Curtara (Curtara) monteiroi Laranjeira & Gonçalves & Takiya 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Laranjeira, Vanessa Cristina
name: Gonçalves, Clayton Corrêa
name: Takiya, Daniela Maeda
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Cicadellidae
Curtara
Curtara monteiroi

description: Curtara (Curtara) monteiroi sp. nov.
(Figures 52–76, 98–101)
Type locality. Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.
Diagnosis. Head and thorax (Figs 98–101) dull yellow. Frons (Figs 53, 66) with brown to black transverse bands over muscle impressions; pronotum (Figs 52, 65) with dark punctures. Forewing (Figs 55, 68) mottled with small brown spots; outer discal cell without inner apical accessory vein. Male pygofer, (Fig. 58) in lateral view, subelliptical, as long as high; dorsal margin rounded with an internally directed serrated lobed process. Subgenital plate (Fig. 60), in ventral view, subrectangular, apex rounded. Connective (Fig. 61), in dorsal view, D-shaped. Style (Fig. 62), in lateral view, blade long and slender, with acute apex. Aedeagus (Figs 63, 64) with pair of thin and long atrial processes; shaft elongated and tubular, with a pair of long and acute apicoventral processes, directed ventrally. Female sternite VII (Fig. 69) subtriangular; posterior margin rounded, produced posteriorly.
Measurements (mm). Total length. Holotype male: 9.1. Male paratypes (n = 51): 8.8–9.6; female paratypes (n = 3): 9.5–10.0.
Coloration. Head and thorax (Figs 98–101) dull yellow. Crown (Figs 52, 65) with a black median elongated macula at anterior margin and pair of light brown maculae behind ocelli adjacent to posterior margin. Face (Figs 53, 66) dull yellow; frons with black transverse bands over muscle impressions; antennal pits and lorum adjacent to clypeus, dark brown; clypeus with a light brown central macula. Pronotum (Figs 52, 65) with irregular dark brown maculae on anterior third; disk and apical half with several dark punctures. Mesonotum (Figs 52, 65) with a pair of dark brown maculae adjacent to posterior margin of pronotum. Forewing (Figs 55, 68) dull yellow with sparse black mottled spots; venation yellow, crossveins bordered with brown; appendix with light brown apical macula. Legs dull yellow, metatibia with bases of macrosetae dark brown.
Description. Head (Figs 52, 65), in dorsal view, with crown with median length approximately two-fourths of interocular width, transocular width about nine-tenths of pronotal humeral width; texture with irregular transverse striae throughout; anterior margin strongly rounded, slightly projected over anterior margin of the eyes; ocelli equidistant to anterior and posterior margins and equidistant to midline and compound eyes. Head (Figs 53, 66), in ventral view, slightly wider than tall; frons 1.4 times longer than wide, texture shagreen; frontogenal suture distant from eye margin 1.5 times the diameter of the antennal scape; antennal ledge carinated and oblique, slightly extended over frons; clypeus 1.2 times longer than maximum wide, lateral margins straight and parallel, slightly divergent apically, apex emarginated medially. Head (Figs 54, 67), in lateral view, with transition crown-face defined, thin, with transverse striae weakly defined. Pronotum (Figs 52, 65), in dorsal view, lateral as long as length of eye. Forewing (Figs 55, 68) with m-cu1 anterad to R+M fork; m-cu2 anterad to or equidistant from r-m1; outer discal cell without inner apical accessory vein; appendix well developed, slightly wider than width of first apical cell. Metatarsomere I pecten with 6 platellae. Metatarsomere II apex with 2–3 platellae.
