Four species of the new Amazonian sharpshooter Daedaloscarta gen . nov . ( Insecta : Hemiptera : Cicadellidae )

Four new species, Daedaloscarta erwini sp. nov. (Peru: Loreto), D. maculata sp. nov. (Brazil: Amazonas), D. mene sp. nov. (Ecuador: Orellana), and D. redacta sp. nov. (Brazil: Amazonas) are described and placed in the new genus Daedaloscarta gen. nov. Species of the new genus can be readily distinguished from other Cicadellini genera by their: (1) dark brown to black dorsal coloration with contrasting large ivory spots; (2) crown produced and round anteriorly (Figs 1-8); (3) pronotum narrower than transocular width of head, with lateral margins parallel; (4) male pygofer with pair of acute finger-like processes arising at dorsal margin directed inwardly and ventrally; (5) subgenital plates with apical two-thirds very slender; (6) aedeagus very large with shaft elongate, with an unpaired basidorsal, elongate bifurcate basiventral, and paired retrorse lateral processes at midlength of shaft; and (7) paraphyses bifurcate and slender. All known specimens are associated with terra firme or flooded Amazonian forests and were collected by light trapping or insecticidal fogging.

Members of the Cicadellini can usually be distinguished from other leafhoppers by their 1) ocelli located on crown, nearly always closer to posterior margin than to apex or anterolateral margin; 2) frontogenal sutures almost always extending onto crown up to or near ocelli; 3) antennal ledges usually not strongly protuberant in dorsal view; 4) face usually not pubescent; 5) proepisternum exposed; 6) forewings with inner apical cell parallel to long axis of wing; 7) posterior knees (articulation femur-tibia) usually attaining lateral lobe of pronotum at rest position; 8) posterior tibiae with macrosetae in four regular rows and usually compressed laterally; and (9) male pygofer and/or subgenital plates nearly always with macrosetae and/or microsetae not evenly dispersed (YOUNG 1968).Most of these characters are also found in other leafhopper lineages and considerable variation is found within the group, which is in accordance with the recovery of its paraphyly in relation to two other leafhopper lineages based on the analyses of both morphological characters and DNA sequences (D.M. Takiya unpubl.data).
In the present paper we describe four new species from the Amazon basin (Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru) and place them in the newly proposed Cicadellini genus Daedaloscarta gen.nov.New species herein included in Daedaloscarta gen.nov.will key out to Scoposcartula Young, 1977 in couplet 159 of the most recent, however outdated, taxonomic key to genera of New World Cicadellini (YOUNG 1977) because of the rugose aspect of the frons.The external morphology and dark coloration with white spots and stripes closely resembles (and is sometimes indistinguishable) from known species of Amblyscartidia Young, 1977, Cardioscarta Melichar, 1932, Paratubana Young, 1977, and Pegogonia Young, 1977.However, Daedaloscarta gen.nov.species can be distinguished from species of the above-mentioned genera by their unique pygofer dorsal processes and aedegal shaft with basidorsal, basiventral, and paired lateral processes.In quotations of label data, a reversed virgule (\) separates lines on a label.Morphological terminology follows mainly YOUNG (1968,1977), except for the head which follows HAMILTON (1981), as suggested by MEJDALANI (1998).Terminology for leg chaetotaxy follows RAKITOV (1997).Terminology for female genitalia follows NIELSON (1965).Techniques for preparation of genital structures follow those of OMAN (1949).The dissected parts are stored in microvials with glycerin.
Female genitalia.Sternite VII (Fig. 15) well produced; posterior margin with median rectangular reentrance.Internal sternite VIII forming simple membranous plate.Pygofer (Fig. 16) moderately produced; posterior margin subacute; macrosetae distributed along ventroapical margin to apex.First valvulae of ovipositor (Fig. 15) in ventral view with bases bearing anterior margins broadly round, and with a distinct finger-like projection arising from the superior inner margin and extending ventrally.Second valvulae of ovipositor (Fig. 17) broad in apical two-thirds; dorsal margin rectilinear, bearing approximately 40 continuous teeth; each tooth (Fig. 18) subtriangular and with denticles throughout whole length; preapical area (Fig. 19) with denticles on dorsal and ventral margins; apex acute.
Coloration.Dorsal background color dark brown to black with large ivory spots, being one on crown, pair on pronotum, and on each forewing, two on clavus and four on corium (Figs 1-8).Ventral portion pale white to reddish-yellow (Figs 2,4,6,8).Membrane fuscous.All species are very similar regarding their color pattern.
Etymology.The new genus is named after the skillful craftsman Daedalus, who, amongst his many creations, constructed wings for himself and his son Icarus.Fatally, Icarus did not listen to his father and flew so high his wings melted and he fell off the skies.
Distribution.Specimens of the new species included in Daedaloscarta gen.nov.were all collected in terra firme and flooded Amazonian forests either by canopy fogging or light trapping, in Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.
Remarks.The species of Daedaloscarta gen.nov.are similar with the species of Amblyscartidia Young, 1977, Cardioscarta Melichar, 1932, Paratubana Young, 1977and Pegogonia Young, 1977 and Sphaeropogonia maculipennis Schmidt, 1928 with respect general coloration, but can be easily distinguished by male genitalia characters given in the diagnosis.
Type-specimens were collected by insecticidal fogging up to 40m in a secondary flooded forest in Loreto, Peru.
Etymology.The species epithet is given in honor of Dr. Terry Erwin (USNM), who while searching for carabid beetles, uncovered an extremely high undescribed diversity of sharpshooter leafhoppers by sampling Amazonian forest canopies with insecticidal fog.
Female unknown.
Etymology.The species epithet refers to the contrasting spotted color pattern shared by all members of the new genus.
Female genitalia.Second valvulae of ovipositor with approximately 42 dorsal teeth.Other characteristics as in generic description.
Remarks.Daedaloscarta mene sp.nov. is similar to D. maculata sp.nov.(see remarks above).However, it can be readily distinguished from all other species of Daedaloscarta gen.nov.by the ventral unpaired process bifurcate anteriorly to lateral spiniform projection (Fig. 31).
Daedaloscarta mene sp.nov.was collected only at the Orellana Province, at lowland Amazon Rainforest (Western: Orellana Province, Ecuador).Etymology.The species epithet is derived from meñe meaning jaguar in Waorani (Huaorani), a revered animal, whose spirits will keep animal game closer to humans and choose adoptive fathers who become shamans and can tell humans where to hunt (RIVAL 2002).
Remarks.Daedaloscarta redacta sp.nov. is very similar to D. erwini sp.nov.(see remarks above).However, it can be readily distinguished from all other species of Daedaloscarta gen.nov.by the combination of (1) basiventral process with paired dorsolateral processes arising before the bifurcation (Fig. 36); (2) very short and acute paired lateral processes of the shaft (Fig. 36); and (3) shaft with preapical ventral concavity (Fig. 36).
Specimens of the new species were collected along the Solimões River (Amazonas, Brazil).There are two labels attached to the paratype, with different dates and collecting localities distant by approximately 600km along the Rio Solimões.This specimen was most probably attracted to the lights of the boat during the traverse between the two cities (sole means of transportation in the region) between 20 and 22.V.1991.The holotype was collected in another town a bit further upstream.Considering the imprecise data, it is difficult to say if the species occurs in forests of right (Tefé) and/or left (Tonantins and São Paulo de Olivença) margins of the Solimões River.