﻿The tropiduchid planthopper genus Connelicita Wang & Bourgoin, 2015: two new species from Central Vietnam and new records (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Tropiduchidae)

﻿Abstract Two new planthopper species of the tropiduchid genus Connelicita Wang & Bourgoin, 2015, C.bachmaensis Constant & Pham, sp. nov., and C.phongdienensis Constant & Pham, sp. nov. are described from Bach Ma National Park and from the Centre for Conservation of Vietnam Natural Resources and Rescue of Animals and plants, Phong Dien District in Thua Thien-Hue Province, respectively. These new records greatly extend the distribution of the genus, which was known from southern China (Guangxi) and North Vietnam, to the south, reaching the mid area of Central Vietnam. New records are provided for C.haiphongensis Wang & Zhang, 2015, extending the distribution of the species from Cat Ba Island to a large zone in North Vietnam. Illustrations of habitus, details, and male genitalia are given as well as a distribution map and photographs of the habitat. An identification key to the species of Vietnam is provided. The genus Connelicita now comprises five species.

The genus Connelicita Wang & Bourgoin, 2015 was rather recently described to accommodate three species: one from southern China (Guangxi) and two from North Vietnam (Wang et al. 2015).
Study of the recent material of Tropiduchidae in the collections of Vietnam National Museum of Nature and Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences revealed two undescribed species of Connelicita from Central Vietnam and several additional records of C. haiphongensis Wang & Zhang, 2015. ZooKeys 1186: 105-122 (2023), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1186.113701 Jérôme Constant et al.: New Connelicita planthoppers from Vietnam (Hemiptera, Tropiduchidae) The present paper aims to describe the two new species as a new contribution to the Vietnamese tropiduchid fauna.

Materials and methods
The genitalia were extracted after soaking the abdomen for some hours in a 10% solution of potassium hydroxide (KOH) at room temperature.The pygofer was separated from the abdomen, thoroughly rinsed in 70% ethanol, and the aedeagus dissected with a needle blade for examination.The whole was then placed in glycerin for preservation in a tube attached to the pin of the corresponding specimen.Photographs of collection specimens were taken with a Leica EZ4W stereomicroscope, stacked with CombineZ, and optimized with Adobe Photoshop; photographs from the field were taken with an Olympus Tough 6 camera.The map was produced with SimpleMappr (Shorthouse 2010) and includes records available from Wang et al. (2015).The external morphological terminology follows O' Brien and Wilson (1985), the wing venation terminology follows Bourgoin et al. (2015), and for the male genitalia, Bourgoin and Huang (1990).The classification used follows FLOW (Fulgoromorpha Lists on The Web -Bourgoin 2023).The metatiobiotarsal formula gives the number of spines on (side of metatibia) apex of metatibia / apex of first metatarsomere / apex of second metatarsomere.
The measurements were taken as in Constant (2004)       Diagnosis.The species can be separated from all other species of Connelicita by the following features of the male terminalia: anal tube subcylindrical and elongate (~1.9× as long as wide in dorsal view), with dorsal margin not emarginate in lateral view (Fig. 3A-C), capitulum of gonostylus placed at apicodorsal angle and bearing two strong lateral teeth (Fig. 3A-C), and dorsal process of periandrium forming a large lobe concave in distal portion (Fig. 3F, G).
Head (Fig. 2A-C): narrower than thorax and elongate, with ~2/3 of vertex length surpassing eyes and genae largely visible from above.Vertex brown, with median yellowish line, weakly concave, ~1.0× as long in mid-line as broad basally, with lateral margins subparallel, anterior margin bisinuate, roundly produced anteriorly in middle portion, and posterior margin excavate.Frons pale yellowish brown, with two curved brown lines on disc; lateral margins finely lined in dark brown; convex in lateral view; smooth, with median carina reaching dorsal margin but not frontoclypeal suture.Genae yellowish, with brown markings between eye and anterior margin, between antennal insertion and posterior margin, and near red ocellus.Clypeus pale yellowish brown, triangular, with median carina in distal portion and with fronto-clypeal suture rounded.Labium yellowish, elongate, and narrow, reaching metacoxae, with apical segment elongate.Eyes globular (not emarginate) and protruding laterally; ocelli present.Antennae yellowish brown, with longitudinal black line along underside of pedicel; scape ring-shaped and pedicel cylindrical, longer than broad.
Thorax (Fig. 2A, B): pronotum yellowish brown, darker on middle portion, with median, yellowish carina and 3 or 4 small yellowish tubercles on sides of disc; paranotal fields with 3 black spots, one being behind eye.Mesonotum yellowish brown, with median and peridiscal carinae yellowish; blackish, slightly curved longitudinal line in lateral fields and 2 blackish points at base of scutellum.Tegulae yellowish brown.
Tegmina (Figs 1A-D, 2D): translucent, with brown spot near middle of vein CuP and vein CuA2 and apical cells weakly infuscate in middle; costal and postclaval margins slightly diverging towards the posterior; distal margin widely rounded.
Venation (Fig. 2D): costal area well developed, with numerous cross-veins delimitating elongate cells, pterostigma absent; veins ScP+R, MP and CuA separated at base, first fork of vein ScP+R near base; first fork of vein MP after first fork of vein CuA; clavus long, reaching near 4/5 of tegmina length; veins Pcu and A1 fused at basal half of clavus.
Venation: main veins present; ScP+R, MP, and CuA running more or less parallel, slightly diverging towards posterior; Pcu curved around distal third of wing towards CuP but not reaching the latter; A2 complete, reaching margin.
Female.Similar to male.
Etymology.The species epithet bachmaensis refers to Bach Ma National Park where the new species was discovered.
Biology.The specimens were found sitting on leaves on the lower vegetation (Fig. 4A) in a subtropical evergreen forest (Fig. 4B) at the junction of the Northern Vietnam lowland rain forests, Southern Vietnam lowland rain forests, and Southern Annamites montane rain forests ecoregions, at rather low altitude (150-600 m).
Distribution.Vietnam, Thua Tinh-Hue Province, Bach Ma National Park and Da Nang Province, Ba Na-Nui Chua Nature Reserve (Fig. 5).(Wang et al. 2015).It is here recorded for the first time from the mainland, and its distribution is extended to the provinces of Vinh Phuc, Hoa Binh, and Ninh Binh (Fig. 5).

