Oncometopia acicularis Rakitov, 2016, new species
Creators: name: Rakitov, Roman
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Cicadellidae
Oncometopia
Oncometopia acicularis

description: Oncometopia acicularis, new species
(Fig. 9)
Description. Length of male 10.9 mm, female 11.4–12.1 mm. External structure as in O. orbona.
Coloration (Fig. 9 A–E). Sordid yellow, sprinkled with low-contrast dark markings, except mesokatepisternum on each side with light brown triangular macula, apex of metatibia darkened, posterior portion of pronotum green, and forewings green with setiferous pits contrastingly dark.
Male terminalia. Pygofer ventral process (Fig. 9 F, G) ca 6.0x as long as wide at base, not hooked at apex. Subgenital plate (Fig. 9 J) lateral margin with distinct broad concavity at middle, dorsal surface with bare sclerotized area extending along lateral margin from base beyond 1/2 plate length, without dentiform projection at apex. Aedeagus (Fig. 9 H, I) tall, ca. 1.5x as tall as length of subgenital plates along midline; base short, lacking distinct dorsal margin, with process slender, as long as shaft; shaft strongly compressed laterally (Fig. 9 I), in caudal view only half as wide as in lateral view, approximately parallel-sided, on ventral surface near middle with membranous stalk bearing spiniform process, apex of shaft produced posteriorly. Other characters as in O. orbona.
Female terminalia. Sternum VII (Fig. 9 M) not carinate along midline, with distinct subapical depression, median lobe of posterior margin angular, 1.0–2.0x as wide as long, its width less than 1/3 of posterior margin width. Vestibulum (Fig. 9 K) with tubular posterior extension 3– 7x as long as wide at base, with distinct median canal and ampulliform apex. Sternum VIII sclerites absent. Genital chamber sclerites (Fig. 9 K–N, shaded) attached to anterior ends of 1st valvulae, consisting of cucullate anterior parts somewhat produced posterolaterally and elongate platelike posterior parts forming lateral walls of anterior 2/3 of vestibulum extension; both parts with spinose microsculpture on commissural surface. In ventral view (Fig. 9 L), membranous folds separating these sclerites from anterior ends of 1st valvulae transverse or converging anteriorly. Other characters as in O. orbona.
Distribution. Mexico (Fig. 9 O).
Types. Holotype male [UGCA], MEXICO, TAMAULIPAS, 7 km SSE of Gomez Farias, along quarry road, 16.x.1985, C. L. Smith. Paratypes: same, 9 km W of 85 on Ocampo Rd., 16.x.1985, R. Morris II [1♀, UGCA].
Additional material examined. MEXICO: SAN LUIS POTOSÍ: El Salto, 13 mi NW Nuevo Morelos, 22.vii.1962, R. B. Roberts [1♀, KSEM]; TAMAULIPAS: Estacion Biologica Los Cedros, Gomez Farias, 26- 27.vii.1993, at UV light, E. G. Riley & M. A. Quinn [2♀, TAMU]; VERACRUZ: 14 mi W of Conejos, 29.vi.1971, Clark, Hart, Murray, & Schaffner [1♀, TAMU]; Rt. 185, km #60, 3 km W of Minatitlan, vacuum, site #01-44, 17.957° N, 94.834° W, 31.x.2001, R. Rakitov [1♀, INHS].
Notes. The species is similar in its body shape and coloration to O. clarior, except for the absence of distinct black pattern on head and mesonotum. The sternum VII and genital chamber sclerites of the female (Fig. 9 K–M) and the aedeagus and subgenital plates of the male (Fig. 9 H–J) are unique.
Etymology. From the Latin acicula (needle), referring to the shape of the aedeagus.
description: Published as part of Rakitov, Roman, 2016, The Oncometopia orbona species group (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Proconiini), pp. 109-133 in Zootaxa 4168 (1) on page 126, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4168.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/256418