winter morph, 8 ♀♀, 2 nymphs of different instars, Italy, Abruzzo, prov. Pescara, Pianella, 89m, 42.42700°N, 14.09919°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 04.XI.2022, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. FS);
• 1 ♀, Slovenia, Lazaret, municipality of Ankaran, 80m, 45.58847°N, 13.72547°E, at light, 22. VI.2023, B. Zadravec leg. (in coll. GS);
• 1 ♀, Slovenia, Šempas, municipality of Nova Gorica, 83m, 45.92011°N, 13.73032°E, on yellow chromotropic trap, 27. VI.2023, G. Seljac leg. (in coll. GS);
• 1 ♀, Slovenia, Šempas, municipality of Nova Gorica, 83m, 45.92011°N, 13.73032°E, on yellow chromotropic trap, 17.VII.2023, G. Seljac leg. (in coll. GS);
• 2 ♂♂ summer morph, 2 ♂♂ winter morph, Italy, Veneto, prov. Verona, Bovolone, 24m, 45.27525°N, 11.14233°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 01.X.2023, F. Sanna leg. (used for genetic analyses)
• 6 ♂♂ summer morph, 3 ♂♂ intermediate morph, 3 ♂♂ winter morph, 6 ♀♀, 12 nymphs of different instars, Italy, Veneto, prov. Vicenza, Calliana, 16m, 45.33854°N, 11.56590°E, from sweeps on Phyllostachys sp., 03.X.2024, F. Sanna leg. (in coll. FS except for 1♂ summer morph and 1♂ winter morph used for genetic analyses).
DESCRIPTION
Adult: Length: male 4.80–5.40 mm, female 4.95–5.65 mm. Body yellowish brown, often with orange hints in males. Head including eyes from slightly narrower to slightly wider than pronotum. Vertex shorter than pronotum (0.6–0.7:1), subtriangular, rounded anteriorly, with medial length 0.48–0.54 (0.48–0.70 in females) times length next to eyes and 2 hollows between eyes and median suture; vertex-face transition forming a right angle from side, with a supraocellar transverse carina limiting anterior margin and a second subocellar carina. Ocelli on anterior margin of head, between the two carinae, separated from eyes by distance twice their own diameter. Face including eyes wider than long, with or without a median, black macula that can extend over entire anteclypeus and postclypeus; postclypeus strongly convex ventrally; transition between postclypeus and anteclypeus concave; anteclypeus flat, longer than wide with parallel sides; lorum very broad, nearly extending to ventral margin of face; antennal ledge from yellowish brown to black (Fig. 1C–D). Pronotum yellowish brown with small, transversal rugosity. Forewing yellowish brown, as in generic description; hind wings transparent in females and smoky grey in males. Abdominal tergites from entirely yellowish brown to largely dark brown to black; abdominal sternites straw-coloured with brown spots varying in extension.
Male genitalia: Based on structure of pygofer and aedeagus, male genitalia are characterised by the presence of a summer and winter morph.
- Summer morph: Pygofer broad at base, with distal part lobately produced and a posteriorly projecting, chelate-like to spine-like ventroposterior process (Fig. 3C, F–G). Aedeagus with long, slender, strongly asymmetric shaft with 2 spines at mid-length directed anterolaterally and 2 apical processes visible in ventral view; gonoduct narrow with gonopore elongate, subapical on dorsal surface, with distal rim between two apical processes. Connective Yshaped, robust, stem solidly attached to fused with aedeagus (2A–B, 3A–B).
- Winter morph: Pygofer with a small, dorsal projecting spine-like process from caudal margin (2G, 4F). Aedeagal chamber wide, protruding ventrally; shaft long, slightly asymmetrical, laterally compressed, broad in side-view, with a hump-like projection from ventral margin at ¾ length of shaft followed by 2 spine-like processes directed anteroventrally; gonoduct wide in lateral view, gonopore large situated apically on ventral margin between lateral processes. Connective Y-shaped, narrow, stem fused with aedeagus (2C–D, 4A–E).
Rare specimens with intermediate characteristics between the previous 2 main morphs can also be found in autumn (Fig. 4G–I).
Male basal sternal apodemes: sternal apodemes of abdominal segment II long, pilar-like, asymmetric, often hyaline and with flared apex (Fig. 4J). A single specimen (Strasbourg, 31.III.2014, in coll. VNHM) present shorter, maybe malformed, apodemes.
Female genitalia: As in generic description.
5th instar nymph: body length 4–5 mm, from uniformly yellowish brown to darkly pigmented dorsally except for pygofer and metathorax; vertex triangular, apically rounded; vertex-face transition sharp, carinate at the apex; face rounded, distinctively inflated from side; wing pads from uniformly yellow to dark brown with yellowish brown apex, legs yellowish brown; abdomen with two lateral rows of setae, long setae on tergites III–VIII: 2/2/2/2/10- 12/12-14; pygofer with a pair of black spots and covered with long setae (Fig. 7).
BIOLOGY, DISTRIBUTION, AND HOST PLANTS
From field observations carried out in Italy (Bovolone), B. dimorpha completes three generations per year: one in late spring and two between late summer and winter. The species hibernates mainly in the egg stage, but in fewer numbers also as adults.
Adults of the summer morph are mainly present from June to mid-July and from September to November, while winter morph can be found from October to December, with some specimens surviving until spring. Both nymphs and adults mainly live on the upper side of the leaves, where they remain closely appressed to the leaf surface.
Eggs are laid individually into the leaf parenchyma, from the lower side of the leaves (Fig. 7C).
The species is known from France, Italy, Switzerland (Trivellone et al. 2021a) and Slovenia, where it was found on Phyllostachys spp.
ETYMOLOGY
The specific epithet is the Latin adjective dimorphus, -a, -um, originally derived from the Greek adjective “dimorphos”, which means “two forms”, in reference to the two distinct aedeagus morphs in summer- and wintergeneration of the species.
MOLECULAR ANALYSIS
Cleaned sequences of 617, 422, 398 and 497 bases were obtained for COI, Cytb, 16S and ITS2, respectively for all analysed specimens. All of them showed 100% identity between summer and winter morphs, thus supporting the existence of a single polymorphic species. A sequence for each gene was submitted to GenBank (accession numbers: PP796478 (COI); PP791533 (Cytb); PP795278 (16S); PQ541336 (ITS2)).
description: Published as part of Sanna, Francesco, Holzinger, Werner E., Cavagna, Francesca, Callot, Henry & Webb, Michael D., 2025, A new leafhopper genus and species on bamboo, described from Europe (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae, Mukariini), with remarkable seasonal dimorphism, pp. 323-338 in Zootaxa 5588 (2) on pages 331-336, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5588.2.7, http://zenodo.org/record/14896534