Male terminalia. Sternite VIII (Fig. 56), in ventral view, subtrapezoidal; 1.4 times wider than long; lateral margins slightly straight, converging towards apex; posterolateral angle strongly rounded; posterior margin broadly rounded. Valve (Fig. 57), in ventral view, with anterior margin slightly excavated medially; posterior margin with strongly excavated medially. Pygofer (Fig. 58), in lateral view, subelliptic, as long as high; posterodorsal margin rounded, posteroventral margin rounded; few macrosetae dispersed at apical third; apex truncated; in dorsal view (Fig. 59), posterodorsal margin with serrated lobed process directed inwardly. Anal tube (Fig. 58) long and lightly sclerotized. Subgenital plate (Fig. 58), in lateral view, long, reaching apex of pygofer; in ventral view (Fig. 60), subrectangular, 3.6 times longer than maximum width; outer lateral margin slightly excavated near apex, with small setae along margin; inner lateral margin straight; apex rounded. Connective (Fig. 61), in dorsal view, U-shaped, robust; stem very short and slightly expanded apically; dorsal keel present. Style (Fig. 61), in dorsal view, with outer lobe well developed, subtriangular and slightly acute; in lateral view (Fig. 62), slender, slightly curved dorsally; ventral margin smooth; apex acute, slightly curved dorsally.Aedeagus (Figs 63, 64) with preatrium underdeveloped; dorsal apodeme developed and short; atrium with a pair of elongated, thin, delicate processes, posterior and parallel to the shaft, almost as long as shaft; shaft elongated and tubular, basal portion, in lateral view, abruptly curved, with shaft almost touching the dorsal apodeme, apex with a pair of elongated, tubular, and acute processes directed ventrally, approximately almost half of length of shaft.
Female terminalia. Sternite VII (Fig. 69) subtriangular; 2.0 times wider than long; posterolateral angle slightly rounded; posterior margin rounded, produced posteriorly. Pygofer (Fig. 70), in lateral view, 1.5 times longer than high; macrosetae distributed on posterior half; anteroventral margin strongly rounded; dorsal margin slightly rounded, posteroventral margin rounded; apex rounded. First valvifer (Fig. 71), in lateral view, subquadrate, 1.2 times higher than long; anterior and dorsal margins straight, posterior margin slightly excavated. First valvula (Figs 71, 72) 7.8 times longer than high; straight, with constant height over the entire length; dorsal sculptured area strigate at apical half; ventral interlocking device distinct at basoventral third; apex acute. Second valvifer (Fig. 75) 2.9 times higher than long. Second valvula (Figs 73, 74) 6.0 times longer than high; blade broadened at basal portion, tapering weakly towards apex; dorsal protuberance reduced and rounded, located at basal third; dorsal margin with very small teeth of approximately regular sizes, present at apical third; ventral margin smooth; apex (Fig. 74) tapered and acute. Gonoplac (Figs 75, 76) 3.7 times longer than high; posterodorsal margin straight, about five tenths of blade length; external surface with dentiform cuticular projections; ventral margin broadly rounded with some short setae; apex (Fig. 76) slightly tapered and rounded.
Etymology. The new species is named in honor to Dr. Ricardo Monteiro, insect ecologist and one of the collectors of type specimens. He kindly made available extensive leafhopper material from Malaise traps placed along an altitudinal gradient at PNI.
