Pictoliarus Hendrix & Bartlett, 2025

Genus Pictoliarus Hendrix & Bartlett , gen. nov.

Type species. Pictoliarus zoetropeus sp. nov.; by present designation.

Diagnosis. Large, pale pentastirine cixiids with patterned wings. Vertex relatively broad, bearing conspicuous foliate subapical carinae joined at anterior margin of head (from dorsal view). Male terminalia weakly bilaterally asymmetrical, pygofer with small, triangular medioventral process. Gonostyli spatulate in lateral view, connected by tether at base. Periandrium broad, bearing two strongly twisted processes (in ventral view). Endosoma distinctly twisted behind the periandrium in ventral view. Anal tube (in dorsal view) elongated and hood-like, bilaterally asymmetrical.

Description. Relatively large cixiid planthoppers (~ 11mm) pale in coloration. Head narrower than pronotum, angularly emarginate posteriorly, truncate or weakly concave anteriorly. Vertex projecting past eyes, about as wide as long, widest at posterior margin; subapical portion of vertex with prominently angulate subapical transverse carinae; apex of head transversely carinate, bearing apical areolet between head apex and subapical transverse carina. Frons and clypeus collectively elongate rhomboid (dorsal margin truncate). Frons with distinct median ocellus just above frontoclypeal suture, median carina distinct (forked near dorsal margin to form conspicuous areolet), frontoclypeal suture strongly angled into an inverse u-shape that circumscribes a quadrate portion of the clypeus. Eyes bearing diffuse dark spots. Lateral ocelli distinct at anterioventral margin of eyes. Antennae short, scape ring-like, pedicel ovoid bearing many sensory pits, flagellum long and bristle-like with bulbous base. Rostrum exceeding hind coxae.

Pronotum short (less than half vertex length at midline) and broad with hind margin angulate, bearing a median carina, dorsal lateral carinae (extending from anterior margin of pronotum near midline, strongly arched laterally into paradiscal region), and usually lateral carinae extending transversely between eye and tegula. Mesonotum bearing five carinae (intermediate carinae weakly indicated); lateral margins of mesonotum fuscous to pale. Legs generally uniformly pale yellow (with tarsi often somewhat darker), apical spines of hind tibiae and tarsi blackened. Hind tibiae with lateral teeth, apical spinulation 6(5+1)-7-7 (platellae absent) ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ). Tegulae prominent. Wings transparent with faint to dark diffuse maculations; veins pale and pigmented with many dark spots or streaks bearing inconspicuous setal bases; crossveins apparently lacking setae; CuP with setae present ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ).

Abdomen somewhat dorsoventrally flattened, dorsum and venter pale yellow.

Male terminalia with somewhat slender and elongated pygofer bearing (in ventral view) a very small medioventral process and two elongated lateral processes. Gonostyli large, surpassing length of pygofer; expanded distally; proximally gonostyli joined by a slender tether bearing a median T-shaped apophysis (directed ventrad in situ) ( Figs. 7C–D View FIGURE 7 ). Periandrium broad, bearing two strongly twisted processes (sinistral and dextral processes of Mead and Kramer, 1982). Endosoma (in left lateral view) strongly arched left then right; bearing few processes ( Fig. 6C View FIGURE 6 ). Anal tube (in dorsal view) bilaterally asymmetrical, elongated, and hood-like ( Fig. 6F View FIGURE 6 ).

Distribution. Belize.

Etymology. The genus name is derived from the Latin word “ picta” (“decorated”), referring to the greatly patterned forewings, combined with the genus name “ Oliarus . ” The name is masculine in gender.

Remarks. Pictoliarus gen. nov. is distinctive among the American Pentastirini . It is larger and more strikingly patterned than most other members of the tribe. It is similar to Cyclopoliarus Fennah in its large size but differs in coloration and head shape. Cyclopoliarus is often dark in coloration (bearing distinct pale markings) with clear unpatterned forewings (although the wing apex may have a fuscous wash) with uniformly dark veins and a narrow vertex, readily separating the genus from Pictoliarus gen. nov. The male terminalia differ greatly between the two genera, but perhaps most clearly in the anal tube where in Cyclopoliarus it usually terminates in a pointed lobe (visible from both lateral and dorsal view), whereas in Pictoliarus gen. nov. the anal tube (lateral view) is slender and is apically downcurved.

The gonostyli in Pictoliarus gen. nov. are proximally attached by a slender connection ( Figs. 7C–D View FIGURE 7 ), here referred to as a “tether.” While initially, to our knowledge, there were no other American Pentastirini reported with the gonostyli proximally attached in this manner, examination of the terminalia of Cyclopoliarus omani (Metcalf) revealed a similar (but inconspicuous) tether joining the gonostyli. A tether was not found in any other Pentastirini we have examined. In Mnemosyne Stål (Mnemosynini) the gonostyli are fused at the base and bear a small median projection (e.g., Van Stalle 1987, fig. 8), a reminiscent situation that might be homologous. It is unclear whether this arrangement is particular to the new species described here, as opposed to being common to the genus (when other species are described). We anticipate that the tethered gonostyli are a generic feature.