Otiocerus shamshir, Bitar & Domahovski, 2025

Bitar, Murilo Victor Silva & Domahovski, Alexandre Cruz, 2025, Uncovering Brazilian Otiocerinae (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Derbidae): description of three new species and first records for the tribes Sikaianini Muir, 1913 and Patarini Emeljanov, 1995, Zootaxa 5637 (2), pp. 271-291 : 277-280

Otiocerus shamshir sp. nov.

( Figs 4–6 , 10B , 11A , 13B )

Etymology: “Shamshir” is a word derived from the Middle Persian Pahlavi language, which locally designated any type of sword. However, outside of Persia, it came to refer specifically to swords with a long, strongly curved blade and a sharp edge. These swords originated during the era of Shah Abbas the Great (1587–1629 AD) and were popularized over the following centuries ( Khorasani 2007). The specific epithet alludes to the similarity between the head shape of this species and a shamshir, as both are laterally compressed, tapered, and curved.

Material examined: Holotype male, “ Brasil, Paraná, S. [São] J. [José] dos\ Pinhais , 25°36’18”S \ 49°11’37”W 880m \ 01-31.VII.2018 Malaise \ A.C. Domahovski leg.” . Paratypes: 1♂, same data as holotype except 01-30.IV.2017 ; 1♀, same data as holotype except 01-30.III.2018 ; 1♂, same data as holotype except 01-30.IV.2018 ; 1♂, same data as holotype except 01-30.XII.2019 ; 1♀, same data as holotype except 01-30.I.2020 ; 1♂, same data as holotype except 01-29.II.2020 ; 1♂, same data as holotype except 01-30.III.2020 ; 1♀, same data as holotype except 01-30.IV.2020 ; 1♀, same data as holotype except 01-30. VI.2020 ; 1♂, same data as holotype except 01-30.XI.2020 ; 1♀, same data as holotype except 01-29.II.2021 ; 1♂, same data as holotype except 01-30.IX.2021 ; 1♂, 2♀, same data as holotype except 01-31.X.2021 ; 1♂, 1♀, same data as holotype except 01-31. V.2022 ; 1♂, same data as holotype except 01-30.IV.2022 ; 1♀, “ Brasil, PR, Antonina \ Res. Rio Cachoeira 50m \ 25,316ºS 46.696ºW \ 23-27.I.2017 Malaise \ Entomologia UFPR” ; 1♀, “ Brasil, PR, Antonina,\ RPPN - Guaricica , 50m \ 25.316ºS 48.696ºW \ 23-27.X.2017 Malaise \ A. Domahovski, G. Melo,\ A. Pinto & M. Savaris ” ; 1♀, “ Brasil, Paraná, Antonina \ Res. Nat. Guaricica , 50m,\ 25,316ºS 46.696ºW \ 05-09.XI.2018 Intercept. \ de voo, Entomologia UFPR ” .

Measurements (mm): Holotype male: total length 10.2. Paratypes: males (n= 28), 9.9–10.7; females (n = 3), 10.5–11.7.

Diagnosis: Body ( Fig. 4A, B ) color pale stramineous; gena has one reddish longitudinal stripe, which is bordered by longitudinal gray stripes. Anterior projection of the head ( Fig. 4C ) comparatively long, exceeding the length of four and a half compound eyes; in lateral view ( Fig. 4D ) its anterior extremity is particularly sharp and upturned. Tegmina ( Fig. 4F , 10B ) with maximum width more than two times greater than the width from the costal margin to the claval angle; RA with three branches, oriented toward the apical portion; m-cu 1 short, smaller than r-m 1. Lateral margins of pygofer convex, forming a large stout spine close to the anal tube. Medioventral process ( Fig. 5C ) rounded, with smooth curved margins, gradually widening from the base. Gonostyli ( Fig. 5D, E ) elongated, with a moderately upcurved apical half; inner face with a thin sharp spine. Aedeagus ( Fig. 5F–H ) slender; strongly curved upwards in its apical portion, nearly fully bent; left side with a delicate long needle-like spine; right side with a robust sharp spine.

