Limois sonlaensis, Constant & Pham, 2022

Constant, Jérôme & Pham, Thai Hong, 2022, First record of the lanternfly genus Limois Stål, 1863 in Vietnam with a new species, L. sonlaensis sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoridae), Bonn zoological Bulletin 71 (1), pp. 9-17 : 11-16

Limois sonlaensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B2AE4EF3-DA99-4E9A-9A79-25741F7C60EF

( Figs 1–4 )

Material examined

Holotype

♂ ( Figs 1–3 ). Vietnam, Son La Province; Thu ận Châu District , Co M ạ, alt. 1,400 m; 21°21’11.5” N, 103°32’35.5” E; 7 Oct 2008; leg. Hoang Vu Tru; light trap; VNMN.

Diagnosis

The species can be separated from the other Limois spe-

cies by the combination of the following characters:

1. Frons with two longitudinal carinae ( Fig. 1C ).

2. Pro- and mesonotum without large dark making on disc, only with minute black spots; spots distinctly less dense on pronotum than on mesonotum ( Fig. 1B ).

3. Postclypeus dark brown with irregular pale yellowish markings ( Fig. 1C ).

4. Tegmina with red suffusion on basal half of corium, the reddish area not reaching base and not extending to costal cell ( Fig. 1A, D ).

5. Posterior wigs with broad dark brown band along posterior margin and broad dark brown band separating basal orange-red area from transparent distal third ( Fig. 1A, D ).

6. Gonostyli with dorsal angle forming a right angle ( Fig. 2A ).

Differential diagnosis

The most similar species is L. guangxiensis Chou & Wang, 1985 from which L. sonlaensis sp. nov. can be separated, for example by the minute spots on disc of pronotum less densely distributed than on disc of mesonotum (spotting density similar on disc of pro- and mesonotum in L. guangxiensis ) and by the pale yellowish ground colour of the postclypeus (postclypeus dark brown with irregular pale yellowish markings in L. sonlaensis ).

Limois sonlaensis sp. nov. can be separated from the remaining other species of the genus by the absence of dark brown or black markings on the disc of the pro- and mesonotum. The remaining other species, except L. westwoodii , also lack the dark brown band separating the orange-red basal area from the transparent distal area of the posterior wings.

Etymology

The species epithet refers to Son La Province in North Vietnam, where the type specimen was collected .

Description

Measurements and ratios. LT: ♂ (n = 1): 20.6 mm. LTg/ BTg = 2.6; LV/BV = 0.5; LF/BF = 1.03.

Head. Vertex excavate, with all margins carinate; about two times broader than long; weakly transversely wrinkled; with a broadly U-shaped carina along median 2/ 4 of posterior margin; pale yellow with irregular brown markings in middle and at posterolateral angles ( Fig. 1B, E ). Posterior face of head pale yellowish with two longitudinal brown markings near middle ( Fig. 1B, E ). Frons about as broad basally as long in mid-line (excluding cephalic process); slightly convex in lateral view; broadest with margins rounded near fronto-clypeal suture, then moderately tapering dorsad with lateral margins broadly incurved; portion above fronto-clypeal suture slightly excavate, then median portion of disc elevated; elevation tapering dorsad and gradually turning into two side-by-side carinae extending nearly to apex of cephalic process; frons mostly dark brown mottled with pale yellow and rather densely covered in minute black points ( Fig. 1B–C, H ). Cephalic process directed posterodorsally, tapering towards apex; in lateral view, anterior margin rounded and posterior margin straight, oblique; anterior face with lateral margins foliate laterally near base and two parallel median carinae stopping before a small lamina; small lamina followed by excavate apex of process; posterior face of process flattened, elon- gate with sides parallel and lateral margins carinate, and dorsal margin angularly pointed dorsad; pale yellowish slightly variagated with brown and with irregular minute reddish brown points, and with carinae of anterior face dark brown ( Fig. 1B–C, E–F, H ). Genae pale yellowish with few brown markings ( Fig. 1E, H ). Eyes large, about half as wide as vertex in dorsal view, strongly rounded and protruding laterally ( Fig. 1B–C ). Ocelli well-developed, under compound eyes ( Fig. 1H ). Antennae rather short, subcylindrical, black-brown ( Fig. 1E, H ). Clypeus convex, elongate, subtriangular, carinate medially with carina stronger on anteclypeus; lateral margins carinate on basal ⅔ of postclypeus; base narrower than frons; brown with anteclypeus darker and transverse irregular pale yellowish markings; some minute black points on postclypeus along lateral and median carinae ( Fig. 1C– D ). Labium brown, very elongate and narrow, surpassing apex of abdomen, with last segment much shorter than penultimate ( Fig. 1D ).

Thorax. Pronotum wider than long with lateral angles acutely pointed lateroventrally in dorsal view; anterior margin strongly bisinuate, roundly emarginated behind eyes, slightly emarginate behind vertex; posterior margin more or less straight, abruptly oblique near lateral angle; weak median carina on anterior half of disc with a deep impressed point at each side; disc transversely wrinkled posterior to impressed points; anterolateral margin strongly carinate; paranotal lobes with strong carina parallel to anterolateral margin on dorsal ⅓ and ventral margin carinate; ventral ⅔ of paranotal lobes coarsely punctured; pale yellowish dorsally with some minute dark brown dots and one bigger black point behind eye; paranotal lobes with area between carinae dark brown with large pale yellowish markings dorsally; ventral ⅔ of paranotal lobes dark brown variegated with yellowish ( Fig. 1B–C, E–F, H ). Mesonotum subtriangular with very weakly marked median and peridiscal carinae; median carina stopped before scutellum; peridiscal carinae incurved on anterior ¼; scutellum slightly elevated, following a shallow depression; ground colour pale yellowish; disc densely covered in irregular small black dots; lateral fields beyond peridiscal carinae smooth with some black-brown markings including a curved marking anteriorly ( Fig. 1B, E, H ). Tegulae pale yellowish with irregular minute black points on ventral ⅔ ( Fig. 1B, E, H ).