Connelicita haiphongensis
Biology.The specimens were found sitting on leaves on the lower vegetation (Fig. 6A, B) in subtropical evergreen forests (Fig. 6C) in the South China-Vietnam subtropical evergreen forests and Northern Indochina subtropical forests ecoregions.Diagnosis.The species can be separated from the other species of Connelicita by the following characters of the male terminalia: anal tube in lateral view abruptly narrowing in distal half (Fig. 9A), posterior margin of pygofer rounded in lateral view (Fig. 9A), capitulum of gonostylus with a lateral spine in ventral portion, and a dorsal curved digitiform process (Fig. 9A, D), dorsal process of periandrium tooth-shaped, strong, and projecting dorsocephalad (dpp -Fig.9E) and absence of a strong digitiform process directed dorsally at apex of aedeagus (Fig. 9E-G).
The closest species are C. backyensis and C. haiphongensis, from which C. phongdienensis Constant & Pham, sp. nov.can be separated by the dorsal digitiform process of the capitulum of the gonostylus, which is absent in both other species (compare with Wang et al. 2015: figs 12, 31).
Head (Fig. 8A-C): narrower than thorax and elongate, with ~2/3 of vertex length surpassing eyes and genae largely visible from above.Vertex brown, with median yellowish line, weakly concave, ~1.0× as long in mid-line as broad basally, concave on each side, with lateral margins subparallel, anterior margin roundly produced anteriorly in middle portion and posterior margin excavate.Frons yellowish brown, with irregular brown markings; convex in lateral view; smooth, with median carina reaching dorsal margin but not frontoclypeal suture.Genae yellowish, with brown marking between eye and anterior margin, brown line between antennal insertion and posterior margin, and a dark brown spot near red ocellus.Clypeus pale yellowish brown, with median carina and one curved line on each side, brown, triangular, with median carina in distal portion and with fronto-clypeal suture rounded.Labium yellowish, elongate, and narrow, reaching metacoxae, with apical segment elongate.Eyes globular (not emarginate) protruding laterally.Antennae yellowish brown, with longitudinal black line along underside of pedicel; scape ring-shaped and pedicel cylindrical, longer than broad.
Thorax (Fig. 8A, B): Pronotum brown, with median carina, posterolateral angles and 3 or 4 small yellowish tubercles on sides of disc, yellowish; paranotal fields yellowish, with 3 black spots, one being behind eye.Mesonotum brown, with median and peridiscal carinae, anterior portion of lateral angles, scutellum, and area before latter yellowish; lateral fields darker and 2 blackish points at base of scutellum.Tegulae yellowish brown.
Tegmina (Figs 7A-D, 8D): translucent, with brown spot near middle of vein CuP and vein CuA2, extending into clavus and irregular, greyish markings in cells in distal half of tegmen; costal and postclaval margins slightly diverging towards posterior; distal margin widely rounded.
Venation (Fig. 8D): costal area well developed, with numerous cross-veins delimitating elongate cells, pterostigma absent; veins ScP+R, MP, and CuA separated at base, first fork of vein ScP+R near base; first fork of vein MP after first fork of vein CuA; oblique, transverse cross-vein between MP and CuA1 in basal portion of latter; clavus long, reaching near 4/5 of tegmina length; veins Pcu and A1 fused at basal half of clavus.
Venation: main veins present; ScP+R, MP, and CuA running more or less parallel, slightly diverging towards posterior; Pcu curved around distal third of wing towards CuP but not reaching the latter; A2 complete, reaching margin.
Terminalia ♂ (Fig. 9): pygofer (Py -Fig.9A, B) ~1.9× as high as wide in caudal view, in lateral view with posterior margin deeply inclined posteriorly   at upper 1/3 then broadly rounded, and sinuate at lower 2/3.Gonostyli (G -Fig.9A-C) rather elongate in lateral view, with capitulum at about 2/3 of gonostylus length, and with large laminate process projecting medially behind capitulum; posterior lobe rounded; capitulum (ca -Fig.9A-D) laterally flattened, with posterior margin rounded in lateral view and bearing a complex lateral process, with upper digitiform process curved cephalodorsad and sinuate ventral spine directed posteroventrad.Aedeagus (Fig. 9E-I) strongly upcurved at mid-length, with pair of slender lateral pointed processes (lpa) not reaching apex of aedeagus, and with apical point directed anterodorsad; 3 small terminal processes, middle one shortly projecting posterad; dorsal process of periandrium (dpp) tooth-shaped, strong and projecting dorsocephalad, placed slightly after mid-length of aedeagus; paired ventral processes of periandrium (vpp) not reaching ½ length of aedeagus, elongate, sinuate in distal portion, and with pointed apex directed lateroposterad; connective (co) moderately curved.Anal tube (An -Fig.9A-C) ~1.26× as long in median line, as wide, in dorsal view; subcylindrical in proximal half, then with dorsal margin excavate and sinuate in lateral view; in dorsal view, lateral margins subparallel in proximal half, then regularly converging in distal half; posterior margin deeply concave in dorsal view, with basal ventral bulge; epiproct rather large, located at ½ length of anal tube.
Female.Similar to male.
Etymology.The species epithet phongdienensis refers to Phong Dien District, the locality where the new species was discovered, at the Centre for Conservation of Vietnam Natural Resources and Rescue of Animals and plants.
Biology.The specimens were found sitting on leaves on the lower vegetation in a subtropical evergreen forest (Fig. 10) in the Northern Vietnam lowland rain forests ecoregion at rather low altitude (150-600 m).

