Caliscelis (Melanero) maculatum, Chen & Gong, 2025

Chen, Xiang-Sheng & Gong, Nian, 2025, Taxonomic study of the Caliscelidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoroidea) from China, Zootaxa 5670 (1), pp. 1-129 : 43

Caliscelis (Melanero) maculatum sp. nov.

( Figures 36–38 )

Description. Measurements. Body length (from apex of vertex to tip of abdomen): male 3.8–4.0 mm (N=3), female 4.3–4.5 mm (N=3); forewing length: male 1. 5– 1.6 mm (N=3), female 1.6–1.7 mm (N=3).

Coloration. Male: Body mainly yellowish brown to dark brown. Frons brown with the small yellowish white tubercules between lateral and sublateral carinae. Frontoclypeal suture pale yellowish brown. Clypeus brown. Eyes yellowish brown. Pronotum and mesonotum brown, lateral areas with several yellowish sensory pits. Forewing light yellow near basal 1/3, brown near dorsal margin 1/4, rest dark brown. The 3rd and 4th abdominal segments and the middle of the 6th and 7th abdominal segments light yellow. Leg with alternating brown and light yellow. Female: Body mainly yellowish white to dark brown. Vertex brown. Pronotum and mesonotum dark brown. Forewing light yellow white near basal 1/3. Abdominal segment with large gray-yellow markings.

Head and thorax. Vertex with anterior margin concave distinct, width of vertex including eyes as long as pronotum. Vertex with length in middle line 0.4 times than width at base. Frons 1.2 times longer in middle line than widest part, sublateral carinae slightly keeled, median carina weakly, areas between sublateral carinae and lateral carinae slightly depress. Clypeus median carina weakly. Pronotum longer than vertex (1.5:1). Mesonotum 1.1 times as long as vertex and pronotum together in middle line, 3-carinate, median carina distinct.

Male genitalia. Anal segment broad and short, in dorsal view with length 1.1 times longer in middle line than widest part, apical margin roundly convex; in lateral view dorsal margin convex, ventral margin slightly convex, the base half broad, apex half narrow. Pygofer in profile with ventral margin strongly oblique, posterior margin sinuated; in posterior view with length 1.3 times as long as widest part; in ventral view, posterior margin slightly convex in the middle. Genital style in lateral view large and broad, a strong spine-like process arising from dorsal margin apically, directed dorsad, slightly curved, tapering apically; in ventral view with middle part nearly oval, spine-like process points inward. Phallobase in lateral view knife shaped, with apex divided into two lobes ventrad, dorsal margin slightly concave, ventral margin roundly convex in the middle. Aedeagus paired, short, tubular, encircled in phallobase, bending ventrad.

Female genitalia. Anal segment in dorsal view with length 1.2 times longer in middle line than widest part, narrowing apically, apical margin roundly convex; anal pore located distal half; in lateral view small, the basal 1/3 broad, narrowing apically. Abdominal sternite VII in ventral view with width 3.4 times as long as length, behind the posterior margin with two small oval ossification flakes. Gonapophysis VIII elongate, with four spines at apical margin. Gonapophysis IX with two symmetrical lobes, each lobe nearly rectangle with many spines at dorsal margin, ventral margin slightly concave. Gonoplac with outer surface shagreen; in lateral view broad, nearly triangle, dorsal margin with a concave middle.

Host plant. Bamboo.

Distribution. Southwestern China (Yunnan Province).

Type material. Holotype: ♂, China: Yunnan Province, Xichou County, Fadou Town , 2017-VII-27, Qiang Luo; paratypes: 5♂♂ 7♀♀, data same as holotype, Nian Gong and Yong-Jin Sui.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin words “ maculata ” which refer to its forewing with stripe.

Figures

FIGURE 36. Caliscelis (Melanero) maculatum sp. nov. A. Male habitus, dorsal view; B. Male habitus, lateral view; C. Female habitus, dorsal view; D. Female habitus, lateral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A–D).

FIGURE 37. Caliscelis (Melanero) maculatum sp. nov. Male. A. Head and thorax, dorsal view; B. Face; C. Head and thorax, lateral view; D. Forewing; E. Anal segment, dorsal view; F. Male genitalia, lateral view; G. Pygofer, posterior view; H. Genital styles, lateral view; I. Pygofer and genital styles, ventral view; J. Aedeagus, lateral view; K. Aedeagus, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A–D, F, G, I); 0.3 mm (E, H, J, K).

FIGURE 38. Caliscelis (Melanero) maculatum sp. nov. Female. A. Genitalia, lateral view; B. Genitalia, ventral view; C. Anal segment, dorsal view; D. Abdominal sternite VII, ventral view; E. Gonapophysis VIII, lateral view; F. Gonapophysis IX, lateral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B, D); 0.3 mm (C, E, F).