A New Genus and Species of Delphacini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Delphacidae) Associated with Hydrophytic Plants in Argentina
Abstract
A new delphacid genus and species from Argentina, Lepidelphax pistiae Remes Lenicov, gen. et sp. nov.(Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Delphacidae: Delphacini), is described and illustrated, and biological, distribution and experimental host range data are provided. Males of the new genus are easily distinguished from all other Neotropical Delphacini by being pale cream to white in color with a distinctive pair of longitudinal stripes on the face and symmetrical dark brown to black spots on the thorax and abdomen; very slender, laterally compressed, with long legs, narrow and short vertex with a small sub-apical areola continued by a distinctively simple frontal median carina. It also has unique malegenital structures. Laboratory and field data indicate this species is a specialized herbivore that feeds and oviposits exclusively on Pistia stratiotes (Alismatales: Araceae), a floating macrophyte native to South America. Lepidelphax pistiae was found throughout the distribution of P. stratiotes in Argentina.
Un nuevo genero y especie de Delphacidae de Argentina, Lepidelphax pistiae Remes Lenicov (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Delphacidae: Delphacini), es descrito e ilustrado aportando datos biologicos, de distribucion y rango de hospederos, mediante pruebas experimentales. Los machos del nuevo genero se distinguen facilmente de los otros Delphacini Neotropicales por su coloracion amarillenta a blancuzca con distintivas bandas longitudinales pares marron oscuro a negras entre las carenas de la region frontal, y tambien otras maculas dorsales y laterales en el torax y abdomen. Son formas esbeltas, comprimidas lateralmente, con patas largas; cabeza con el vertex estrecho y corto, una pequena areola subapical continuada por una marcada carena mediana frontal simple. Complejo genital del macho con caracteristicas distintivas. Datos de laboratorio y de campo indican que es una especie herbivora especialista que se alimenta y ovipone exclusivamente en Pistia stratiotes L. (Alismatales: Araceae), macrofita flotante nativa de America del Sur. Lepidelphax pistiae fue encontrada a lo largo de la distribucion de P. stratiotes en la Argentina.
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