Color ( Fig. 4 )–pale stramineous. Vertex with a thin red/orange stripe following the sagittal line. Frons with a reddish hue. Gena with a red/orange stripe extending from the anterior margin to touch the compound eye, dorsally and ventrally bordered by grayish/brown stripes. Pronotum and tegulae laterally grayish/brown. Mesonotum with two longitudinal brown stripes that extend from the anterior to the posterior margin. Tegmina with hazy brown spots bordering all veins; there may be a reddish hue in some sections of the veins. Abdomen with certain reddish shades, usually restricted to the segment margins and/or the sagittal line. Note: Based on the incidence and appearance of the reddish portions on the abdomen and wings, it is possible to infer that they may have been more extensive when the organisms were alive, perhaps occupying large stretches of the abdomen and all veins along their length. However, remarkable color variation has been recorded in certain species of this genus, often in a discontinuous manner, such as Otiocerus coquebertii Kirby, 1821 , which exhibits two color forms, or O. stollii Kirby, 1821 , which displays sexually dimorphic colors ( Hendrix & Bartlett 2023). While the examined specimens of O. shamshir sp. nov. presented consistent coloration, we still acknowledge the possibility of regional color variations.

Description: Vertex ( Fig. 4C )–slender in dorsal view; bends upwards in lateral view; very strongly projected, length greater than four and a half compound eyes; three to four times longer than wide; gradually narrows from base to approximately half the width of a compound eye; anterior margin truncated, straight; lateral margins very strongly raised, sharply vertical, dorsally punctuated with a row of sensory pits along their entire length; posterior margin very markedly concave; wider than twice width of a tegula. Frons ( Fig. 4E )–slender; dorsal margin wider than a tarsomere; gradually narrows along the basal 1/4 until reaching the width of six or fewer ommatidia, continues with such width to the ventral margin. Gena ( Fig. 4D )–anterior margin tapered, upturned; highly projected, projects from the compound eye as much as the length of protibia + protarsus or slightly more. Clypeus ( Fig. 4E )–moderately developed; boundaries between clypeus and lorum barely discernible, almost not forming angles, resulting in a subconic appearance. Eyes ( Fig. 4D, E )–moderately large; margin concave near antennae; reniform aspect in lateral view. Ocelli –absent. Antennae ( Fig. 4D )–pedicel approximately as long as three times the total length of the protarsus; laterally compressed; bearing a process almost as long as the pedicel itself and very similar to it in overall appearance. Rostrum ( Fig. 4E )–short, barely surpassing half the length of the thorax. Pronotum ( Fig. 4C )–anterior margin transversely straight; lateral margins steeply sloping; posterior margin strongly concave, forming an acute angle, its midpoint touches the anterior margin; disc absent, obliterated by the incidence of the posterior margin. Mesonotum ( Fig. 4C )–with two transverse lateral carinae, one at each side, both at the same level, in the region that contacts the postclaval margin of the tegmina; each carina extends through 1/3 of the mesonotal width. Tegmina ( Figs 4F , 10B , 13B ). Remigium –costal margin subtly convex, slightly curved in apical half; posterior margin largely straight, basal 1/6 convex forming an angle, remaining straight up to half of the tegmina, when it projects as a curved shape; the maximum width of the tegmina is more than two times greater than the width from the costal margin to the claval angle; ScP+R+MP bifurcates conspicuously before the end of the basal 1/6; ScP+R bifurcates just after the end of the basal 1/3; free branch of ScP arises and touches the margin after the level of the clavus apex; RA with three branches (RA 1, RA 2, and RA 3); free branch RA 1 arises where the apical 1/3 begins or slightly before, free branches RA 2 and RA 3 arise along the apical 1/3; all RA branches are oriented toward the apical portion; RP with two branches (RP 1+2 and RP 3+4); MP with eight branches (MP 1a, MP 1b, MP 1c, MP 1d, MP 2a, MP 2b, MP 3, and MP 4); CuA bifurcates before the free ScP branch arises; CuA 1 and CuA 2 do not touch the posterior margin freely, instead they