Pintalia pictipennis, Stal, 1862

Hoch, Júlio César Do Carmo Vaz Santos Hannelore, Bartlett, Charles R. & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2025, Revision of the type series of the original species placed in the genus Pintalia Stål, 1862 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae), and description of 12 new species from Brazilian caves, Zootaxa 5678 (1), pp. 1-96 : 9-11

Pintalia pictipennis -group

Diagnosis. This group can be distinguished mainly by characters of the male terminalia; however, some other characters are also useful for identification. Vertex small, with transverse apical carina slightly larger than the subapical carina; apical compartment very small; caudal margin well triangular or concave in some species; basal compartment with small basal emargination; in frontal view usually exhibits apical transverse carina (anterior region of the frons apically) concave, rarely almost straight. Frons approx. 1.5–2.3 times wider in the largest width than at the apex; frontoclypeal suture usually semicircular convex, slightly straight/inclined laterally. Tegmina (forewings) with pt small and distally triangular; RA bifid with punctual anastomosis RA+RP1; fork of ScP+RA and RP slightly ahead or on the same level of fork CuA1 and CuA2; rm-1 and mcu-1 usually together, in some species proximally, very close or distally to the first MP fork; in some species crossveins in greater number in one of the tegmina (asymmetry). Hind wing with RP bifid, MP trifid with complete anastomosis in distal fusion of MP3+4 + CuA1 (I-type). In ventral view, males exhibit segment viii separated medially. Posterior legs, hind tibia with 3–7 lateral spines, usually with three spines larger, spines closest to the femur well small; 6 apical teeth as provide for the genus; 1 st 1st tarsomere with 7 apical teeth; 2nd tarsomere with 8–9 apical teeth and 3 very fine setae.

Male terminalia. Pygofer bilaterally asymmetrical in some species; in lateral view dorsocaudal margin totally convex, without processes medially; in ventral view, ventromedian process triangular usually as wide as long. Anal tube short and wide, in some species larger and conspicuous distally; paraproct well developed distally, usually paraproct more than 2.0 times larger than epiproct; in dorsal view epiproct larger medially, developed distally in some species. Genital styles Genital styles in lateral view, thin at the base and very wide apically, approx. 3.0 times wider apically than basally; excavated ventrally, with ventral margins bent to the ventral region; in ventral view, basal opening between the genital styles large, laterally concave and apically triangular. Aedeagus usually with aedeagal shaft wide or slightly wider at base than apically; with 2–3 spines apically, in most species with one right lateral spine bifid; ventral ridge developed. Flagellum without spines, rarely exhibit a spine-like process apically.

Female terminalia. Anal tube short, in dorsal view usually slightly longer than wide, flattened near base with apex truncated or rounded; in lateral view with lateral margin slightly projected and straight, usually flattened ventrally or slightly rounded; epiproct and paraproct thin and short. Gonocoxae VIII truncate, in caudal view rounded, in some species smaller apically, in lateral view usually with lateral margin surpassing the middle moderately or reaching the base; in caudal view usually rounded/swelling laterally and excavated out in the middle. Ovipositor large, in lateral view, sabre-shaped, curved upwards dorsally, in some species surpassing the anal tube.

Species here assigned to this group: P. minuta sp. nov., P. minima sp. nov., P. magnaepiprocti sp. nov., P. serratilis sp. nov., P. stali sp. nov., P. pictipennis Stål 1862 , P. propria Muir,1934 .

Distribution. BRA. Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais State ( Fig. 77 ).

Notes. Due to the conditions of the material, it was not possible to accurately evaluate all the characters proposed in the diagnosis for the species P. propria and P. pictipennis . Although Fennah (1945) created the P. propria -group to house this unique species, to avoid future conflicts, due to the shape of the male terminalia it will be allocated in the Pintalia pictipennis -group.

Morphology. Body length: ♂ 3.5–5.0 mm (n=5). ♀ 4.0– 5.5 mm (n=4).

Head. Vertex with rectangular apical compartment, in frontal view small/narrow laterally ( P. minuta sp. nov., P. minima sp. nov., P. magnaepiprocti sp. nov.), or apical compartment large, in dorsal view with forward bent carinae ( P. serratilis sp. nov.) or with straight apical transverse carina and concave subapical carina ( P. stali sp. nov., P. pictipennis Stål 1862 ). Frons width larger below the scapus, approx. 2.1–2.3 times wider in the largest width than at the apex ( P. minuta sp. nov., P. minima sp. nov., P. magnaepiprocti sp. nov.) or on the same level as the scapus, approx. 1.5–1.7 times wider in the largest width than at the apex ( P. serratilis sp. nov., P. stali sp. nov., P. pictipennis ); anterior region of the frons usually concave apically or almost straight ( P. propria ).

