Frequenamia patula ( DeLong, 1982 ), 2025

Camisão, Beatriz M., Zahniser, James N. & Takiya, Daniela M., 2025, On the genus Megabahita Linnavuori & DeLong, 1978 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae): new species, redescriptions, key to species, and a synonymy, Zootaxa 5637 (2), pp. 326-336 : 332-333

Frequenamia patula ( DeLong, 1982) comb. nov.

( Fig. 4 )

= Megabahita patula DeLong, 1982: 187

Type locality: El Llano , Chepo District, Panama.

Length: 5.5 mm.

Coloration: Crown light brown; discal region with a pair of dark brown maculae near apex; transverse stripe on median region light gray, delimited by dark brown line; posterior region with a few dark brown maculae ( Fig. 4A ); frontal region with a thin light gray transverse line between ocelli ( Fig. 4B ). Frons, clypellus, and lorum reddish brown, with muscular impressions dark brown ( Fig. 4C ). Pronotum anterior margin light brown, remainder of the surface dark brown ( Fig. 4A ). Mesonotum light brown, with a few dark brown muscular impressions ( Fig. 4A ). Forewings light brown, with a few dark brown spots over veins ( Fig. 4 A-B). Legs and abdomen dark brown, with several dark brown maculae.

External morphology: Head somewhat produced anteriorly; coronal suture extending beyond midlength of crown; frontal region convex in lateral view, not upturned; texture of anterior margin of head transversely striate; lateral frontal suture touching outer lateral margin of ocellus ( Fig. 4A–B ). Clypellar suture arcuate ( Fig. 4C ). Forewing outer anteapical cell truncate ( Fig. 4A–B ); without reflexed costal veins. Profemur with only AM1 present; intercalary row with 13 macrosetae; row AV with 10 stout macrosetae. Metafemur setal formula 2:2:1.

Male genitalia: Pygofer dorsoapical margin incised near midlength; without dorsal processes; with ventral processes long, arising from median region of ventral margin, with basal half almost straight, pointing posteriorly, ventral margin serrate, median region with an enlarged tooth-like projection, apical half curved dorsally, tapering apically; posterior margin rounded ( Fig. 4D ). Valve subtriangular. Connective stem longer than anterior arms in dorsal view; arms widely divergent in dorsal view (stem is not entirely visible in Fig. 4F ). Style longer than wide, with apophysis apical region between preapical lobe and apex shorter than rest of style; apex slightly acuminate, strongly curved outwards in dorsal view ( Fig. 4G ). Aedeagus robust, basal region expanded in lateral view, tapering towards apex; apex with a pair of small processes, divergent in posterior view ( Fig. 4H ).

Female terminalia: Female unknown.

Material examined: holotype ♂, “ Panama, El Llano | Carte rd. | 8.X.1974 ” “ H. Wolda coll.” ( OSUC) .

Notes: Examination of the holotype of this species reveals that it lacks important diagnostic key characters for Megabahita , such as the head short and not produced anteriorly, forewing with reflexed costal veinlets, aedeagus short and slender, with preatrium reduced, and without processes. It is placed in Frequenamia based on the following characters: (1) body slender; (2) head somewhat produced anteriorly; (3) overall color pattern; and (4) male aedeagus with pair of apical processes. Frequenamia patula can be distinguished from other species of the genus by the robust aedeagus, with basal region expanded in lateral view, tapering towards the apex, and with a pair of short and divergent apical processes.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Frequenamia patula (DeLong, 1982) comb. nov., male holotype. A, Dorsal habitus; B, Lateral habitus; C, Head, frontal view; D, Pygofer, lateral view; E, Subgenital plate, ventral view; F, Connective arms and basal portion of stem, dorsal view; G, Left style, dorsal view; H: Aedeagus, lateral view.