Tumidiclava tamariska Hu & Aishan, sp. nov.

(Figs 10–14)

Type material. Holotype ♀ [ICXU] (on slide, Fig. 10). CHINA. XINJIANG: Beitun, Xiganqu, 46°16.15´N, 86°41.56´E, 26.vii. 2012, H.-y. Hu group.

Paratypes (on slides). CHINA. XINJIANG: Bachu, 39°50.68´N, 78°32.41´E, 21.vi. 2008, H.-y. Hu group [1♀, ICXU]. Beitun, Xiganqu, 46°16.15´N, 86°41.56´E, 26.vii. 2012, H.-y. Hu group [23♀, 15♂, ICXU]. Bole, 44°30.08´N, 83°19.49´E, 25.vii. 2006, H.-y. Hu group [6♀, 2♂, ICXU]. Shihezi, 44°59´N, 86°06´E, 19.vii. 2005, H.-y. Hu group [2♀, 6♂, ICXU]. ISRAEL. Negev Desert, Sde Boker Kibbutz, 2-22.x.1988, F. Brouwer [1♀ on slide, UCRC].

Description. FEMALE (specimens from China and Israel). Body yellowish-brown except eyes red, legs yellow. Body length 0.55–0.63 mm (n = 7).

Head brown, subcircular in frontal view; eye 0.68× height of head (0.57–0.80). Maxillary palp short, 1- segmented. Antenna (Fig. 11) rather long, with scape long, 4.28× as long as wide (4.00–4.43×); pedicel pyriform, 2.50× as long as wide (2.00–2.50×); scape length/pedicel length = 1.50 (1.47–1.55); second anellus small and appressed to club; club 3-segmented, 3.58× as long as wide (2.92–4.00×), first segment the shortest, apical segment the longest and with 3–4 PLS, terminal process as long as second claval segment, its length/ club length = 0.14 (6/ 42).

Mesoscutum with reticulate sculpture; midlobe with 4 setae. Fore wing (Fig. 12) 2.00× as long as wide (1.9– 2.1×), hyaline; venation short, extending 0.30× FWL, disc sparsely setae, with setae irregularly arranged. Fringe setae short, FWFS/FWW = 0.20 (0.14–0.20). Hind wing with 1 complete linear setal track. First tarsal segments of all legs short, second and third segments equal in length.

Metasoma longer than mesosoma; ovipositor short and slightly exerted, arising from fourth gastral sternite, ovipositor/hind tibia length = 1.15 (1.17–1.25).

Measurements (µm) of the holotype. Body 610; mesosoma 180; gaster 300; ovipositor 37.5. Antenna: scape 70; pedicel 50; clava 110. Fore wing 390: 200; longest marginal seta 40. Hind wing 370; 30; longest marginal seta 60.

MALE (specimens from China). Body length 0.60–0.62 mm; body color and morphological features similar to female. Antenna (Fig. 13) slightly thick, scape length/pedicel length = 1.36 (1.15–1.44), scape 3.65× as long as wide (3.14–4.00×); pedicel 1.98× as long as wide; second anellus larger than first; club 5-segmented, 3.06× as long as wide (2.83–3.50×), with 2 PLS, one on the third club segment, another on the fourth to fifth club segment. Genitalia (Fig. 14) cylindrical, aedeagus and apodemes equal in length.

Diagnosis. Tumidiclava tamariska is most similar to T. longiclavata . Females of this new species are easily distinguished by the unique combination of the club having long segments, particularly the second and third segments (Fig. 11), and the fore wings having sparse, short, inconspicuous discal setae (Fig. 12).

Etymology. The species name is a noun in apposition which is derived from the common name of Tamarix, tamarisk.

Distribution. China (Xinjiang) and Israel.

Hosts. Unknown.

Comments. Most of the specimens of this species were collected in Beitun, Xiganqu saline desert. Vegetation at this locality is predominated by Tamaricaceae, plant hosts of various leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) and also the leaf beetle Diorhabda elongata Brullé ( Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). At least one of these two might be the potential host of T. tamariska, numerous specimens of which were collected on Tamarix chinensis .