Poblicia thanatophana Kirkaldy, 1907

Poblicia thanatophana Kirkaldy, 1907 View in CoL , revised status.—The orange-tailed speckled lanternfly

( Figures 4D–F View FIGURE 4 , 8–11 View FIGURE 8 , 12C, D View FIGURE 12 , 18B View FIGURE 18 )

Kirkaldy 1907: 61 [described].— Metcalf 1947: 63 [cataloged as synonym of Poblicia fuliginosa ].— Gómez-Marco et al. 2023 [parasites as Poblicia fuliginosa ].

Diagnosis. Body length between about 10.5–13.5 mm, nearly black usually with minute pale spotting on body, and larger bluish to white maculations on forewing, area past nodal line with many pale dashes between longitudinal veins, proximal to nodal line with reticulate veinlets (less dense than P. fuliginosa ). Vertex very narrow (vs. P. misella ), in frontal view dorsum of head truncate. Abdominal dorsum orange, fore- and middle tibiae with one pale band. Rostrum reaching hind coxae.

Amended description. Color. Overall coloration ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ) deep blackish-brown to nearly black (darker in vivo) with faint bluish wash; head anterior margin paler; body usually with fine minute spots (may be obscure or absent), except forewings ( Fig. 9A) with larger pale bluish maculations especially along costa and apically, forewings uniformly darkened and opaque (differing in hue past nodal line, before nodal line bearing many fine, irregular reticulate lines in cells, mostly connecting veins; beyond nodal line more distinct white dashes between veins); hindwings ( Fig. 9B) mostly smoky-transparent, apex darker gray, proximal portion near black with two large irregular spots (may fade to whitish or translucent in preserved specimens) and pale portion of clavus; veins dark except pale in proximal irregular pale spots. Legs black with irregular white markings, front and middle tibiae ( Fig. 4F View FIGURE 4 ) with one white band in distal third. Abdomen ventrally near black, dorsally bright orange (evident on lateral portion of abdomen in repose).

Structure. Body size (including wings) males x̄ = 10.9 mm (10.5–11.5, n=5), females x̄ = 13.1 mm (12.5–13.5, n=5). Body in dorsal view ( Fig. 8A View FIGURE 8 ) broad and parallel-sided, in lateral view ( Fig. 8C View FIGURE 8 ), head and thorax in similar plane (not appearing hump-backed). Head in dorsal view broad and strongly transverse, just narrower than prothorax, anteriorly weakly convex and posteriorly concave. Vertex much wider than long (about 5× wider than midlength), carinate on all margins (carina appearing thicker anteriorly), disc depressed bearing weak median longitudinal carina (sometimes obscure), surface roughened; anterior margin of head (dorsal view) appearing to have second anterior carina. Head in lateral view with face receding ventrad, inflection between vertex and frons abrupt. Frons (frontal view, Fig. 8D View FIGURE 8 ) broad, roughly quadrate, much broader than high (midlength about 0.62× width at dorsal margin), dorsal margin truncate, lateral margins sinuate, laterally foliate, somewhat narrowing ventrad; face surface rugulose bearing faint transverse grooves, with weak median carina (not reaching fastigium) and obscure diagonally oriented lateral carinae (approximated at base, giving a V-shaped appearance, becoming obsolete ventrad). Frontoclypeal suture arched, clypeus triangular with rounding dorsal margin, median portion longitudinally carinate. Antennae short, scape smooth, as tall as wide (hidden behind lateral foliations of frons from frontal view), pedicel bulbous, about as long as wide bearing numerous sensory plaques, flagellum bristle-like with bulbous base. Eyes bulbous, laterally projecting, subcircular (in lateral view), lacking a vertical carina or spine in front of eye. Lateral ocelli conspicuous at anterior ventral margin of eye. Rostrum reaching hind coxae ( Fig. 8B View FIGURE 8 ).

In dorsal view, pronotum broad, about 2× broader than vertex along midline (length at midline about 1/4 width), anterior margin arched and carinate, posterior margin nearly truncate, surface rugulose bearing median carina and obscure disc bearing two pits on each side of median line (median pit distinct, more laterad somewhat obscure); transverse carina of pronotum absent. Mesonotum triangular, a little longer than pronotum + head at midline, bearing a distinct median carina (becoming obsolete at scutellum), with lateral carinae obscure. Tegulae conspicuous. Front and middle legs ( Fig. 4F View FIGURE 4 ) with femora and tibiae expanded and flattened, hind tibiae ( Fig. 4D View FIGURE 4 ) with 4 lateral spines, apical spinulation ( Fig. 4E View FIGURE 4 ) 7(2+5)-(9–10)-(6–7), with spinules at the apex of tibia large and those on the basitarsus and 2 nd tarsomere in uniform row with lateral spinules largest, bearing conspicuous setae intersperse among apical teeth. Forewings ( Fig. 9A) broad, opaque, and relatively short (length ~2.3× width at widest point), costal and trailing margin subparallel (costal margin weakly convex, trailing margin inflected at costal apex), apex (at apical branches of RP and MP) broadly rounding, claval apex just distad of midlength; venation dense with numerous secondary veinlets, veinlets in form of pale dashed in apical third, dull reticulate in proximal 2/3; apex of clavus near nodal line (in apical 1/3 of wing); ScP+R forked from MP at basal cell; PCu and A1 fused near claval apex. Hindwings ( Fig. 9B) broad, maximum breadth near base, apex broadly rounded, trailing margin indentate at claval fold; anal lobe well-developed.

