Muiravea voanio 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 : 150-155

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

( Figs 2–7 )

Type locality. Madagascar, Antsinanana Region, Toamasina.

Etymology. The specific name “voanio ” is Malagasy word for coconut, referencing the primary host plant ( Fig. 2 ), and is used as a proper noun in apposition and is indeclinable.

Diagnosis. Small, pale-bodied with light fuscous markings on forewings, very narrow stridulatory plate on hindwing margin. Large subantennal shelf present. Head and thorax without fuscous markings. Gonostyli with large, bifid dorsal process and aedeagus with slender, laterally curved process arising at apex on dorsal margin

Description. Color. Base color of body pale, ivory white, slight yellow wash over head and thorax, legs slightly more yellow than main body, forewings pale, translucent, veins white, fuscous patch at midpoint of Pcu+A 1, random light fuscous spots at midpoint, light fuscous band extending from costal margin to hind margin at distal ¾ point, apices with light fuscous patches; abdomen yellow-orange, terminalia ivory white ( Fig. 3 ).

Structure. Body length (incl. wings) males: 3.9–4.2 mm (n = 10), females: 4.2–4.5 mm (n = 10) ( Table 3 ).

Head. Vertex without sensory pits, acarinate; in dorsal view subtriangular, concave at anterior margin, angulate, concave at posterior margin, angulate, about as wide at posterior margin as long at midpoint, lateral margins straight; in lateral view, rounded, extending slightly above and beyond eye margin. Frons without sensory pits; in frontal view, narrow dorsally, lateral margins touching at midpoint, expanding just below ventral margin of eyes, expanding to frontoclypeal suture ( Fig. 4 ). Compound eyes with distinct ventral incision; ocelli absent. Subantennal shelf arising near posterior margin of genae, extending to just beyond midpoint of genae, ridge large and foliaceous with setae on external margin. Antennal scape very short and ringlike; second antennal segment ovoid, approximately twice as long as wide, anterior margin curved, posterior margin nearly linear ( Fig. 4B ). Clypeus weakly carinate at midpoint, lateral margins acarinate, rostrum extending to midcoxae, with apical segment approximately long as wide.

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. 4 ). 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 ); lateral angles placed after midlength. Hindlegs lacking lateral spines on tibia, metatarsal spinulation 5-5-4.

Forewing elongate, about 2.7 times longer than broad (at the level of end of clavus), membranous, broad spatulate; costal and claval margin subparallel, posterior margin strongly arcuate with breaking point at the level of MP 1.1 vein. Sensory pits present on common stem of ScP+R and MP and on basal part of stem ScP+R after forking of MP vein and on basal part of Pcu vein. Basal cell small and elongate. ScP+R+MP arising from basal cell as a common stem with first fork close to basal cell (distinctly before fusion of claval veins). Forking sequence of longitudinal veins (proximal to distal) ScP+R→CuA→MP; all before tip of clavus. Longitudinal vein branching pattern RA unbranched, RP 2-branched, MP 6-branched (MP 1+2 with 4 terminals, MP 3+4 with 2 terminals), CuA 2- branched: CuA 1 blind not reaching margin, CuA 2 reaching margin. Terminals of RA, RP and MP veins ending on posterior margin, CuA terminals ending on postclaval margin. Median area apically the largest, radial and cubital area apically occupying similar area. Cell C1 longest about 12 times longer than wide; cell C3 shorter and widest than C1, about 5.9 times longer than wide; C5 shortest about 6.8 times longer than wide. Cell length sequence C1→ C3→C5. Clavus extending to midpoint. Tegmen with single apical line of transverse crossveins; icu transverse crossvein present, reaching postclaval margin; radial and median cell each with two transverse crossveins rp-mp and mp-cua. Clavus closed (Pcu+A 1 reaching wing margin distinctly before CuP) without any transverse crossveins; claval veins Pcu and A 1 joined together about the middle of the clavus. Tegula smooth, without carinae. Hindwing hyaline, shorter than forewing (approximately ¾ the length). ScP+RA ending with single terminal about middle of costal margin; RP unbranched, MP single, CuA with 3 terminals, forking after middle of wing, CuP single, Pcu single, A 1 with 2 terminals, A 2 single, blind (not reaching margin) distinctly thickened, apically enlarged; stridulatory plate with outer margin weakly concave; crossveins r-m and m-cu present at apical third of hindwing.

