Muiravea maintysorokai Bahder, Stroiński & Bartlett, 2025

Bahder, Brian W., Stroiński, Adam, Bartlett, Charles R., Randretsiferana, Safidinirina Armande, Razafindrakotomamonjy, Andrianatenaina, Pilet, Fabian & Hasinjaka, Rasolondalao Harin’Hala, 2025, New derbid planthoppers in the genus Muiravea (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Derbidae) from palms in eastern Madagascar, a key to the genus and an updated molecular phylogeny of available Malagasy Otiocerinae, Zootaxa 5642 (2), pp. 147-162 : 156-159

Muiravea maintysorokai Bahder, Stroiński & Bartlett , sp. nov.

( Figs 8–11 )

Type locality. Madagascar, Atsinanana Region , Analalava Forest Reserve .

Etymology. The specific name is Malagasy referencing the dark/fuscous tegulae with “soroka” meaning shoulder (tegulae) and “mainty” meaning black.

Diagnosis. Small, pale-bodied, fuscous tegulae and lateral margins of pronotum. Large sub antennal shelf present. Gonostyli with large, bifid dorsal process and aedeagus with slender, serpentine process arising at apex on dorsal margin.

Description. Color. Base color of body pale, ivory white, head with fuscous patch at dorsal margin of frons, extending to lateral margins of vertex, fuscous bands on lateral margins of pronotum and fuscous tegulae; abdomen yellow-orange, terminalia ivory white ( Fig. 8 ).

Structure. Body length (without wings) male: 1.9 mm (n = 1) ( Table 3).

Head. Vertex subtriangular in dorsal view, concave at anterior margin, angulate, concave at posterior margin, angulate, about as wide at posterior margin as long at midpoint, lateral and margins lightly sinuate; in lateral view, rounded, extending slightly above and beyond eye margin, sub antennal ridge arising at posterior margin, extending just beyond midpoint of genae. In frontal view, frons narrowed dorsally, lateral margins touching at midpoint, expanding just below ventral margin of eyes, expanding to frontoclypeal suture ( Fig. 9 ). Subantennal shelf arising near posterior margin of genae, extending to just beyond midpoint of genae, shelf large and foliaceous, with setae on external margin.

Thorax. Pronotum in dorsal view moderately convex at anterior margin, rounded, moderately concave at posterior margin, tricarinate, lateral carinae terminating at approximately 1/3 distance from dorsal margin on lateral margins, forming shallow foveae ( Fig. 9 ). Mesonotum approximately wide as long; weakly tricarinate, lateral carinae gently curved mesad, extending from anterior to posterior margin, mid carina extending from anterior to posterior margin ( Fig. 4 ). Hindlegs lacking lateral spines on tibia, metatarsal spinulation 5-5-4.

Genitalia. In lateral view, pygofer narrow, strongly sinuate at anterior and posterior margin, reaching dorsal margin, broadest at ventral margin, narrowing immediately, expanding just before midpoint; in ventral view, medioventral process absent ( Fig. 10 ). Gonostyli in lateral view broadly spatulate, rounded at apex, large, bifid process on dorsal margin, distal bifurcation with apex curved ventrad, angled laterad, basal bifurcation with apex truncated, curved caudad ( Fig. 10 ). In ventral view, narrow at base, expanding just past midpoint, forming rounded, inner projections, constricting at distal ¾ point, rounded at apex, outer margins irregularly sinuate ( Fig. 10 ). Aedeagus simple, short, cylindrical, moderately sclerotized process arising at apex on dorsal margin (A1), slender, angled cephalad, dorsad, snake-like in appearance ( Fig. 11 ). Endosoma complex with two large expanded flange-like processes (E1 & E2); E1 arising on right side, deeply trifucated, forming three processes (E1a, E1b and E1c), E1a longest and most robust, angled dorsad, curved caudad, apex serrated, E1b smallest process, angled dorsad, knob-like, and E1c same orientation at E1a, approximately half the size, apex pointed; E2 arising on left lateral side, less sclerotized that E1 at base, becoming more sclerotized in distal half, distal half constricts, forming long, slender process (E2a), angled cephalad, curved ventrad ( Fig. 11 ) and an elongate lobe projecting off anterior margin (E2b). Anal segment short, irregularly sinuate on dorsal and ventral margins, apex rounded, not extending beyond apex of gonostylus ( Fig. 10 ).

Remarks. The novel taxon, M. maintysorokai sp. nov. is placed within Muiravea based on similarity in general body form and genitalia features to M. voanio sp. nov. Unfortunately, the wings of M. maintysorokai sp. nov. were damaged in the field and could not be used for generic placement or comparison to M. voanio sp. nov. However, the similar genitalia and the strong molecular support (see below), aid in placing this taxon despite lacking wings.

Plant associations. Dypsis sp. ( Arecaceae Bercht. & J. Presl ) ( Table 4)

Type material. Holotype, male: “ Madagascar, Atsinanana , Mahavelona / Analalava Forest Reserve / 28.I.2023, Coll.: B.W.Bahder / Host: Dypsis sp. // Holotype / Muiravea maintysorokai ♂ /” ( FLREC).

Distribution. Central-eastern Madagascar (Atsinanana Region, Toamasina II District, Mahavelona (Foulpointe) commune, Analalava Forest Reserve).

Sequence data and analysis. Sequence data was generated for the three loci selected (18S rRNA, D9-D10 expansion region of 28S rRNA and 5’ region of COI) for both M. maintysorokai sp. nov. and M. voanio sp. nov. Accession numbers for both taxa and respective loci are presented in Table 2. Both novel taxa resolved adjacent to each other in all independent analyses for respective markers with strong bootstrap support (99, 100 and 85 respectively for 18S, 28S and COI ( Fig. 12 ). The difference between the two taxa for 18S and 28S was approximately 0.1% and 10.6% different for COI. The consensus tree based on concatenate data for all three loci demonstrated strong bootstrap support (100) for the novel taxa resolving adjacent to each other and strong bootstrap support (98) for Muiravea (based on the taxa analyzed) resolving adjacent to Patara Westwood ( Fig. 13 ).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Adult male of Muiravea voanio sp. nov.: A) head, pronotum, and mesonotum dorsal view, B) head, pronotum, and mesonotum lateral view, and C) head frontal view.

FIGURE 8. Adult male habitus of Muiravea maintysorokai sp. nov.: A) lateral view and B) dorsal view.

FIGURE 9. Adult male of Muiravea maintysorokai sp. nov.: A) head, pronotum and mesonotum dorsal view, B) head, pronotum and mesonotum lateral view and C) head frontal view.

FIGURE 10. Male terminalia of Muiravea maintysorokai sp. nov.: A) right lateral view, B) gonostylus outer lateral view, C) dorsal view and D) ventral view.

FIGURE 11. Aedeagus of Muiravea maintysorokai sp. nov.: A) right lateral view, B) left lateral view, C) dorsal view, and D) ventral view.

FIGURE 12. Maximum Likelihood trees (1,000 replicates) exhibiting the relationship of Muiravea spp. to available taxa: (A) 18S rRNA gene, (B) 28S D9-D10 expansion region and (C) 5’ half for the COI gene; scale bar = percent nucleotide difference.

FIGURE 13. Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic tree (-ln L -13495.889483) based on concatenated data for 18S, 28S (D9-D10 expansion region and COI (5’ region) for novel taxa and available taxa.