Two new species of Sundarion ( Hemiptera : Membracidae : Darninae ) and taxonomic notes on two congeneric taxa

Two new species of Sundarion Kirkaldy, 1904 – Sundarion flavopiceum sp. nov. (from Brazil, state of Pará, Serra Norte) and Sundarion marmoratum sp. nov. (from French Guiana, Montagne des Chevaux) – are described. The first species differs from S. flavum (Fairmaire, 1846) in having smaller supra-humeral horns, and being dark brown with a large yellow spot on each side of the posterior process. In this aspect, it resembles Alcmeone picea (Fairmaire, 1846). The second species is similar to S. flavum except for being variegate yellowish-brown. Taxonomic comments are provided for S. notabile Souza & Rothéa, 2005, which was previously known only from males, and for S. compressicornis (Fairmaire, 1846) comb. nov., originally described in Hemiptycha Germar, 1833 and latter transferred to Hemikyptha Metcalf, 1927. New geographical distribution records are provided for both species.

Description.Holotype female .Head yellow with irregular pitchy-brown markings; pronotum pitchy-brown with yellow dots, more dispersed over metopidium, and extended to dorsum between supra-humeral horns and behind eyes; large yellow spot on each side of pronotum, more or less fusiform, oblique, extended from base of supra-humeral horns and reaching lateral margins; apex of supra-humeral horns and of posterior process piceous.Tegmina hyaline, with smoked-brown area at apex, covering second apical cell and extended to limbus.Ventral surface of thorax, part of ovipositor, coxae, and part of femora black; sides of abdomen and legs yellowish-brown.
Head triangular (Fig. 1), 2.3x wider than long; vertex almost flat, smooth, weakly sculptured and striate, coronal suture distinctly grooved; superior margin arched, slightly sinuate at middle; ocelli located just below transocular line, closer to each other than to eyes; supra-antennal ledges straight, almost horizontal; frontoclypeus ovoid, as long as wide, extended for about half its length beyond lower margins of vertex, apex rounded and hairy.Pronotum (Figs. 2-3) shiny, roughly punctured, punctures on metopidium smaller and closer to one another than those of posterior process, larger and sparse; supra-humeral processes relatively short, triangular, acute apically, slightly flattened dorsoventrally, about as long as their basal width, directed outwards, tips slightly deflected backwards, distance between tips 1.5x width between humeral angles; posterior process, in lateral view, highest on dorsum just after supra-humeral horns, descending in almost straight line towards apex, posterior third distinctly subulate and prismatic, extending until apex of fifth apical cell of forewings; median carina obsolete, smooth and rounded; lateral margins close and parallel to internal margins of forewings.Forewings (Fig. 2) entirely exposed; veins R and M+Cu confluent basally; two discoidal cells, the external (1rst R3) much smaller; five apical cells; veins s, r-m, and 2 m-cu present.Legs with two rows of cucullate setae on ventral side of pro-and mesothoracic femur and tibia.
Male (Fig. 4).Slightly smaller than female.Dark-brown, dots and lateral spot yellowish-green.Genitalia : pygofer more or less triangular with lateral plates distinct and well developed, slightly pointed dorsally; subgenital plate elongate, about 3x longer than wide in lateral view, strongly compressed laterally; aedeagus U-shaped, slender, tapering towards apex, with minute teeth on anterior surface, and another two larger before apex; styles recurved, hook-like.Comments.This species differs greatly from others in the genus, especially in the shape of supra-humeral horns, which are short and acute, and the dark-brown coloration, with yellow dots and a large yellow spot on each side of the posterior process, closely resembling Alcmeone picea (Fairmaire, 1846).The examined male specimen is much darker than others (probably because it was collected recently), so the lateral spot and yellowish-green dots on the pronotum are more evident.The genitalia  are similar to those of Sundarion flavum (Fairmaire, 1846) (Fig. 25), in having the subgenital plate elongate but much more compressed laterally.
Description.Holotype female (Figs.5-7).Head triangular (Fig. 7), almost 4x wider than long, yellowish-brown, thin median line and around each ocellus, brown; surface of vertex smooth, finely striate, slightly depressed near ocelli, superior  -7) yellowish-brown, variegated with dark-brown on metopidium and on dorsum between supra-humeral horns; supra-humeal horns dark-brown towards apex, relatively short, about 2x longer than wide at base, flattened, tricarinated, strongly divergent, slightly curved backwards, narrowed to apex, truncate, with posterior angle pointed; posterior process low, dorsal line descending straight from metopidium to distal apex, apical third strongly constricted laterally, subulate and acuminate, terminating at level of fifth apical cell of forewings; sides of posterior process at middle with a large whitish-yellow patch close to margins enclosing distinct black spot.Forewings (Fig. 5) transparent, colorless, except brown smoked spot throughout second apical cell; five apical and two discoidal cells, transversal veins s, r-m, and 2 m-cu present.Undersurface of thorax and legs brown; abdomen yellowish-brown.Male (Fig. 8).Similar to female, smaller.Yellowish-castaneous, variegated on metopidium but less evident, also the whitish-yellow lateral patch with black spot not so evident.Supra-humeral horns short and almost horizontal.Genitalia (Figs. 21-22): pygofer more or less triangular with lateral plates distinct and well developed, slightly pointed dorsally; subgenital plate elongate, about 3x longer than wide, more or less inflated, rounded at apex; aedeagus U-shaped, globose, with minute teeth on anterior surface; styles recurved, hook-like.
Comments.This species is similar to Sundarion flavum (Fairmaire)  in its overall aspect but smaller and darker, with variegated metopidium (Fig. 8).It closely resembles Sundarion notabile Souza & Rothéa (Figs. 9-12), both of which have similar coloration and variegated pronotum.It can be distinguished by a whitish-yellow patch on each side of the posterior process, around a black spot, which is more pronounced in females.The male genitalia of S. marmoratum sp.nov.are also distinctive in having the subgenital plate inflated and more rounded apically, and the aedeagus globose.This species was described based on a single male specimen collected in Sinop, state of Mato Grosso.It was diagnosed as follows: "supra-humeral horns reddish-brown, short, spatulate, tricarinate, directed outwards and discreetly upwards surpassing a little the level of pronotum.Forewings entirely hyaline, with well defined veins".

