﻿Parathlasia gen. nov. (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Ledrinae, Ledrini), a new leafhopper genus from Guizhou, China

﻿Abstract Parathlasiagen. nov., a new leafhopper genus and species of Ledrini, P.guizhouensissp. nov., from Guizhou, China are described. Morphological differences between the new genus to other related Chinese genera are discussed. A key to distinguish Parathlasia from other similar genera is given.


Introduction
The leafhopper subfamily Ledrinae is a rather special group with many prominent and unique features (Jones and Deitz 2009). It is a large group distributed worldwide with a preference for the tropics and subtropics, usually feeding on trees and shrubs. Of the four (Dietrich 2005) or five (Jones and Deitz 2009) recognized tribes the largest, Ledrini, comprises leafhoppers with a dorsum coarsely pitted or knobbed, lamellate or foliaceous anterolaterally with the head spatulate and face generally concave (Fig. 1A, B), forewings punctate with extra apical veins (Fig. 1D) or venation reticulate in the apical two-thirds. China is one of the main distribution areas of Ledrinae in the world (Li and Li 2008), with more than 160 species belonging to 23 genera. While sorting and identifying ongoing samples of ledrine leafhoppers from China, we found a new genus (with one new species) similar in appearance to Thlasia Germar but sharing similarities also with other Chinese genera, which are extensively described and illustrated below.

Material and methods
Terminology used in this study is mainly based on Dietrich (2005) and Jones and Deitz (2009). Dry specimens were used for preparing descriptions and illustrations. External morphology was observed under a stereoscopic microscope. Body length was measured with an ocular micrometer, in millimeters, from the apex of head to the apex of the forewing at rest. Genital segments were examined and macerated in 10% KOH solution, washed in water and transferred to glycerin. Illustrations were made by eye using a Leica MZ 12.5 stereomicroscope. Multiple photographs were taken with a Leica D-lux 3 digital camera. Final digital images were compiled into Adobe Photoshop for labeling and plate composition. Specimens studied are deposited at the School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China (QFNU) and the Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (GUGC).
Key to known genera of Ledrinae from China Description. Medium-sized, 7.5-8.0 mm long (including tegmen); yellowish to sordid brown. Head (Fig. 1A, B) with crown declivous, in dorsal view nearly twice as long and five times wider than eye; median carina complete but weakly elevated, weakly concave either side of midline, with some granular protuberances; ocelli ( submarginal and close to posterior margin, closer to midline than corresponding eyes. Face (Fig. 1C) including eyes shorter than wide; frontoclypeus flattened. Pronotum slightly wider than head with anterior margin slightly convex, lateral margins oblique, slightly divergent posteriorly. Metanotum (Fig. 1A) two-thirds length of pronotum with distinct transverse depression. Forewing (Fig. 1A, B, D) with apical margin strongly oblique, three subapical cells, inner subapical open, middle subapical closed, extra apical cells present; appendix very narrow. Hind leg as in Fig. 1F, H.
Etymology. The name of the new genus refers to the similarity of the genus to Thlasia Germar externally.
Remarks. The new genus is similar in appearance to Thlasia Germar, Midoria Kato and Yelahanka Viraktamath, Webb & Yeshwanth in its relatively small size with a short head and with similar extra apical forewing veins but lacking accessory cross veins. In addition, the oblique forewing apex in Parathlasia is also found in some species of Yelahanka (see Viraktamath et al. 2021) and long ventrocaudal pygofer process is found also in some species of Thlasia (see Zhang et al. 2004). It differs from these and other Ledrinae in having the aedeagus with a single ventral medial process (Fig. 2B, F); Midoria has paired ventral processes on the aedeagus Li 2010, 2011).
The new genus also appears closely related to Parapetalocephala Kato. The main difference between Parathlasia and Parapetalocephala are the forewing veins which in the later genus are prominent (see Jones and Deitz 2009 Description. Head (Fig. 1A) yellowish brown, base of crown with some darker brown marking, ocelli reddish brown. Thorax sordid brown; forewings (Fig. 1A, B, C, D) yellowish hyaline apically margined with brown.
Crown flat, more or less horizontal, surface punctate with median short ridge on posterior margin, about 0.4 times as long as wide between eyes. Ocelli not prominent, closer to each other than to adjacent eye. Pronotum shallowly foveate on either side of median line in anterior half, posterior half slightly gibbous, anterior margin slightly convex, posterior margin medially concave, lateral margin somewhat straight, about 1.85 times as long medially as crown. Mesonotum shorter than pronotum. Forewing claval region densely punctate, apical margin obliquely truncate.
Pygofer anterior margin deeply bilobed, posterior margin slightly sinuate, in lateral view about 1.2 times as long as height, ventro-cauadal process long, extending beyond dorsal pygofer margin, with some conical protrusions at end of ventral margin. Subgenital plate widest in mid-region tapering both anteriorly and posteriorly, apex acutely angled. Style broad in middle region, tapering forward and backward, Host plant. Unknown. Etymology. The species name is derived from the type locality.