Ruppeliana robusta, Alasmar & Cavichioli, 2025

Ruppeliana robusta sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:

Figs 10–11 View Fig View Fig

Diagnosis

Large sharpshooters, about 10 mm ( Fig. 10A–B View Fig ). Crown and frons black, mottled with yellow spots. Forewing green, with veins and apex brownish. Pygofer ( Fig. 10D View Fig ), in lateral view, strongly produced posteriorly, dorsal margin concave preapically, posterior margin rounded. Subgenital plate in lateral view, reaching pygofer posterior third ( Fig. 10D View Fig ). Aedeagus shaft curved ventrally, with apex rounded ( Fig. 10G View Fig ). Aedeagal atrium with a basidorsal elongate process, with apex acute; in ventral view, dorsoapical portion of sheath-like structure forming subtriangular lobes laterally ( Fig. 10H View Fig ).

Etymology

The species epithet ‘ robusta ’ comes from the Latin and means ‘robust’, referring to the overall large aspect of this species.

Type material

Holotype

BRAZIL – Paraná State • ♂; Guaratuba, Pontal do Paraná ; elev. 1400 m; 16 Feb. 2009; P.C. Grossi and D. R. Parizotto leg.; DZUP.

Paratypes

BRAZIL – Paraná State • 1 ♂; same data as for holotype; DZUP • 2 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; 16 Apr. 2011; DZUP • 1 ♂; Tijucas do Sul, Morro do Araçatuba ; elev. 1200–1600 m; 25–27 Feb. 2011; P.C. Grossi leg.; DZUP • 1 ♂; same data as for holotype; elev. 1600–1652 m; 31 Jan. 2012; Grossi and Santos leg.; DZUP • 2 ♀♀; Pontal do Itararé, Morro dos Perdidos ; 25°53′27″ S, 48°57′27″ W; elev. 1423 m; 3 Feb. 2010; P.C. Grossi leg.; DZUP GoogleMaps .

Description

MEASUREMENTS (mm). Total length. Male holotype: 9.8. Paratypes ( ♂): 9.4–10.2 (n = 3); ( ♀) 10.9–11.6 (n = 4).

HEAD ( Fig. 10A View Fig ). In dorsal view, moderately produced anteriorly; anterior margin sub quadrangular; median length of crown ⅓ of interocular width and ½ of transocular width. Frons ( Fig. 10C View Fig ), in frontal view, texture slightly granular, muscular impressions indistinct; epistomal suture obsolete medially. Clypeus ( Fig. 10C View Fig ), in frontal view, without pubescence. Pronotum ( Fig. 10A View Fig ), in dorsal view, with lateral margins parallel, posterior two-thirds of disk slightly transversely striated medially. Mesonotum ( Fig. 10A View Fig ), in dorsal view, slightly granulated before transverse sulcus and slightly transversely striated posteriorly. Forewings ( Fig. 10A–B View Fig ) with veins and membrane distinct, including apical cells posterior third; bases of anteapical cells approximately aligned with claval apex. Remaining characteristics of external morphology as described for the genus by Young (1977: 747).

COLORATION. Crown and frons ( Fig. 10A–C View Fig ) black, mottled with yellowed spots. Clypeus ( Fig. 10C View Fig ) black, with yellowed maculae on lateral margins. Lorum and gena yellow ( Fig. 10C View Fig ). Pronotum ( Fig. 10A View Fig ) anterior third blackened, with various yellowed maculae, posterior two-thirds yellow; posterior margin outlined in black. Mesonotum ( Fig. 10A View Fig ) anterior half black, with a pair of triangular maculae laterally and a yellow spot medially; yellowish posteriorly to transversal sulcus. Meso and metasternum ( Fig. 10B–C View Fig ) yellow. Forewing ( Fig. 10A–B View Fig ) green, with veins and apex browned. Legs ( Fig. 10B View Fig ) brown with coxae outer margins yellow. Abdomen ( Fig. 11A–B View Fig ) blackened, with terminalia outlined in yellow.

MALE GENITALIA. Pygofer ( Fig. 10D View Fig ), in lateral view, strongly produced posteriorly, dorsal margin concave preapically, posterior margin rounded; macrosetae distributed along the posterior two-thirds of disc. Valve ( Fig. 10F View Fig ), in ventral view, with a longitudinal median thickening, anterior margin with a reentrance medially. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 10D View Fig ), in ventral view, triangular, narrowing gradually towards apex, inner margin rectilinear, outer margin with a uniseriate row of macrosetae; in lateral view, reaching pygofer posterior third, dorsal margin with multiseriate rows of microsetae. Style ( Fig. 10E View Fig ), in dorsal view, elongate, extending posteriorly beyond apex of connective, apical portion slightly directed outwards and bearing microsetae, apex truncated. Connective ( Fig. 10E View Fig ), in dorsal view, V-shaped, arms and stalk short, with a median keel. Aedeagus ( Fig. 10G–H View Fig ), in lateral view, shaft conspicuously curved ventrally, apex rounded; aedeagal atrium well developed, forming a sheath-like structure directed anteroventrally, attaining shaft’s apex, with a pair of elongate basidorsal processes, directed posteroventrally, with apex acute and surpassing shaft’s apex; in ventral view, anterior margin narrowly projected anteriorly, posterior margin of atrium with a strong reentrance medially, forming two distinct subtriangular lobes laterally; basidorsal processes apexes slightly divergent.

FEMALE GENITALIA. Pygofer ( Fig. 11B View Fig ), in lateral view strongly produced posteriorly, posterior margin triangular, macrosetae along ventral and posterior margins. Abdominal sternite VII ( Fig. 11B–C View Fig ) as long as wide; posterior margin emarginated medially, forming a pair of rounded lobes laterally; posterolateral corners subparallel. Valvifer I ( Fig. 11D View Fig ), in lateral view, rounded. Valvula I ( Fig. 11D–E View Fig ), in lateral view, blade narrowed apically; base with a lobated projection directed anteriorly, apex narrowly rounded; dorsal sculptured area strigate, extending from basal portion to apex and almost reaching halfwidth of blade, ventral sculpted area strigate, extending from basal to apical portions. Valvula II ( Fig. 11F–H View Fig ), in lateral view, slightly expanded beyond basal curvature, narrowing gradually towards apex; without preapical prominence; apex rounded; dorsal margin with 40 continuous teeth, robust and triangular at basal and median portions followed by small and trapezoid in apical portion, both bearing denticles. Gonoplac ( Fig. 11I–J View Fig ), in lateral view, with basal half narrow, apical half expanded; apex rounded, with apical surface bearing denticuli and macrosetae along ventroposterior margin.

Remarks

Ruppeliana robusta sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species of Ruppeliana by its forewings, which lack stripes or spots but feature distinct veins and a brownish apex. To date, R. robusta is the only species in the genus with a subquadrangular posterior margin of the head.