Xizangocerus Xue & Zhang, 2025

Xue, Qingquan, Nyima, Tenzin, Da, Wa & Zhang, Yalin, 2025, Taxonomy of eurymeline leafhoppers from Xizang, China (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with two new genera and three new species, Zootaxa 5683 (3), pp. 377-396 : 386

Xizangocerus Xue & Zhang gen. nov.

Type species: Xizangocerus gyirongensis sp. nov., here designated.

Diagnosis. Crown striate, pronotum shagreen, male rostrum broadened, female rostrum normal, forewing with m-cu1 and r-m1 crossveins, hind femur with 2 + 1 apical setae, segment X with developed internal process, aedeagal shaft sinuate, aedeagus with developed preatrium and poorly dorsal apodeme.

Description. Body generally dark brown. Crown with black spot on either side of midline close to eyes. Pronotum with pair of v-shaped markings on anterior margin, narrow midline hoary. Mesoscutum with black basal triangles ( Fig. 6C ). Forewing generally transparent, with veins dark brown, whitish spots on apical parts of veins 1A, 2A and on some veins in corium; costa with broad band except a subapical oval area, dark brown ( Fig. 6N ).

Head wider than pronotum. Coronal suture short. Crown medially slightly longer than next to eye. Crown and face dorsad of ocelli transversely striate ( Figs 6C–D ). Face wider than long; lateral frontal sutures reaching ocelli; ocelli closer to median line than to adjacent eye; anteclypeus abruptly widened near apex, lateral margin concave ( Fig. 6D ). Rostrum in male broadened, in female normal ( Figs 6D, 6F ). Pronotum anterior and posterior margins curved, shagreen. Combined length of mesoscutum and scutellum longer than pronotum ( Fig. 6C ). Forewing with 4 apical cells and 2 subapical cells, m-cu1 and r-m1 crossveins present; clavus with two veins ( Fig. 6N ). Fore tibia with dense stout and long AV and PV setae on distal half. Hind tibiae with 11–13 setae on row PD, 6–7 setae on AD and 5–6 setae on row AV. Hind femur with 2 + 1 apical setae. Hind basitarsus with three platellae.

Male genitalia. Male pygofer dorsal margin with large anterior apodeme. Segment X fused to pygofer, with internal process. Subgenital plate longer than pygofer, with dense fine setae on dorsal and few fine setae on ventral margin ( Fig. 12A ). Style curved dorsad, with few fine setae on dorsal margin; ventral margin serrated subapically ( Fig. 12F ). Aedeagus with poorly developed dorsal apodeme, preatrium well-developed; aedeagal shaft slightly sinuate, with or without a pair of short and thin spine-like lateral processes at proximal region; gonopore apical ( Figs 12D–E ).

Female genitalia. Ovipositor projecting, well beyond apex of pygofer. Seventh sternite with caudal margin slightly concave in middle ( Fig. 6I ). The first valvulae curved dorsally, tapering distally with sculpture strigate dorsolaterally ( Figs 6J, 6L ). The second valvulae curved dorsally, narrowed distally; toothed area occupied distal 0.3 length, teeth prominent ( Figs 6K, 6M ).

Distribution. China ( Xizang).

Etymology. The name of the genus is derived from Xizang, China where the type species was collected; gender masculine.

Remarks. Xizangocerus gen. nov. resembles Amritodus Anufriev in the shape of the aedeagus and the structure of the female valvulae I and II, but differs in having (i) forewing with r-m1 cross vein (absent in Amritodus ); (ii) the hind basitarsus with three platellae (four in Amritodus ); (iii) segment X with well-developed long internal process (process short and stout in Amritodus ) and (iv) female sternite VII long with truncate posterior margin (sternite VII short with concave posterior margin in Amritodus ). Viraktamath & Hongsaprug (1990) described a species, Idioscopus thailandensis Viraktamath & Hongsaprug from Thailand ( Dio Ang Kand, Chiangmai ), and our careful examination of the description and male genitalia figures suggests that it belongs to this new genus, so we propose it as a new combination here Xizangocerus thailandensis (Viraktamath & Hongsaprug) comb. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Xizangocerus gyirongensis sp. nov. A, habitus of male, dorsal view; B, habitus of male, lateral view; C, head and thorax of male, dorsal view; D, face of male; E, head and thorax of female, dorsal view; F, face of female; G, habitus of female, dorsal view; H, habitus of female, lateral view; I, female genitalia, ventral view; J, first valvulae; K, second valvulae; L, apex of first valvulae; M, apex of second valvulae; N, forewing.

FIGURE 12. Xizangocerus gyirongensis sp. nov. A, male genital capsule, lateral view; B, connective, ventral view; C, connective, lateral view; D, aedeagus, lateral view; E, aedeagus, ventral view; F, style, lateral view.