Sicrana Gonçalves & Domahovski & Mejdalani & Takiya 2021, gen. nov.

Genus Sicrana gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 5D4E6996-37CB-49B3-AF47-0F247BBFF9AA

Figs 4–5, 6G–J

Sicrana plana gen. et sp. nov., by present designation and monotypy.

Large-sized, flattened leafhoppers (Fig. 6G–J). Head in dorsal view (Fig. 4A) with rugose surface, strongly produced anteriorly, anterior margin parabolic; ocellus closer to median line than to adjacent eye and closer to posterior than to anterior margin of crown; in lateral view (Fig. 4C), with crown- face transition distinct and strongly foliaceous, margined by two carinae. Face (Figs 4B, 5A) with frons narrow; maxillary plate not reaching clypeus apex. Pronotum (Fig. 4A–C) with lateral margins foliaceous, expanded laterally. Forewing (Fig. 4D) with appendix absent. Aedeagus (Fig. 4J–K) with pair of apodemal processes. Second valvula of ovipositor with apical portion (Fig. 5G–H) with large preapical tooth.

The generic name is feminine. Sicrana, together with Beltrana and Fulana, forms a very popular expression in Brazil (“Fulana, Sicrana e Beltrana’), which refers to unspecified people or people whose actual names should not be mentioned.

HEAD AND THORAX. Head in dorsal view (Fig. 4A) moderately produced anteriorly, median length of crown almost as long as interocular width; transocular width three-fourths of humeral width of pronotum; crown with anterior margin parabolic; surface flat; texture rugose; ocellus medium-sized, closer to median line than to adjacent eye and closer to posterior than to anterior margin of crown; coronal suture distinct along basal two-thirds of crown. Head in lateral view (Fig. 4C) with crown-face transition distinct and strongly foliaceous, with two very close carinae; frons tumid. Head in ventral view (Figs 4B, 5A) approximately as wide as high; frontogenal suture strongly sinuous, reaching antennal ledge and distant from eye margin by twice maximum width of clypeus; antennal ledge carinated, strongly arched, adjacent to anterior margin of crown and not extending over frons; frons narrow, approximately two times longer than wide; epistomal suture indistinct; clypeus approximately 1.4 times as long as maximum width, lateral margins parallel, apex slightly emarginated; maxillary plate very narrow, not reaching clypeus apex; gena with ventrolateral margin slightly excavated, texture with several oblique striations parallel to ventrolateral margin. Pronotum (Fig. 4A) rugose, except disc and posterior third with transverse parallel striae; anterior margin almost straight; lateral margins convergent anterad, about two times as long as eye length, rounded, carinated and foliaceous, expanded laterally; posterior margin slightly excavated; in lateral view (Fig. 4C), pronotal surface declivous; head and pronotum in continuous slope. Mesonotum (Fig. 4A) as long as wide; scutellum (Fig. 4C) flat. Forewing (Fig. 4D) long and narrow, approximately 3.2 times as long as wide; venation with some additional crossveins located mainly apically; appendix absent; apex subacute. Profemur with AD, AM, and PD rows reduced and poorly defined, with exception of apical setae AD 1, AM 1, and PD 1, respectively; AV and PV rows formed by 5–6 very short and thin setae; IC row formed by slightly arched comb of fine setae, beginning at distal half of femur and extending to AM 1. Protibia in cross-section semi-circular; AV row formed by short setae, slightly longer and thicker towards apex, setae of apical portion shorter than diameter of tibia; AD row without differentiated setae; PD row with three small setae and undifferentiated intercalary setae; PV row with 4–5 small setae on apical half and undifferentiated intercalary setae. Metafemur with setal formula 2:2:1. Metatibia PD, AD, and AV rows with 24–25, 12, and 16 macrosetae, respectively; metatibia AD row without intercalary setae between macrosetae. Metatarsomere I with two rows of cucullate setae, inner row formed by 5–7 setae, outer row reduced, with 0–2 median setae, apex with 5 platellae. Metatarsomere II apex with 2–3 apical platellae.

MALE TERMINALIA. Connective (Fig. 4H) transversely linear. Aedeagus (Fig. 4J–K) with pair of apodemal processes.

FEMALE TERMINALIA. Second valvula of ovipositor (Fig. 5G) slightly higher preapically; apical portion (Fig. 5H) with large preapical tooth.

Brazil (Rondônia State) and Ecuador (Orellana Province).

Sicrana gen. nov. shares similar characteristics of external morphology and male terminalia with Clinonana Osborn, 1938, for instance: (1) large total length (> 13 mm); (2) head distinctly narrower than pronotum; (3) crown with rugose texture; (4) transition crown-face distinct and foliaceous; (5) ocellus closer to median line than to eye and closer to posterior than to anterior margin of crown; (6) pronotum with lateral margins foliaceous, expanded laterally; (7) forewing with subacute apex; and (8) aedeagus with apodemal processes and shaft with apical processes. However, Sicrana gen. nov. can easily be distinguished from Clinonana by the following characteristics: (1) body flattened dorsoventrally (Fig. 6H, J); (2) crown conspicuously more produced anteriorly (Fig. 4A); (3) frontogenal suture strongly sinuous and not reaching the anterior margin of the crown (Figs 4B, 5A); (4) face as high as wide (Figs 4B, 5A); (5) maxillary plate not reaching the apex of the clypeus (Figs 4B, 5A); (6) pronotum with lateral margins rounded (Fig. 4A); (7) forewing without appendix and maculae (Fig. 4D); (8) metafemur with setal formula 2:2:1; and (9) male pygofer without processes (Fig. 4F).