Myopsalta longicauda Popple 2017, n. sp.
Creators: name: Popple, Lindsay W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Cicadidae
Myopsalta
Myopsalta longicauda

description: Myopsalta longicauda n. sp.
(Figs 1G, 2G, 3M, 3N, 11, 15, 16; Plate 7)
Notopsalta sp. A Kunzea Cicada: Popple & Strange, 2002, 30, Table 1.
Types. Holotype: ♂ QLD: 24°38' Sx 149°00'E, Expedition Ra., old hwy, 6.x.2003, MV light, G.B. Monteith, 11392, QM Reg. No. T 239568 (QM); Paratypes: QUEENSLAND: 2♂ 3♀ same data as holotype (QM); 1♀ Carnarvon National Park, Mount Moffatt Area, 30.xi.1997, J. Skevington, C. Lambkin, S. Evans (UQIC); 1♂ 1.4 km NE. along West Branch Camp track, Mt Moffatt National Park, 24°57.70'S 147°59.86'E, 13.xii.2006, A. Ewart, at light; 1♀ 2.3 km SW. along West Branch Camp track, Mt Moffatt National Park, 24°57.70'S 147°59.86'E, 13.xii.2006, A. Ewart, at light (AE); 1♂ Australia Qld, Possum Park, 19 km N. of Miles, 25.xi.2005, L. W. Popple, N. Hando, open forest, 294-0001; 1♂ 3♀ same data as previous, mv lamp, 294-0002 to 294-0005 (LWP); 1♂ AU.QL.EXP, Expedition Rg. on Dawson Hwy, 24°38.658'S 149°1.292'E, 437 m, 7.i.2009, Hill Marshall, Moulds, Owen, C. Simon Lab Voucher, body pinned, legs in ETOH, 09.AU.QL.EXP.03, Notopsalta ‘giant’, specimen recorded; 1♂ same data as previous, 09.AU.QL.EXP.05, specimen recorded; 1♂ 2♀ ‘ Stockade’, 60 km NE. of Augathella, 12.xii.1995, brigalow woodland, Colin Dollery (MSM); NEW SOUTH WALES: 2♂ 30 km N. Tooraweena, 31°15.40'S 149°51.43'E, 16.xi.2013, N. & D. Emery; 1♂ 14 km NW. Dunedoo, 31°55.238'S 149°19.050'E, 1.xii.2013, N. & D. Emery; 2♂ 50 km N. Mudgee, 32°08.25'S 149°48.11'E, 13.xi.2013, N. & D. Emery (DE); 1♂ 30 km N. Tooraweena, 31°15.40'S 149°51.43'E, 16.xi.2013, N. & D. Emery (LWP); 1♀ Mendooran, 8.xii.1973, G. Daniels; 1♂ AU.NS.BUN, 33 km E. of Parkes on Orange Rd, SW. of Bumberry, 33°11.260'S 148°29.130'E, 604 m, 13.i.2011, K. Hill, D. Marshall, C. Simon Lab Voucher, body pinned, legs in ETOH, 09.AU.NS.BUN.02, ‘ atrata complex slow’, specimen recorded; 1♂ AU.NS.BUG, ~ 8.5 km SE. of Binalong on Burley Griffin Way, 34°43.336'S 148°41.067'E, 490 m, 3.i.2011, K. Hill, D. Marshall, C. Simon Lab Voucher, body pinned, legs in ETOH, 11.AU.NS.BUG.01, ‘ atrata complex’, specimen recorded (MSM).
Etymology. The specific epithet is a feminine compound adjective derived from the Latin words: longus and caudus, meaning long-tailed. This refers to the exceptionally long ovipositor exhibited in female specimens.
Description. Male. (1G, 2G, 3M, 3N; Plates 7A, 7B).
Head: Postclypeus broadly brown to reddish brown along ventral and lateral margins, black medially, in dorsal view black anteriorly, grading to reddish-brown posteriorly with a pale brown marking medially, which broadens towards posterior margin; supra-antennal plates and genae black; mandibular black, brown broadly along lateral margins, with silver pubescence; vertex and frons black, with a brown marking medially, extending from between lateral ocelli to posterior margin; ocelli pink; compound dark brown; anteclypeus black; rostrum dark brown, black apically, extending beyond posterior margins of mid coxae; antennae dark brown to black.