merge with CuP+Pcu+A1 and follow united to the posterior margin as Cu+Pcu+A1; r-m 1 connects RP to MP 1; m-cu 1 connects MP 3+4 to CuA 1; m-cu 1 is shorter than r-m 1; radial cell is longer than other prenodal cells, is adjacent to C3 but not adjacent to C4; C1 with both extremities narrow; C2 with both extremities wide and truncate; C3 elongated and sinuous, preceding 10 other cells in the medial area; C4 conspicuously shorter than C3; C4' almost as long as C3; C5 does not reach the margin. Clavus –open; CuP mostly straight almost to the end; Pcu and A1 fuse approximately at the beginning of the apical 1/3; Pcu+A1 fuses with CuP, CuA 2, and CuA 1, in that order, resulting in a Cu+Pcu+A1 branch that reaches the margin in the apical 1/3 of the tegmina. Hind wings ( Figs 4G , 11A )–well developed; apical margin weakly tapered, almost forming an angle; ScP+R bifurcates into ScP+RA and RP; CuA with three branches; all other veins with only one branch; RP curves anteriorly toward the margin just after the level of r-m, reaching the margin long before MP; m-cu connecting MP and CuA 1a; r-m arises basally in relation to m-cu, quite apart; basomarginal plate (stridulitrum) relatively small, as long as 1/6 of the length of the anal fold or slightly less. Legs ( Fig. 4B, E )–metatibia apically armed with five minute teeth, four of them are of subequal size, the fifth one is slightly larger, separated from the others by a small gap; first tarsomere apically armed with four minute teeth; second tarsomere apically armed with two minute teeth; the number of teeth of each structure is consistent. Male terminalia ( Fig. 5 ). Anal tube ( Fig. 5A, B )–elongated, approximately as long as a gonostylus; apical margin slightly convex; curved. Anal style ( Fig. 5A, B )–very short, smaller than the last tarsomere. Pygofer ( Fig. 5A–C )–lateral margin convex, with a stout spine approximately as long as wide near the anal tube; curved in the remaining portion; ventral margin forms a medioventral process. Medioventral process ( Fig. 5C )–gradually widens from the base; convex apex with smooth curved margins; overall slightly elliptical appearance. Gonostyli ( Fig. 5D, E )–elongated; approximately five times longer than wide, excluding gonostylus apodeme; apical half upcurved; irregular margins; ventral margin with expanded basal half toward the sagittal line forming a wide spine directed anterad, apical half almost straight; dorsal margin with a row of stout setae; inner face with a thin sharp spine. Aedeagus ( Fig. 5F–H )–very slender, subcylindrical, slightly dorsoventrally flattened, asymmetrical; apical portion pointing anteriorly, strongly curved upward to the point of nearly complete bending; left side with a delicate needle-like spine, narrow and long; right side with a robust sharp spine. Endosome extending beyond halfway along the aedeagus. Female terminalia ( Fig. 6 ). Anal tube –short, smaller than 1/3 of the length of the male anal tube. Anal style –approximately half the length of the male anal style.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Otiocerus shamshir sp. nov., holotype male. A, habitus, lateral view. B, habitus, lateral view. C, head and thorax, dorsal view. D, head and thorax, lateral view. E, head and thorax, frontal view. F, tegmen. G, hind wing and enlarged view of the basomarginal plate (stridulitrum). Scale bars in mm.

FIGURE 5. Otiocerus shamshir sp. nov., paratype male.A, genital capsule, lateral view. B. pygofer and anal tube, dorsal view. C, pygofer and anal tube, ventral view. D, gonostylus, lateral view. E, gonostylus, ventral view. F, aedeagus, lateral view. J, aedeagus, dorsal view. K, aedeagus, ventral view. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURE 6. Otiocerus shamshir sp. nov., paratype female. Female abdomen.A, lateral view. B, posterior view. C, dorsal view. D, ventral view. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURE 10. Vein identity of the tegmina. A, Mula flamma sp. nov. B, Otiocerus shamshir sp. nov. C, Patara paladinae sp. nov.

FIGURE 11. Vein identity of the hind wings. A, Otiocerus shamshir sp. nov. B, Patara paladinae sp. nov.

FIGURE 13. Comparative morphology of Otiocerus tegmina. A, O. abbotii. B, O. shamshir sp.n. C, O. lyncaeste. D, O. regalis. Figures modified based on (C, D) Fennah (1952) and (A) Hendrix & Bartlett (2023).