Tegmina. ( Fig. 1A, D, G ) Elongate, slightly more than 2.5 × as long as broad, with a small round lobe posterior to clavus (damaged on right wing of holotype); apical angle rounded; apical margin strongly oblique; costal cell pale yellowish brown with irregular rather large black-brown markings; clavus pale yellowish with irregular dark brown markings, markings larger on distal ⅔; basal ½ of corium opaque, pale yellowish with large black-brown markings and a large reddish zone on disc, not reaching base and more visible ventrally ( Fig. 1D ); distal half transparent with large markings and veins, dark brown ( Fig. 1A, D, G ). Venation dense and reticulate, with numerous secondary veins and cross-veinlets; Pc+CP extending slightly beyond nodal line; ScP+R(+- MA) very short; RP(+MA) merged with MP at basal 2 / 5 of clavus; PCu and A1 fused at about ¾ of clavus length ( Fig. 1A ).

Hind wings. ( Fig. 1A, D ) Elongate, roundly pointed apically, with posterior margin roundly indentate at claval fold. Basal half bright orange turning to bright red distally; distal half transparent with broad dark brown, C-shaped band between bright red and transparent areas; broad dark brown band along posterior margin; vein CuA dark brown marked by an elongate dark brown marking progressively widening towards the posterior and abruptly stopped at first fork of CuA; three dark brown makings along vein A 1 in orange area.

Legs. ( Fig. 1A, D ) Elongate and slender. Dark brown; femora with irregular pale yellow markings more or less arranged in rings; tibiae with 2 well-defined pale yellow- ish rings, the more distal one broader. Metatibiotarsal formula: (5–6) 7 / 8–9 / 6.

Abdomen. Tergites orange with broad dark brown band along basal margin ( Fig. 1A, D ); ventral face black-brown ( Fig. 1D ).

Terminalia. Male. Pygofer (Py) with ventral margin sinuate in lateral view; posterior margin in lateral view slightly convex, emarginate on ventral 1/6 ( Fig. 2A ); in dorsal view deeply, roundly emarginate posteriorly ( Fig. 2C, F ); posterior margin slightly roundly projecting posterad in ventral view ( Fig. 2D ). Gonostyli (G) subtriangular in lateral view, with dorsal angle right and posterior margin rounded ( Fig. 2A ), in ventral view gonostyli connected basally ( Fig. 2D ), lateral hook (lhg) slender, directed posteroventrally, then curved ventrally towards apex ( Fig. 2A–B, D ). Phallobase sclerotized in basal 1/6, sheath cylindrical, phallobasal conjunctival processes sclerotized over entire length, about five times as long as sheath, apical ¼ curved dorsad and terminally membranous and inflated, phallus with a dorsal and a ven- tral pair of elongate membranous processes ( Fig. 3A–B, D–G ). Connective rod-like ( Fig. 3A ). Tectiductus rath- er large, in lateral view elongate, in dorsal view broad, subsquarish, distinctly concave ventrally ( Fig. 3A–E, G ). Anal tube (An) massive, in lateral view reaching level of apex of gonostyli, ventral margin nearly straight, apical margin obliquely, roundly truncate ( Fig. 2A ), in dorsal view, widening from base to apex, 1.09 × broader near apex than long in median line, 1.34 × longer in maximum length than wide at maximum width, apical margin roundly emarginate in dorsal view ( Fig. 2C ); anal column (ac) elongate, surpassing posterior margin of anal tube ( Fig. 2A, C ).

Note

Limois sonlaensis sp. nov. is the only species of the genus in which RP(+MA) is merging with MP on tegmina. Both tegmina of the specimen show this character. However, as only one male is available, this character needs to be confirmed from additional material in the future, and might represent a good diagnostic character to recognize this species.

Biology

The specimen was collected at a light trap in secondary mountain tropical evergreen forest, at 1,400 m in altitude ( Fig. 4 ).

Distribution

Vietnam, Son La Province ( Fig. 4 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Limois sonlaensis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (VNMN). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Head and thorax, dorsal view. C. Head and thorax, perpendicular view of frons. D. Habitus, ventral view. E. Head and thorax, laterodorsal view. F. Head and thorax, anterolateral view. G. Habitus, lateral view. H. Head and thorax, lateral view.

Fig. 2. Limois sonlaensis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (VNMN), terminalia: anal tube, pygofer and gonostyli. A. Left lateral view. B. Caudal view.C. Dorsal view. D. Ventral view. E. Posterolateral view. F. Laterodorsal view.Abbreviations:ac = anal column; An = anal tube; G = gonostylus; lhg = lateral hook of gonostylus; Py = pygofer.

Fig. 3. Limois sonlaensis sp. nov., ♂, holotype (VNMN), terminalia: aedeagus and connective. A. Lateral view. B. Laterodorsal view.C. Dorsal view. D. Lateroventral view. E. Ventral view. F. Caudal view. G. Posteroventral view.

Fig. 4. Limois sonlaensis sp. nov., distribution map.