Material examined. Holotype male: “ Brazil, RJ, Itatiaia, PNI\ 07.I.2015, S 22º25’01.0’’ W\ 44º38’32.9’’, 1846m, Ponto\ 05, Monteiro et al.” (DZRJ). Paratypes: Itatiaia: 4♂, “same data as holotype” (DZRJ). “ Same data as holotype, except: 1 ♂ “ 20.XII.2013 ” (DZRJ); 2 ♂ 1♀ “ 27.II.2014 ” (DZRJ); 2 ♂ “ 30.V.2014 ” (MNRJ); 2♀ “ 26. VI.2014 ” (DZRJ); 1 ♀ “ 04.X.2014 ” (DZRJ); 1 ♂ “ 01.XI.2014 ” (DZRJ); 2 ♂ 1♀ “ 05.XII.2014 ” (MNRJ); 1 ♂ “ 12. I.2015 ” (DZUP); 1 ♂ “ 12.III.2015 ” (DZUP). 1♀,“ Brazil, RJ, Itatiaia,PNI,\ 27.II.2014, S22º23’38.9’’W\ 44º39’59.7’’, 2255m, ponto\ 07, Monteiro et al.” (DZUP); 2 ♂ “Brasil, RJ, Itatiaia, PNI, 27.II.2014, S22°25’42.6’’ W 44°37’42.2’’, 1442m, ponto 03, Monteiro et al.” (DZRJ)”; 1♀, “Brasil, RJ, Itatiaia, PNI, Trilha Ruy Braga, Cachoeira do Maromba, 13.IV–23.V.2014, malaise, Barbosa, L. ” (DZRJ); 1♂ 1 ♀, “ Brazil, RJ, Itatiaia, PNI,\ 30.V.2014, S 22º25’20.2’’ W\ 44º38’10.0’’, 1642m, ponto\ 04, Monteiro et al.” (DZRJ; DZRJ)”; “Same data except: 1♀, “ 25.IV.2014 ” (MNRJ); 1 ♀, “ 04.IX.2014 ” (DZRJ); 2 ♂ “ 04.X.2014 ” (DZUP); 5♂ 2 ♀ “ 01.XI.2014 ” (MNRJ); 2♂, “ 05.XII.2014 ”; 1♂, “ 12. II.2015 ” (MNRJ); 1♀, “ Brazil, RJ, Itatiaia, PNI,\ 26.VI.2014, S 22º25’59.6’’, W\ 44º37’39.7’’, 1280m, ponto\ 02, Monteiro et al.” (DRZJ); 1♂, “ Brazil, RJ, Itatiaia, PNI,\ 04.X.2014, S22º25’42.6’’ W\ 44º37’42.2’’, 1442m, ponto\ 03, Monteiro et al.’’ (MNRJ); 2♂, “Brasil, RJ, Itatiaia, PNI,\ 04.XI.2014, S 22º25’59.6’’ W\ 44º37’39.7’’, 1280m, ponto\ 02, Monteiro et al.” (DZUP); 1♂, “ Brazil, RJ, Itatiaia, PNI,\ 07.I.2015, S 22º24’10.6’’, W\ 44º38’28.3’’, 2061m, ponto\ 05, Monteiro et al.” (DZUP); 2♂, “ Brazil, RJ, Itatiaia, PNI,\ 12.II.2015, S 22º25’42.6’’, W\ 44º37’42.2’’, 1442m, ponto\ 03, Monteiro et al.” (MNRJ); 1♀, “Brasil, RJ, Itatiaia, PNI, Complexo do Maromba, Cachoeira Véu-da-Noiva, 02.X–02.XI.2015, S22°25’36.10’’, W44°37’05.80’’, 1153m, PNI-M2A, Biota Faperj ” (MNRJ). Itamonte: 1♀, “ Brasil, MG, Itamonte, PNI, Disco voador, 21–22.XI.2009, Luz ” (DZRJ); 1♂ 1♀, “ Brazil, MG, Itamonte, PNI,\ Setor Brejo da Lapa, Clareira,\ 03.XII.2015 – 05.I.2016, S22º \ 21’34.10’’ W44º44’9.40’’,\ Biota Faperj, Coleta 06” (MNRJ); 1♂, “ Brazil, MG, Itamonte, PNI,\ Casa de Pedra, 21–25.I.2019,\ Luz, Takiya, D. M., Freitas, A. \S., Ferreira, A. L. D., Antunes,\ A. F., Laranjeira, V. C. ” (DZRJ).
Taxonomic notes. Curtara (Curtara) monteiroi sp. nov. resembles Curtara (Curtara) serrana DeLong, 1980, in color with dark maculae on anterior margin of pronotum, with dark punctures on disc (Figs 52, 65) and forewing with dark mottled maculae (Figs 55, 68); simple style, with apical portion curved dorsally (Fig. 62), and, aedeagus with shaft close to the dorsal apodeme with a pair of ventral apical processes, directed ventrally (Fig. 63). Curtara (Curtara) monteiroi sp. nov. differs from Curtara (Curtara) serrana mainly by the truncated apex of male pygofer with a process on the posterodorsal margin (Fig. 58), while the apex of the pygofer of Curtara (Curtara) serrana is bluntly pointed; and by shape of atrial processes of aedeagus, which in Curtara (Curtara) monteiroi sp. nov. they are delicate and slender (Fig. 63) and in Curtara (Curtara) serrana they are more robust.
Curtara (Curtara) monteiroi sp. nov. was collected at PNI at altitudes from 1,142 to 2,255 m a.s.l.
description: Published as part of Laranjeira, Vanessa Cristina, Gonçalves, Clayton Corrêa & Takiya, Daniela Maeda, 2024, Curtara DeLong & Freytag, 1972 (Cicadellidae: Iassinae: Gyponini) from Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Southeastern Brazil: description of six new species and new species records, pp. 547-571 in Zootaxa 5458 (4) on pages 560-564, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5458.4.4, http://zenodo.org/record/11548094