Thorax. Pronotum narrow, median carina evanescent or inconspicuous; submedian carina moderately developed, but evanescent behind the eyes. Mesonotum with distance between lateral carinae slightly larger distally than near the pronotum ( P. serratilis sp. nov., P. stali sp. nov.) moderately larger ( P. minuta sp. nov., P. minima sp. nov.), or considerably larger ( P. magnaepiprocti sp. nov.). Tegmina (forewings) mostly hyaline with a few light gray spots, and with three moderately elongated spots occurs between RP(+MA) and A2. ( P. minuta sp. nov., P. minima sp. nov., P. magnaepiprocti sp. nov., P. propria ); dark tegmina with two conspicuous hyaline spots in Cua1 and Cua2 ( P. serratilis sp. nov.); tegmina with prenodal region mostly hyaline, and nodal region with dark spots between the postclaval cell and radial area with 5 conspicuous longitudinal spots ( P. stali sp. nov., P. pictipennis ). Posterior legs. Hind tibia with three lateral spines ( P. serratilis sp. nov.), four lateral spines ( P. magnaepiprocti sp. nov., P. propria ), six lateral spines ( P. minuta sp. nov., P. stali sp. nov.) or seven lateral spines ( P. minima sp. nov.). 1 st tarsomere with 7 apical teeth, approx. the same size ( P. minuta sp. nov., P. minima sp. nov., P. magnaepiprocti sp. nov.) with one or the two externals slightly larger and 1–2 spines of the middle larger ( P. serratilis sp. nov., P. stali sp. nov.). 2 nd tarsomere with 8 apical teeth ( P. minuta sp. nov., P. minima sp. nov., P. magnaepiprocti sp. nov., P. stali sp. nov., P. propria ) or rarely with 9 apical teeth ( P. serratilis sp. nov.), and usually with 3 thin setae.

Male terminalia. Pygofer in symmetry bilaterally ( P. stali sp. nov.), slightly asymmetrical ( P. minuta sp. nov., P. serratilis sp. nov.), or very asymmetrical ( P. minima sp. nov., P. magnaepiprocti sp. nov.). Anal tube flattened, dorsally rounded and distinct distally, without processes ( P. minuta sp. nov., P. minima sp. nov., P. magnaepiprocti sp. nov., P. pictipennis ), or tubular, moderately tubular and distally with processes in the ventral region ( P. stali sp. nov., P. serratilis sp. nov. P. propria ). Genital styles, usually thin at the base and very wide apically; in lateral view approx. 3.0 times wider apically, in some species moderately wide apically and very curved distally (sub angulated) ( P. propria ); basal opening of the genital styles usually large (except in P. serratilis sp. nov.). Aedeagus with bifid spines in right lateral of ( P. minuta sp. nov., P. minima sp. nov., P. serratilis sp. nov.) or without bifid spines ( P. magnaepiprocti sp. nov., P. stali sp. nov., P. propria ); ventral ridge small weakly developed ( P. minuta sp. nov.), or moderately developed and curved ( P. minima sp. nov., P. magnaepiprocti sp. nov.), or serrated ( P. serratilis sp. nov.), armed with a pair of large spines, on each side of the base of the aedeagal shaft ( P. propria ) or two pairs of spines ( P. stali sp. nov.).

Female terminalia. Anal tube short, distally rounded and ovipositor surpassing the anal tube in lateral view ( P. minuta sp. nov., P. minima sp. nov.); or tubular dorsally, apically truncated and ovipositor not extending beyond anal tube in lateral view ( P. stali sp. nov., P. serratilis sp. nov.). Gonocoxae VIII short, with lateral carinae slightly developed laterally ( P. minuta sp. nov., P. minima sp. nov.); or with lateral carinae moderately developed laterally ( P. stali sp. nov., P. serratilis sp. nov.).

Figures

FIGURE 77. Distribution of Pintalia-groups in South America (A). Distribution of Pintalia painensis-group (B). Distribution of Pintalia pictipennis-group (C). Distribution of Pintalia constellaris-group (D). The extra records (not reported in the type and/or material examined) of Pintalia constellaris-group were obtained through the INaturalist platform (last access 25.x.2023), Pintalia constellaris available in: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/895204-Pintalia-constellaris.