Taphrotylus Hamilton, 2015, gen.nov.
Creators: name: Andrew Hamilton, K. G.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Clastopteridae
Taphrotylus

description: Taphrotylus gen.nov.
Etymology. taphros- (adjective) ditched; tylos (m), knob.
Type-species: Taphrotylus insignificans sp. nov., the only included species.
Distribution. Madagascar.
Diagnosis. Dorsoventrally compressed, pronotum weakly declivous in front, crown sloping abruptly to deep groove separating it from convex tylus (Fig. 19A); crown distinctly pointed but a third length of pronotum, tylus exceeding antennal ledges by half its length, width of tylus twice distance between ocelli, posterior border arcuate, more strongly curved than adjacent hind margin of head; antennal ledge high (Fig. 19B), armed with 3 preantennal bristles in vertical row before antennal pit (Fig. 19C); antennal postpedicel with tongue-shaped basiconic sensillum well below flattened base of arista (Fig. 19C), surrounded by 10 or more septate pits, 2 of which bear reduced coeloconic sensilla, the latter lying close to a deep, circular pit containing 4 coeloconic sensilla (Fig. 19D); rostrum extending to hind coxae. Lateral margin of pronotum as long as eye, less than half as long (0.45×) as interocular distance; width of pronotum 0.7 × as great as head. Pronotum and tegmina sparsely punctate; tegmina with veins obscure, a broad but low bulla across base of central anteapical cell, a tiny black bulla just beyond tip of clavus; pecten of 2nd tarsomere of hind leg with 7–8 black-tipped spines. Hind wing with 3 fine hooks on costal margin. Fore femora 3 × as long as wide; hind tibia slender, 4 × as long as wide, bearing 2 distinct lateral spines; pectens of hind tibia with 7–8 black-tipped spines; those of basitarsomere with 5 black-tipped spines, of 2nd tarsomere with 6 spines.
Remarks. The short head resembles that of Sepullia but the tylus bounded by a distinct groove across the crown is unique. The well-developed coeloconic sensilla lying in a deep pit just behind the tongue-shaped basiconic sensillum resemble both sensilla types of Beesoniella (Fig. 21D), a genus with entirely different habitus (Fig. 6 C). Although the male genitalia are unknown, and the overall appearance is that of a small Pseudomachaerota, the balance of head characters shows a clear relationship to Sepullia.
Taphrotylus insignificans sp. nov.
Etymology. significans (adjective) marked, important.
Diagnosis. Yellow ochre with extensive patch on lower half of frons and faint brown spots across fore margin of pronotum embrowned; fore and middle femora and tibiae with brown longitudinal stripe and a paler, indefinite area below this dotted with brown setal bases; basal two-thirds of hind femur, inner surface of hind tibia and tarsal claws brown; lateral spines of hind tibia black. Ovipositor 2nd valvulae 0.75 mm long, wedge-shaped, tapered throughout length to pointed tip, with a single tooth on dorsal margin at one-third length from tip (Fig. 11 A). Male unknown. Length: 4.0 mm.
Type. ♀, MADAGASCAR: Toliara Prov., Fôret Classée d’Analevelona, 29.2 km 343o NNW Mahaboboka, 22o40'30"S 44o11'24"E, 1100 m el., 18–22 Feb. 2003 (Fisher, Griswold et al.) Malaise trap, in montane rainforest BLF7818. Holotype in California Academy of Sciences (CASENT 3008099).
Remarks. Although this was a recently collected specimen, it failed to barcode. The condition of the specimen, with head displaced on the thorax, suggests that it may have begun to rot while in the trap.
description: Published as part of Andrew Hamilton, K. G., 2015, A new tribe and species of Clastopterinae (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea: Clastopteridae) from Africa, Asia and North America, pp. 151-189 in Zootaxa 3946 (2) on page 173, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3946.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/233167