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. 6 ). Gonostyli 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. 6 ). 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. 6 ). Aedeagus simple, short, cylindrical, moderately sclerotized process arising at apex on dorsal margin (A1), slender, angled cephalad, curved to left lateral side ( Fig. 7 ). Endosoma complex with two large expanded flange-like processes (E1 & E2); E1 arising on right side, deeply trifucated, forming three hooked, dorsal processes (E1a, E1b and E1c), E1a longest and most robust, angled dorsad, curved caudad, E1b smallest process, angled and curved the same as E1a, less than ¼ the size of E1a and E1c almost as long as E1a, approximately half the width at the base, angled and curved the same as E1a and E1b, fourth process (E1d) arising on E1 along ventral margin, more sclerotized than rest of E1, curving across midline, angled to left lateral side; 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, angled cephalad, curved ventrad ( Fig. 7 ). Anal segment short, irregularly sinuate on dorsal and ventral margins, apex rounded, not extending beyond apex of gonostylus ( Fig. 6 ).

Remarks. The novel taxon, M. voanio sp. nov. is placed within Muiravea based on the wing characters outlined by Banaszkiewicz & Szwedo (2005), namely the unbranched RA and CuA not reaching the wing margin. The genus Muiravea is monotypic and was erected for the single species from Sierra Leone (West Africa) – Patara hargeavesi Muir, 1930 . The novel taxon differs significantly from M. hargreavesi in overall color with the latter being dark in color and M. voanio sp. nov. being pale. Also, M. hargreavesi differs from M. voanio sp. nov. in that the former has a blind CuA2 and the latter has a blind CuA1. The armature of the aedeagus among the two species differs significantly. One aspect of the genitalia listed as a generic feature, the presence of three processes at apex of the anal segment are absent in M. voanio sp. nov. but with all other similarities (including overall similar form of the genitalia), this does not appear enough to exclude it from the genus, thus requiring amending of the genus diagnosis so that this feature is not included. In the future, as more material becomes available for analysis and specimens of M. hargreavesi are obtained for examination, the novel taxa described herein could be placed in a new genus based on the differences observed. However, based on the material and information available, placing the novel taxa within Muiravea is the most prudent.

Plant associations. Cocos nucifera L. ( Arecaceae Bercht. & J. Presl ) ( Table 4 )

Type material. Holotype, male: “ Madagascar, Atsinanana, Toamasina / Hotel Darifify / 27.I.2023, Coll.: B.W.Bahder / Host: Cocos nucifera // Holotype / Muiravea voanio ♂ /” ( FLREC).

Paratypes: 9 males, 10 females, same locality as holotype ( FLREC) , 1 male and 1 female in MIIZ . 2 males “ Madagascar, Atsinanana, Toamasina / Coconut plantation 10km N / 28.I.2023, Coll.: B.W.Bahder / Host: Cocos nucifera // Holotype / Muiravea voanio ♂ / “

Distribution. Central-eastern Madagascar (Atsinanana Region, Toamasina I District, Toamasina commune: 18°6’54.88”S, 49°24’16.75”E).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Muiravea voanio sp. nov. in vivo.

FIGURE 3. Adult male habitus of Muiravea voanio sp. nov.: A) lateral view and B) dorsal view.

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 5. Venation of Muiravea voanio sp. nov.: A) forewing, B) hindwing and C) line art; black text = primary vein, italic text = crossvein, and green text = cell; nomenclature of forewing following Bourgoin et al. (2015).

FIGURE 6. Male terminalia of Muiravea voanio sp. nov.: A) right lateral view, B) gonostylus outer lateral view, C) dorsal view, and D) ventral view.

FIGURE 7. Aedeagus of Muiravea voanio sp. nov.: A) right lateral view, B) left lateral view, C) dorsal view, and D) ventral view.