Thagria viraktamathi NIELSON 2013, sp. nov.

Thagria viraktamathi, sp. nov.

(Plate 3C, Figs. 147–156)

Length. Male 7.30–7.70 mm; female unknown

External Morphology, Moderately long, robust species. General color dark brown with prominent ivory spots on forewings forming 2 transverse broken bands, 1 below apex of mesonotum, 1 at apex of distal brachial cell, 1 spot subapically in outer anteapical cell with adjacent spot in costa; veins black with small ivory spots; crown dark ivory with suffused light brown markings; eyes dark brown; pronotum black to dark brown with ivory bullae; mesontum brown with ivory spots and markings (Plate 3C); face dark ivory with brown reticulate markings and spots. Head distinctly narrower than pronotum; crown broad, wider than eye width, produced anteriorly about ¼ of its entire median length slightly elevated, lateral margins concave, convergent basally; pronotum large, about as long as median length of crown, surface bullated; mesonotum large, longer medially than pronotum; forewings long, slightly broad, venation typical; clypeus long, broad, lateral margins slightly excised medially; clypellus short, about 1/2 as long as clypeus, base inflated and broad basally, as broad as clypeus at juncture of clypeal suture, constricted medially, tapered to rounded apex.

Male genitalia. Pygofer in lateral view with robust caudoventral lobe, in lateral and dorsal views caudodorsal margin with pair of stout processes (Fig. 147, 148); segment X in dorsal and lateral views very long, broad, tapered distally, with short, stout process near middle of dorsal margin (Figs. 147, 149, 150); aedeagus in dorsal and lateral views symmetrical, long, exceeding midlength of ventral paraphysis (Figs. 151, 152); ventral paraphysis symmetrical, short, lateral margins slightly concave from base to near apex, rounded apically, in lateral view excavated medially, subapical lobe on dorsal margin, paired long subbasal processes (Figs. 151, 152); style in dorsal and lateral views, long, slightly longer than aedeagus, outer lateral margin serrate basad of middle (Figs. 153, 154); dorsal connective in dorsobasal view broadly V shape, rami short, stem absent (Fig. 155); subgenital plate in lateral view very long, broad, with tuft of long microsetae apically, row of macrosetae on outer lateral margin (Fig. 156).

Material examined. Holotype male. LAOS. Louang Namtha pr., 21° 09’N – 101°19’E, Namtha- Muang Sing., 5–31. V. 1997, 900– 1200 m., Vit Kuban, leg. (BRNO). Paratypes, 1 male, same data as holotype (MLBM), 1 male, LAOS-N (Louangphrabang), 11–21. V. 2002, 19° 35’N 101° 58’E, THONG KHAN, 750 M., Kit Kuban, leg. (BRNO). VIETNAM, 1 male, Cuc Phuong, ll–l 8-VIII-2010, I.G. 31.668, leg. J. Constant & P. Limbourg (IRSNB).

Etymology. The species is named for Dr. Chandra Viraktamath, Bangalore, India for his outstanding taxonomic contributions of the leafhopper fauna of the Oriental region.

Remarks. This species belongs to the melichari species complex and is most similar to serrastyla Nielson. From this species it can be distinguished by the ventral paraphysis which has convex lateral margins (concave in serrastyla), longer aedeagus, broader more robust caudoventral lobe of the pygofer and absence of subapical process on segment X.