The leafhopper genus Tambocerus Zhang & Webb (Deltocephalinae: Athysanini) was established with Selenocephalus disparatus (Melichar, 1903) as the type species from Sri Lanka. Zhang & Webb (1996) first placed the genus in tribe Selenocephalini due to the transverse striations on the fore margin of the head, its distinguishing feature, but it was later included by Viraktamath (2012) in tribe Athysanini based on the key to the Deltocephalinae tribes by Zahniser & Dietrich (2008). Currently, the genus comprises 18 species worldwide. Naveed & Zhang (2018) documented the first species from Pakistan, Tambocerus bulbulus Naveed & Zhang, while the present study reveals a second newly recorded species i.e. Tambocerus viraktamathi Rao.

Leafhopper specimens were collected from Pakistan during the years 2018 and 2019 and were preserved in 90% ethanol. Characteristics like size, color, markings, and shape of the head, thorax and abdomen were carefully examined for the descriptions. Male genitalia were also observed as described by Oman (1949) and Knight (1965). The whole abdomen was removed from the specimen and treated in a 10% NaOH solution on a hot plate for maceration (removal of soft tissues and muscles) and then rinsed with water. Following, the genitalia were placed on a glass slide with a glycerol drop and observed under the microscope. A digital camera Nikon DS-Ri2 mounted on a Nikon SMZ 1500 stereoscopic microscope and Nikon Eclipse 50i POL polarizing microscope were used to take photographs. Digital photographs were modified to balance color and contrast, and to remove background using Adobe Photoshop CS.

Morphological terminology follows that by Zhang & Webb (1996), Shen et al. (2008), Viraktamath (2012) and Zahniser & Dietrich (2013). The studied specimens were deposited in the School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China.

Tambocerus bulbulusNaveed & Zhang, 2018 (Fig. 1)

Tambocerus bulbulusNaveed & Zhang, 2018: 240.

Material examined. No material examined.

Distribution. Pakistan.

Remarks. This species is similar to Tambocerus viraktamathi Rao, but can be readily distinguished by the following features: absence of brown spots on forewing, pygofer with serrated posterior margin, dark pigmented crests adjacent to each other and a dorsal crest often pigmented; subgenital plates usually sub-triangular with a truncated apex rather than elongated (Naveed & Zhang, 2018).

Tambocerus viraktamathiRao, 1996 (Fig. 2)

Tambocerus viraktamathiRao, 1996: 85; Viraktamath, 2012: 59; Naveed & Zhang, 2018: 244.

Measurement. Male: 5.7 – 6.1 mm; female: 6.2 – 6.3 mm.

Redescription. Coloration. Ochraceous, with brownish spots on the head, thorax and forewings; claval veins apices, veins joining costal margin with a dark brown spot.

Morphology. Head as wide as pronotum, Vertex more than twice as broad between eyes as median length.

Male Genitalia. Pygofer somewhat narrowed towards posterior, with dorsal marginal thickness in posterior half, ending in a dark pigmented crest directed laterally, another similar posterior crest on the ventral margin, macrosetae absent but with few hair-like setae. Subgenital plate with an apical membranous prolongation, with a transverse row of macrosetae before apical prolongation at midlength. Styles with short apical lobe, apophysis slightly thick. Connective with stem longer than arms. Aedeagal shaft curved dorsally, with lamellate lateral projection and serrated margins at base and somewhat anteriorly near apex, highly constricted before apex, with variable and asymmetrical serrations.

Material examined. PAKISTAN, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Maidan, 34°57′6.678 ̋ N, 71°48′29.5632 ̋ E, 13-VII-2018, Light trap, 1♂, 1♀; Shangla, 34°53′13.848 ̋ N, 72°45′25.2144 ̋ E, 21-VII-2018, Sweeping hand net, 1♂; Bisham, 34°52′13.7856 ̋ N, 72°51′48.1104 ̋ E, 21-VII-2018, Sweeping hand net, 1♀; Shinkiari, 34°28′19.1064 ̋ N, 73°16′14.3004 ̋ E, 22-VII-2018, Sweeping hand net, 1♀; Abbottabad, 34°10′7.5036 ̋ N, 73°13′17.3892 ̋ E, 23-VII-2018, Sweeping hand net, 2♂; Kaka Sahib, 33°55′43.3668 ̋ N, 72°2′38.7276 ̋ E, 27-VII-2018, Sweeping hand net, 2♀; Kohala Bala, 33°51′51.318 ̋ N, 73°12′35.4708 ̋ E, 30-VII-2019, Sweeping hand net, 1♂; Mansehra, 34°20′37.8456 ̋ N, 73°13′9.7428 ̋ E, 10-VIII-2019, Sweeping hand net, 6♂, 7♀; Ibrahim Bagh, 34°20′50.6252 ̋ N, 73°13′16.4748 ̋ E, 11-VIII-2019, Sweeping hand net, 1♂; Azad Kashmir: Muzaffarabad, 34°21′44.1144 ̋ N, 73°27′10.62 ̋ E, 14-VIII-2019, Sweeping hand net, 1♂, 2♀ (All collected by Bismillah Shah).

Distribution. India (Viraktamath, 2012) and Pakistan (new record).

Remarks. This species can be easily differentiated from T. bulbulus by the pygofer with two dark brown crests; male pygofer posterior margin with ventral serrated area smaller, and distant to dorsal sclerotized area, and by the shape of the lamellate expansion on aedeagal shaft.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank the editor in chief and anonymous referees for their comments and suggestions for improving this manuscript. The first author also wishes to thank the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) for supporting his doctoral study and stay in China.

REFERENCES

Knight, W.J. (1965) Techniques for use in the identification of leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Entomologist’s Gazette, 16, 129–136.

Melichar, L. (1903) Homopteren-Fauna von Ceylon. F.L. Dames, Berlin.

Naveed, H., & Zhang, Y.L. (2018) A key to species of the leafhopper genus Tambocerus (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae) with description of a new species from Pakistan. Zootaxa, 4462(2), 237-244.

Oman, P.W. (1949) The Nearctic leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). A generic classification and checklist. Memoirs of Entomological Society of Washington, 3, 1-253.

Rao, K.R. (1996) Description of a new species Tambocerus viraktamathi (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) from India. Hexapoda, 8, 85–88.

Shen, L., Shang, S.Q., & Zhang, Y.L. (2008) Study of the leafhopper genus Tambocerus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with four new species from China. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 110, 242-249.

Viraktamath, C.A. (2012) Seven new species of the leafhopper genus Tambocerus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from the Indian subcontinent. Zootaxa, 3385, 43-61.

Zahniser, J.N., & Dietrich, C.H. (2008) Phylogeny of the leafhopper subfamily Deltocephalinae (Insecta: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae) and related subfamilies based on morphology. Systematics and Biodiversity, 6, 1-24.

Zahniser, J.N., & Dietrich, C.H. (2013) A review of the tribes of Deltocephalinae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae). European Journal of Taxonomy, 45, 1-211.

Zhang, Y.L., & Webb, M.D. (1996) A revised classification of the Asian and Pacific selenocephaline leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Bulletin of the Natural History Museum London, Entomology, 65, 1-103.

Notas de autor

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