Sundarion notabile Souza & Rothéa, 2005
Recently we found five additional specimens of this species from the type locality (4 males and 1 female).The following description of the female is based on this material.
Diagnosis.Head yellowish-brown; pronotum yellowish-brown, variegate dark-brown on metopidium and dorsum, dark markings more dispersed anteriorly; supra-humeral horns dark-brown, relatively short, strongly divergent, more or less parallel, abrupt and truncate at apex, posterior angle acute; posterior process with distinct black spot at each side, near lateral margins.
Measurements (in mm).Female/male.Total length 9.88/8.60;length of pronotum 8.48/7.40;width of head 4.40/3.60;length of head 1.94/1.52;distance between humeral angles 4.40/3.60;distance between apices of supra-humeral horns 6.72/5.72.Description.Female (Figs. 9, 10, 12).Head triangular (Fig. 12), about twice wider than long, yellowish-brown, thin median line and around each ocellus, brown; vertex with surface smooth, slightly depressed near ocelli, superior margin widely arched; eyes ovoid; ocelli slightly closer to each other than to eyes, situated just bellow transocular line; supra-antennal ledges flat with margins straight; frontoclypeus ovoid extended about half its length bellow margins of supra-antennal ledges.Pronotum (Figs. 9-10) yellowish-brown, variegated with dark-brown, with dots more dispersed on metopidium than on dorsum; supra-humeral horns dark-brown towards apex, relatively short, about 2x longer than wide at base, flattened, tricarinated, strongly divergent, almost parallel-sided, truncate at apex, with posterior angle pointed; posterior process low, dorsal line descending straight from metopidium to distal apex, apical third strongly constricted laterally, subulate and acuminate, terminating at level of fifth apical cell of forewings; sides of posterior process at middle visibly clearer with a distinct blackish-brown spot close to margins which are parallel to internal margins of forewings.Forewings (Fig. 9) transparent, colorless, except brown smoked spot throughout second apical cell; five apical and two discoidal cells, transversal veins s, r-m, and 2 m-cu present.Undersurface of thorax and legs brown; abdomen yellowish-brown.
Distribution.BRAZIL, Mato Grosso.Remarks.Larger than male, otherwise identical (Fig. 11).The color of head and pronotum varies among individuals, and may be darker with indistinct spots or lighter with contrasting dark markings; the same for the black spot on posterior process, well visible or diffused.Moreover, the apical spot of the forewings may be present or not.The male genitalia (Fig. 23) are similar to those of Sundarion flavopiceum sp.nov.(Fig. 19) with slender aedeagus, but the subgenital plate is a little shorert, not compressed laterally.
Male (Fig. 15).Very similar to female.The supra-humeral horns are little larger and stronger.Genitalia (Fig. 24): pygofer more or less triangular with lateral plates distinct and well developed, slightly pointed dorsally; subgenital plate short, about as long as pygofer, not compressed laterally; aedeagus U-shaped, slender, tapering towards apex, with minute teeth on anterior surface; styles recurved, hook-like.