Thorax: Pronotum reddish-brown; central fascia brown, surrounded with black colouration, which broadens along anterior pronotal margin; with irregular black patches near paramedian and lateral fissures; pronotal collar black, broadly reddish brown along medial and dorso-lateral posterior margins; metanotum dark reddish-brown; mesonotum reddish-brown, dark brown laterally; submedian and lateral sigilla broad and black; anterior cruciform elevation and interior of wing grooves, dark brown to black, reddish-brown over remainder; posterior quarter of mesonotum with dense fine and long silver pubescence.
Wings: Fore wings hyaline; basal cells orange; pterostigmata dull reddish brown; vein CuP+1A pale brown; other veins, including costal vein, brown to dark brown, darker distally. Hind wing plagas pale grey-brown along basal two thirds, this colour extending broadly along jugal folds and terminating before apex, hyaline over remainder; veins pale brown basally, brown medially, dark brown on distal third.
Legs: Fore coxae brown on anterior sides, pale brown on posterior sides, each with dark brown to black longitudinal marking posterio-laterally, pale pinkish-brown apically; mid and hind coxae brown with dark brown longitudinal markings on proximal and posterio-lateral sides, pale pinkish-brown apically around joints; meracantha spikes dark brown basally grading to pale brown apically, overlapping opercula; fore femora brown with broad dark brown longitudinal areas on proximal, lateral and posterior sides; mid femora pale brown on posterior sides, brown on anterior sides with dark brown longitudinal markings, dark brown apically; hind femora similar to mid femora though pale brown apically; fore tibiae dark brown; mid and hind tibiae dark brown, each with a pale brown band above base and another smaller band near apex; fore and mid tarsi mottled dark brown to brown; hind tarsi pale brown; pretarsi brown with dark brown apical areas; claws dark brown.
Opercula (Fig. 1G): straight-edged laterally and posterior-laterally, broadly rounded over remainder; dark brown basally, extensively pale brown over crest, sometimes with pinkish-brown intrusions; plates softly undulating, medial areas slightly depressed.
Timbals (Fig. 2G): Anterior rib 5 abbreviated; rib 4 also abbreviated, with a prominent isolated remnant extension ventrally; ribs 1 and 2 joined ventrally and fused dorsally to basal spur; anterior termination of basal spur fused with ribs 3–4, with rib unattached; prominent intercalary short ribs in medial areas between ribs 1 and 2, 2 and 3, and 3 and 4 (three in total).
Abdomen: Tergite 1 dark reddish-brown to black; tergite 2 wider along dorsal midline than tergites 3 to 7, black with prominent orange-brown areas on dorso-lateral interior; tergites 3 to 8 black, typically with dark brown to brown areas dorso-laterally, over posterior half of each tergite, all with dense short silver pubescence on dorsolateral sides and with extensive long and short silver pubescence on lateral sides; intersegmental membranes brown; epipleurites dark brown to reddish-brown, with sparse silver pubescence; sternite II black laterally, pale brown over remainder; sternite III a mixture of pale brown and orange-brown, with a dark brown medial marking broadening to posterior margin; sternites IV to VI dark brown with diffuse mixed pale brown and orange-brown areas laterally, decreasing in size posteriorly in each successive sternite; sternite VII dark brown to black; sternite VIII dark brown to dark reddish-brown; anterior sternites visible in lateral view.
Genitalia (Figs 3M, N): Pygofer dark reddish brown to black; upper lobes in ventral view relatively linear, with terminals directed inwards and dorsally with broadly acute apices; basal lobes in ventral view relatively linear, in lateral view broadly rounded; median lobe of uncus rounded; claspers in ventral view conspicuous, gradually diverging, with sharply developed apices; pseudoparameres projecting further (ventrally) than endotheca and ventral support; ventral support acute, projecting slightly beyond endotheca; endotheca fleshy.
Female (Plate 7C): Head, thorax, wings and legs match description of male.
Abdomen: Tergite 1 black; tergites 2 to 8 reddish-brown, with black areas along anterior half of each tergite, each extending posteriorly along centre and narrowing towards posterior margins; auditory capsules dark brown, diffuse; abdominal segment 9 reddish-brown with with black longitudinal markings on dorso-lateral sides; dorsal beak dark brown, sharply defined; sternite II dark brown to black laterally, otherwise pale brown to brown; epipleurites dark brown anteriorly, grading to pale brown over posterior half; sternites III to VI pale reddish-brown with dark brown areas medially, broadening posteriorly, typically similar in width, though often widest on sternite V; sternite VII pale reddish-brown; ovipositor sheath extends 5.1–5.5 mm beyond termination of abdominal segment 9.