Male terminalia. Pygofer in lateral view ( Fig. 10A View FIGURE 10 ) narrowly trapezoidal (narrower posteriorly), anterior margin concave, caudal margin convex, ventral margin diagonally linear, dorsal margin sinuate; in ventral view deeply concave (medioventral lobe absent). Gonostyli ( Figs 12C, D View FIGURE 12 ) spatulate, proximal lateral portion bearing a conspicuous laterally projected hook before midlength; distal portion spatulate; dorsal surface bearing a large dentate process a little distad of midlength, posterior margin smoothly rounded. Anal tube (lateral view, Fig. 10A View FIGURE 10 ) broad and elongate, dorsal and ventral margins weakly sinuate, distally expanded to midline, then narrowed into blunt median lobe (apex of anal tube near midpoint); in dorsal view ( Fig. 11E View FIGURE 11 ) apex shallowly concave, lateral margins expanded to blunt lobes; epiproct hidden, paraproct stout, exceeding caudal margin of anal tube.

Plant associations. Baccharis sarothroides A. Gray (desertbroom), Baccharis salicina Torr. & A. Gray (willow baccharis), Baccharis sp. , Brickellia sp. (brickellbush), Helianthus sp. (sunflower) (all Asteraceae ). The California record of this species at the flowers of Opuntia basilaris Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow ( Cactaceae ) is likely a dispersing individual.

Biology. Poblicia thanatophana adults were always collected on Baccharis sarothroides from 2020 to 2022 (July–August). After collection, adults were able to feed on B. sarothroides potted plants (~ 60cm high) for around 20 days inside a walk-in chamber (25 ± 1°C; 50% R.H.; 8:16 D:L) at the Insectary and Quarantine building at the University of California, Riverside. Seven Poblicia thanatophana egg masses were found on potted B. sarothroides with an average number of eggs of 29.86 ± 2.69 (SE) ( Gómez-Marco et al. 2023).

Distribution. USA: CA, AZ, CO (Pueblo Co.), NM, TX (upper Rio Grande region); Mexico: Sonora ( Fig. 25 View FIGURE 25 ).

Remarks. The diagnostic features that separate this species from P. fuliginosa are described in the remarks under the latter species. It is possible that the easternmost populations of this species may be peripatric with P. fuliginosa .

Material examined. Type material ( BPBM, holotype, male) “Nogales // Arizona / A. Koebele // 2519 [?] // Type [red paper] // Poblicia / thanatophana / 577 ♂ Kirk [handwritten]/ Holotype [red paper, stuck perpendicular on label right side // P. thanatophana / Kirk Type [handwritten].

Other material examined. ARIZONA: Cochise Co. ( 46 specimens, UCRC, 1 specimen TAMU) ; Gila Co., 22 mi. NE of Globe , 12 Sep 1957, Timberlake, Baccharis sp. , (5 sex undetermined, UCRC) ; Miami , 29 Aug 1958, M. W. Nielson, Baccharis sp. (1 sex undetermined, UCRC) ; Graham Co., Graham Mountain , 15 Sep 1940, Bryant (1 sex undetermined, UCRC) ; Santa Cruz Co.: 5 mi S of Patagonia , 15 Sep 1985, W. F. Barr ( 1 male, UDCC) ; AZ 82 View Materials at road to Patagonia Lake , 3.5mi S of Patagonia, 26 Sep 1997, C. L. and S. L. Staines ( 1 female, UDCC) ; Florida Canyon , 25 Sep 1997, C. L. and S. L. Staines ( 1 female, UDCC) ; Santa Rita Mountains , 19 Sep 1964, W. F. Barr ( 1 female, UDCC) ; Yavapai Co., S Hillside, 1 Oct 1980, Art Strong (1 sex undetermined, UCRC) . CALIFORNIA: Inyo Co., 2 Miles East of Darwin , P. H. & M. Arnaud, 4700 ft. alt., 12 Jun 1971, at flowers Opuntia basilaris (CASENT8139059) (1 sex undetermined, CASC) . NEW MEXICO: Dona Ana Co.: 12 Sep 1976, J. Calderon ( 1 female, UDCC) ; Organ Mountains, Long Canyon , 30 Sep 2007, P.A. Lenhart ( 2 males, 4 females, UDCC) ; Vado , 16 Sep 1976, A. Stephens ( 1 male 1 female, UDCC) ; Eddy Co.: 4 mi. E Loving , 7 Nov 1989, T. O. Robbins, Baccharis salicina ( 1 male, USNM) . TEXAS: Donley Co.: 4 mi. N. Clarendon, Greenbelt Resevoir , 06 Oct 1988, P.E. Boldt & T.O. Robbins, Baccharis salicina ( 1 male, USNM) ; El Paso Co.: McKelligon Canyon, El Paso , 08 Sep 2007, M. J. Lara ( 1 female, UDCC) ; Red sand dunes along Highway 62, 09 Sep 2007, M. Dominguez ( 2 female, UDCC) ; same, 13 Oct 2007, O.G. Uranga ( 1 male, UDCC) ; Socorro , 25 Oct 1973, G. Strong ( 1 female, UDCC) ; West El Paso , 16 Apr 2007, J. Bautista ( 1 male, 3 females, UDCC) ; same 6 May 2007, J. Bautista ( 1 female, UDCC) ; same, 21 May 2007, J. Bautista ( 1 female, UDCC) .