Deferunda incompta Dlabola, 1961

Gnezdilov, V. M., 2021, The Planthopper family Achilidae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoroidea) in the United Arab Emirates, Proceedings of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences 325 (1), pp. 67-70 : 68

Deferunda incompta Dlabola, 1961

( Figs 1–4 )

Material examined. TADZHIKISTAN: 1 male, 2 females, Tigrovaya Balka , sweeping Elaeagnus , 11 August 1962, Pripisnova leg. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, Fujairah: 1 female, Wadi Wurayah National Park , N 25°23´46.5´´ E 56°16´10.2´´, 170 m, at light, 26 March 2017 ; 1 female, same locality, at light, 29 March 2017 , all leg. V. M. Gnezdilov .

Note. The species was described by Dlabola (1961) after a long series of specimens from Tigrovaya Balka Reserve in Tadzhikistan and by erecting a separate subgenus, Tugaia Dlabola, 1961 , for it. The specimens from the type locality listed above were compared with the females from the UAE and no significant differences in external structures or coloration were found, except that the specimens from Tadzhikistan are lighter, which is apparently due to long conservation in the collection. Also, Dlabola (1961) in his original description mentioned the length of males – 4.5 mm and females – 4.7 mm, while the male listed above is 3.7 mm and the females are 4.0– 4.2 mm. Otherwise this species is well distinguished from other species of the genus by small size, light metope without dark marking, and forewings brown to dark brown, with white dots [see the key by Chen and He (2010) and figs 1–4 here].

Further examination of any males available from the UAE will give the final confirmation of the identification made here.

Figures

Figs 1–6. Plectoderini, females. 1–4 – Deferunda incompta Dlabola, 1961 (1, 2 – Tadzhikistan, Tigrovaya Balka; 3, 4 – UAE, Fujairah), 5–6 – Akotropis fulgens Linnavuori, 1973, UAE, Fujairah. 1, 3, 5 – dorsal view; 2, 4, 6 – face.