Measurements. N= 12♂ 9♀. Ranges and means (in parentheses), mm; BL: ♂ 14.3–19.8 (16.43); ♀ 22.5–29.3 (24.74). FWL: ♂ 18.5–21.8 (20.31); ♀ 19.7–24.9 (22.07). HW: ♂ 4.8–5.5 (5.20); ♀ 4.8–5.9 (5.38). PW: ♂ 4.7–5.7 (5.30); ♀ 4.6–6.4 (5.48). AW: ♂ 4.8–5.5 (5.28); ♀ 4.5–6.2 (5.17). FWL/W: ♂ 2.73–3.14 (2.94); ♀ 2.87–3.12 (2.98). OL: ♀ 11.9–15.6 (13.53).
Morphological distinguishing features. Myopsalta longicauda n. sp. can be distinguished from M. atrata, M. binotata, M. coolahensis, M. gordoni n. sp., M. lactea, M. libritor and M. waterhousei and M. xerograsidia n. sp., by the colour of the basal membranes of the fore wings, which is pale brown or pale orange rather than white to pale grey. It can be distinguished from M. melanobasis n. sp. and M. platyptera n. sp. by the appearance of the fore wing clavus, which is entirely hyaline and not opaque at the base. Males and females can be separated from M. albiventris n. sp. and M. wollomombii by the colouration of the sternites, which is predominantly dark brown (cf. almost entirely pale brown). They can be differentiated from M. umbra n. sp. by the colour of the costa and tergites, which is brown rather than reddish-brown. Males can be distinguished from M. septa n. sp. and M. crucifera by the colouration of sternite VII, which is entirely dark brown to black (not bordered with pale brown on any margin). They can be distinguished from M. mackinlayi, M. leona n. sp. and M. parvula n. sp. by having a head width of> 4.6 mm. They can be separated from M. chrysopedia sp nov. M. majurae n. sp. and M. riverina n. sp. by having tergites that are partly brown on the lateral sides (not entirely black). In addition, they can be distinguished from the closely similar M. bassiana n. sp. in having a mixture of pale brown and orange-brown colouration on the lateral sides of sternites II–V (not only pale brown). Females can be distinguished from M. bassiana n. sp., M. mackinlayi, M. leona n. sp., M. crucifera, M. parvula n. sp. and M. septa n. sp. by the length of the ovipositor sheath, which extends>5.0 mm beyond the apex of abdominal segment 9.
Distribution, habitat and behaviour (Fig. 11). Myopsalta longicauda n. sp. has a wide distribution in association with soils derived from sandstone, extending from Mount Moffatt and Expedition Range in central Queensland south to near Stockingbingal and near Binalong in New South Wales. Populations inhabit eucalypt forest and woodland. Adults occur principally on the main trunks and upper branches of eucalypts. They have been found from October to January.
Calling song (Figs 15, 16). This species produces repeated phrases, each containing successive echemes with notable amplitude modulation, giving the song a ‘wavering’ quality. Each phrase commences with a quiet syllable sequence (each syllable 0.008– 0.011 s, separated by gaps of 0.008– 0.052 s, total duration 0.240– 0.478 s) followed by a series of 10–16 echemes (each 0.209– 0.276 s duration), each punctuated by brief gaps (0.011– 0.017 s), and then a shorter echeme (0.101– 0.139 s) followed by a detectable gap (0.029–0.041) and a macrosyllable (0.015– 0.027 s) (all statistics, n =18 recordings). A longer gap of 0.155– 0.280 s duration separates each phrase. It is expected that the female would respond during the long gap at the end of each phrase, following the second shorter echeme; however this interaction has not yet been observed in this species. A characteristic of the song is that the introductory syllable sequence and initial two echemes are 2–4 times quieter than the echemes that follow.
The calling song maintains an even frequency distribution throughout, exhibiting a high amplitude plateau of 9.5–13.1 kHz, or 9.8–14.4 kHz in smaller males.
description: Published as part of Popple, Lindsay W., 2017, A revision of the Myopsalta crucifera (Ashton) species group (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettini) with 14 new species from mainland Australia, pp. 1-98 in Zootaxa 4340 (1) on pages 41-45, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4340.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1037793