Ruppeliana delicata, Alasmar & Cavichioli, 2025

Ruppeliana delicata sp. nov.

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Figs 8–9 View Fig View Fig

Diagnosis

Large sharpshooters, about 10 mm length ( Fig. 8A–B View Fig ). Crown, frons and pronotum black, mottled with yellow spots ( Fig. 8A–C View Fig ). Forewing brown, with a longitudinal laterally yellow strap, from basal to anteapical portion, the remainder parts mottled with yellow spots ( Fig. 8A–B View Fig ). Male pygofer concave in dorsal margin posterior half ( Fig. 8D View Fig ). Subgenital plates not attaining pygofer apex ( Fig. 8D View Fig ). Style short with apex truncated ( Fig. 8E View Fig ). Aedeagal shaft curved ventrally, apex rounded ( Fig. 8G View Fig ). Aedeagal atrium sheath-like, apex directed anteriorly, with a pair of slender basidorsal processes, subparallel, with apex acute ( Fig. 8G–H View Fig ).

Etymology

The epithet ‘ delicata ’ is derived from the Latin and means ‘charming’, ‘elegant’, and ‘delicate’, referring to the remarkable pattern and coloration of its representatives.

Type material

Holotype

BRAZIL – Santa Catarina State • ♂; Urubici, Parque Nacional São Joaquim ; elev. 1600 m; 17–18 Mar. 2012; Grossi, Parizotto and Leivas leg.; DZUP.

Paratypes

BRAZIL – Santa Catarina State • 1 ♂, 8 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; DZUP .

Description

MEASUREMENTS (mm). Total length. Male holotype: 9.6. Paratype ( ♂): 9.9 (n = 1); ( ♀) 9.9–11.2 (n = 8).

HEAD ( Fig. 8A View Fig ). In dorsal view, moderately produced anteriorly, anterior margin broadly rounded, median length of crown approximately ⅓ of interocular width and approximately ½ of transocular width. Frons ( Fig. 8C View Fig ), in frontal view, texture slightly granular, muscular impressions indistinct, epistomal suture obsolete medially. Clypeus ( Fig. 8C View Fig ), in frontal view, posterior half slightly pubescent. Pronotum ( Fig. 8A View Fig ), in dorsal view, with lateral margins slightly convergent apically; posterior two-thirds of disk slightly transversely striated medially. Mesonotum ( Fig. 8A View Fig ) slightly granulated before transverse sulcus and slightly transversely striate behind. Forewings ( Fig. 8A–B View Fig ) with veins indistinct, membrane distinct, including inner apical cell; 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 face ( Fig. 8A–B View Fig ) black, with various rounded yellowed macula. Clypeus ( Fig. 8C View Fig ) black, with a pair of yellowed oval maculae on lateral margins. Lorum and gena ( Fig. 8C View Fig ) yellow, with smoky browned areas. Pronotum ( Fig. 8A View Fig ) anterior third blackened, with rounded yellowed maculae, posterior two-thirds black with smoky yellowed areas and yellow maculae. Mesonotum ( Fig. 8A View Fig ) anterior half black, with two pairs of yellow maculae, one laterally and the other medially; yellow posteriorly to transversal sulcus. Meso and metasternum ( Fig. 8B View Fig ) black. Forewing ( Fig. 8A–B View Fig ) browned, mottled with rounded yellow maculae, with a transversal yellow band from basal to anteapical portion. Legs ( Fig. 8B–C View Fig ) yellow, coxae lateral portions browned, tibia lateral portions reddened. Abdomen ( Fig. 9A–B View Fig ) blackened.

MALE GENITALIA. Pygofer ( Fig. 8D View Fig ), in lateral view, strongly produced posteriorly, dorsal margin conspicuously concave preapically, apical portion slightly expanded, posterior margin subquadrangular; macrosetae distributed along the posterior two-thirds of disc. Valve ( Fig. 8F View Fig ), in ventral view, with a longitudinal median thickening, anterior margin with a reentrance medially. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 8D 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. 8E View Fig ), in dorsal view, elongate, extending posteriorly beyond apex of connective, outer margin apical portion bearing microsetae, slightly directed outwards, apex truncated. Connective ( Fig. 8E View Fig ), in dorsal view, V-shaped, arms and stalk short, with a median keel. Aedeagus ( Fig. 8G–H View Fig ), in lateral view, shaft conspicuously curved ventrally, with rounded apex; aedeagal atrium well developed, forming a sheath-like structure directed anteroventrally, attaining shaft’s apex, with a pair of elongate basidorsal processes, with acute apex, directed posteriorly and trespassing shaft’s apex; in ventral view, anterior margin narrowly projected anteriorly, posterior margin of atrium with a strong reentrance medially, forming two distinct rounded lobes laterally; basidorsal processes apical portions subparallel.

FEMALE GENITALIA. Pygofer ( Fig. 9B View Fig ), in lateral view strongly produced posteriorly, posterior margin triangular, macrosetae along ventral and posterior margins. Abdominal sternite VII ( Fig. 9A–C View Fig ) as long as wide, posterior margin emarginated medially, forming a pair of rounded lobes laterally, posterolateral corners slightly directed outwards. Valvifer I ( Fig. 9D View Fig ), in lateral view, rounded. Valvula I ( Fig. 9D–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. 9F–H View Fig ), in lateral view, slightly expanded beyond basal curvature, narrowing gradually towards apex; without preapical prominence; apex rounded; dorsal margin with 55 continuous teeth, irregular shaped after basal curvature, robust and triangular at basal and median portions and small and trapezoid or irregular shaped in apical portion, all bearing denticles. Gonoplac ( Fig. 9I–J View Fig ), in lateral view, with basal half narrow, bearing denticuli in ventral margin, apical half expanded; apex rounded, with apical surface bearing denticuli and few macrosetae in ventroposterior margin.

Remarks

Ruppeliana delicata sp. nov. and R. longiphallus share two distinct forewing marking patterns: longitudinal stripes and spots. However, R. delicata can be readily distinguished from R. longiphallus and all other species of Ruppeliana by its unique wing pattern, which features a single pair of lateral longitudinal stripes, with the remaining forewing surface mottled with spots. In contrast, R. longiphallus has four pairs of rounded basal spots on the forewings, each followed by a longitudinal stripe.