Discussion
The present work adds two species of Connelicita to the fauna of Vietnam, leading to a total of four species for the country, while one additional species is known from China.The new records also greatly extend the distribution of the genus to the south but leaves a gap of more than 500 km without any record of Connelicita in the northern half of Central Vietnam where new species will certainly be discovered in the future.Although the species are easily identified from male terminalia characters, their external morphology is extremely similar, and the species should not be identified based only on photographs.Citizen-science platforms like iNaturalist should refrain from their members identifying such insects to species level, unless good photographs of the genitalia of the corresponding specimen are provided to support the identification.
In Phong Dien District, VNMN is conducting an ambitious project of forest restauration at the Centre for Conservation of Vietnam Natural Resources and Rescue of Animals and plants, not far from the forest where C. phongdienensis Constant & Pham sp.nov.was discovered.The return of such planthopper species in this area in the future would be a great indicator of a successful project.

Figure 2 .
Figure 2. Connelicita bachmaensis sp.nov., holotype ♂ A-C detail of head and thorax A dorsal view B lateral view C perpendicular view of frons D right tegmen anterolateral view E right hind wing F right metatibia and metatarsus, ventral view.

Figure 3 .
Figure 3. Connelicita bachmaensis sp.nov., holotype ♂, terminalia A-C pygofer, gonostyli and anal tube A lateral view B caudal view C dorsal view D-E capitulum of left gonostylus D left laterodorsal view E right laterodorsal view F-I aedeagus, phallobase and connective F left lateral view G anterodorsal view H posteroventral view dorsal view I left lateroventral view.

Figure 4 .
Figure 4. Connelicita bachmaensis sp.nov., Vietnam, Bach Ma National Park, Pheasant Trail, 12 May 2023 A adult specimen sitting on leave of unidentified plant B habitat.

Figure 5 .
Figure 5. Distribution map of the species of Connelicita of Vietnam.

Figure 6 .
Figure 6.Connelicita haiphongensis Wang & Zhang, 2015 A, B adult specimen on leave of unidentified plant, Vietnam, Cuc Phuong National Park, 4 July 2019 Gernot Kunz, with permission A laterodorsal view B anterodorsal view C habitat in Vietnam, Me Linh Biodiversity Station, 30 June 2023.

Figure 8 .
Figure 8. Connelicita phongdienensis sp.nov., holotype ♂ A-C detail of head and thorax A dorsal view B lateral view C perpendicular view of frons D right tegmen E right hind wing F right metatibia and metatarsus, ventral view G left metatarsus, ventral view.

Figure 9 .
Figure 9. Connelicita phongdienensis sp.nov., holotype ♂, terminalia A-C pygofer, gonostyli and anal tube A lateral view B caudal view C dorsal view D-E capitulum of left gonostylus D left laterodorsal view E right laterodorsal view F-I aedeagus, phallobase and connective F left lateral view G anterodorsal view H posteroventral view dorsal view I left lateroventral view.