Poblicia misella ( Stål, 1863 )

Poblicia misella ( Stål, 1863) View in CoL —The broad-headed speckled Lanternfly

( Figures 14 View FIGURE 14 , 15 View FIGURE 15 )

= Poeocera misella Stål, 1863 View in CoL (original combination).

= Poblicia misella ( Stål, 1863) View in CoL , combination by implication Stål (1866: 390), made explicit by Distant (1887: 31).

Stal 1863: 239 [described].— Metcalf 1947: 64 [cataloged, full synonymy list].— Porion 1994: 21 [listed].

Diagnosis. Vertex distinctly elongate (relative to P. fuliginosa and P. thanatophana ), each lateral compartment with a distinct pit; in frontal view, frons nearly square (just wider than tall), with dorsal margin convex. Forewings generously maculated with irregularly arranged bluish spots (with similar spotting on both sides of nodal line). Abdominal terga broadly red. Legs with two pale bands on both femora and tibiae of front and middle legs. Rostrum far exceeding hind coxae.

Amended description. Color. Overall coloration near blackish ( Fig. 14 View FIGURE 14 ), irregularly mottled paler. Forewings opaque, generously maculated with irregularly arranged pale blue spots (including distad of nodus, irregular reticulate lines obscure in cells). Hindwings smokey in apical third and most of claval lobe, deep gray proximally. Legs black with irregular white markings (hind legs with more extensive pale markings), front and middle femora and tibiae with two white bands. Abdomen ( Figs 14A, B View FIGURE 14 ) with apparent tergites 3–4 reddish with a pair of black spots each side of midline.

Structure. Body size (excluding wings— type with wings spread) male 7.5 mm, forewing 8.3 mm, estimated body length with wings 10.5 mm. Head in dorsal view ( Fig. 15A View FIGURE 15 ) broad and transverse (but midline distinctly more elongate than P. fuliginosa or P. thanatophana ), narrower than prothorax, anteriorly convex and posteriorly concave. Vertex much wider than long (about 4× wider than midlength), carinate on all margins, disc depressed bearing median longitudinal carina and a distinct pit near center of disc each side of midline, surface roughened; anterior margin of head (dorsal view) appearing to have second anterior carina. Head in lateral view ( Fig. 15A View FIGURE 15 ) with face receding ventrad, inflection between vertex and frons abrupt. Frons (frontal view, Fig. 15C View FIGURE 15 ) broad, quadrate, about 1.1× broader than high, dorsal margin convex, lateral margins sinuate, laterally foliate, laterally flared into a low lobe near ventral margins; face surface bearing irregular groves, with weak median carina (appearing to come to a “T” with a transverse carina before dorsal margin), and diagonally oriented lateral carinae (approximated at base, giving a V-shaped appearance). Frontoclypeal suture nearly transverse (downwardly inflected laterally), clypeus triangular median portion longitudinally carinate. Antennae short, scape hidden behind lateral foliations of frons in frontal view, pedicel bulbous, bearing numerous sensory plaques, flagellum bristle-like with bulbous base. Eyes bulbous, laterally projecting, subcircular (in lateral view). Lateral ocelli conspicuous at anterior ventral margin of eye. Rostrum ( Fig. 14C View FIGURE 14 ) exceeding hind coxae by full segment.

In lateral view, mesonotum and pronotum nearly flat and on same plane ( Fig. 14B View FIGURE 14 ). In dorsal view ( Fig. 15A View FIGURE 15 ), pronotum nearly 2× length of vertex at midline, (length at midline about 1/3 width), anterior margin arched and carinate, posterior margin weakly concave, surface bearing longitudinal striae. Mesonotum triangular, just longer than pronotum + head at midline. Tegulae conspicuous. Front and middle legs ( Fig. 14E View FIGURE 14 ) with femora and tibiae expanded and flattened, hind tibia with 5 lateral spines, apical spinulation appearing 7(2+5)-9-6. Forewings broad ( Fig. 14A View FIGURE 14 ), opaque and relatively short, costal and trailing margin subparallel, apex (at apical branches of RP and MP) broadly rounding, claval apex distad of midlength. Hindwings broad, maximum breadth near base, anal lobe well-developed.

Remarks. Among species of Poblicia , P. misella is most readily recognized by the more elongate vertex from dorsal view (with distinct pits in each lateral compartment), and from frontal view the frons being only a little wider than tall, with the dorsal margin of the face convex, rather than truncate as in P. fuliginosa and P. thanatophana . Also, the speckling patterns of the forewings are different with P. misella being more densely supplied with bluish maculations and lacking the many fine, irregular pale reticulate lines in cells before the nodal line and the white dashes between veins distad of the nodal line. Also, in the type specimen of P. misella , the apex of the hindwing is transparent (usually smoky in other Poblicia ) and the hindwing base lacks the large bluish markings.

We have not yet found any additional records of this species (either specimens or iNaturalist), although iNaturalist observation 94771776 from Nayarit State, Mexico, may represent this species.

Plant associations. None reported.

Distribution. Mexico ( Oaxaca).

Material examined. Type material ( NHRS, holotype, male) “ Oaxaca // Sallé // Typus [red paper] // 458 / 63 // Poblicia / misella Stal / V. Lallemand det., 1953 // NHRS-GULI / 00009853” .