Shanaya spatulata, Rajgopal & Ramaiah & Rai & Dey & Singaravel & Meshram, 2025

Rajgopal, Nernakallu N., Ramaiah, Mogili, Rai, Stuti, Dey, Debjani, Singaravel, Muniyandi & Meshram, Naresh M., 2025, Shanaya: A new leafhopper genus of the tribe Mukariini (Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with two new species discovered and described from India, Zootaxa 5637 (2), pp. 383-393 : 389

Shanaya spatulata sp. nov.

( Figs 2–4 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9027F3AB-F5C6-4986-B755-D3E2079D8CFC

Description of species

Male. External morphology as in generic description with some exceptional species characters as follows–vertex yellow, shagreen anteriorly with two to four small reddish-brown or yellow spots arranged in a linear fashion on the anterior margin. Anterior margin of pronotum with 4 irregularly shaped reddish-orange spots ( Fig. 2A–C ). Outer anteapical cell large, divided into 2 sub-cells by cross veins, apex delimited by cross vein. Inner anteapical cell either closed or open basally ( Fig. 2I ).

Male genitalia. Pygofer with C-shaped dorsal appendage directed postero-ventrally, bifurcated basally with pointed apex, postero-caudally with a tuft of 8 dark stout submarginal thickened setae, below which with many marginal macrosetae; 2–4 macrosetae near dorsal margin ( Fig. 3A ). Subgenital plate usually broad basally, with an oblique uniseriate row of 6 macrosetae restricted to basal half, abruptly narrowed from mid-posteriorly ( Fig. 3F ). Style basal margin of preapical lobe overlapping inner margin of apophysis up to some extent ( Fig. 3C ). Aedeagus shaft spatulate, broad at the apex with paired basal truncate lateral process. Gonopore ventro-apical ( Fig. 3D–E ).

Female. External morphology follows generic description with a variation in the number of spots on the anterior margin of vertex, ranging from two to six in specimens ( Fig. 4A ).

Female genitalia. Sternite VII twice as wide as long medially, widened posteriorly, hind margin concave with elevated median lobe extending beyond the lateral lobes ( Fig. 4C ).

Measurements. Male 4.1–4.3 mm long, 1.22 mm wide across eyes and 0.96 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum. Female 4.2–4.5 mm long, 1.3 mm wide across eyes and 1.03 mm wide across posterolateral angles of pronotum.

NCBI Accession number. MK263183.1, MK263182.1. These sequences will help in accurate and speedy species identification.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE ♂, INDIA: Himachal Pradesh: Nauni , 30º51’30.7”N 77º9’38.01”E, 14.vii.2017, Hg. Light Coll. Rajgopal N. N. ( NPC) . PARATYPE 1♂ with same data as on holotype. PARAPTYPES. Uttarakhand: Dehradun , 1♂, 30º16’58”N 77º58’21”E, 2.viii.2017, Hg. light Coll., Stuti ( NPC); GBPAU, Pantnagar , 2♀, 29º02’60.00”N 79º30’59.99“E, 26.xi.2020, Sweep net Coll., Ramaiah M., Host: Bamboo . Arunachal Pradesh: Basar , 1♂, 1♀ 27º58’36”N 94º41’21”E, 30.vi.2018, Aspirator Coll., Stuti and T. R. Hashmi ( NPC) . Tamil Nadu: Thandikudi , 1♂, 10º18’50”N 77º38’29”E, 8.vi.2010, Hand Coll., A. N. Reddy ( UASB) . Karnataka: Mudigere, 1♂, 1♀, 13º07’36”N 75º38’04”E, 22.v.1976; Dharwar, 1♂, 15º29’13”N 74º58’48”E, xi.1969, Hg. light Coll., C. A. Viraktamath ; Kothanuru , 1♂, 13º23’16”N 77º51’35”E, 10.vi.2010, Sweep net Coll., S. Murthy ( UASB) . Kerala: Marayoor , 1♂, 10º16’34”N 77º09’40”E, 25.i.2019. Rajasthan: Mt. Abu , 1♀, 24º35’30”N 72º44’16”E, 25.i.1981, C. A. Viraktamath ( UASB) . Haryana: Panchkula , 4♂, 3♀, 30º43’41”N 76º51’39”E 29.ix.2021, Hg light Coll., N. N. Rajgopal ( NPC) . Manipur: Imphal West , 1♀, 24º43’16.8”N 93º55’52.5”E, 24.v.2022, Hg light Coll., L. C. Langlentombi ( NPC) . Uttarakhand: Almora, ICAR-VPKAS , 1♂, 29°38’9.01”N 79°37’52.52”E, 30.ix.2024, Hg. Light Coll., Rajgopal N. N. ( NIM) . Uttarakhand: Bageshwar, Kafligair , 1♂, 29º45’08”N 79º44’32”E, 29.ix.2024, Hg. Light Coll., Rajgopal N. N. ( NIM) .

Etymology. The species name “ spatulata ” alludes to the spatulate aedeagal shape of the species.

Remarks. The type species Shanaya spatulata sp. nov. differs from its sister species S. abeeri sp. nov. in external morphology as well as in genitalia structures.

Figures

FIGURE 2 Shanaya spatulata gen. et sp. nov. male A. Habitus dorsal; B. Habitus lateral; C. Pronotum; D. Face; E. Fore femur; F. Foreleg; G. Midleg; H. Hindleg; I. Forewing; J. Hindwing.

FIGURE 3 Shanaya spatulata gen. et sp. nov. male genitalia A. Pygofer lateral; B. Pygofer dorsal; C. Style; D. Aedeagus ventral with connective; E. Aedeagus lateral; F. Subgenital plate with valve.

FIGURE 4 Shanaya spatulata gen. et sp. nov. female genitalia A. Habitus dorsal; B. Habitus lateral C. VII Sternite D–E. Valvulae I; F–G. Valvulae II.