First Record of the Genus Aprivesa Melichar (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) from South India, with Description of One New Species

Abstract Aprivesa unimaculata sp. n. (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Ricaniidae) is described and illustrated from Coorg, south India. This represents the first record of the genus Aprivesa Melichar from India and the fourth known species of Aprivesa. The new taxon greatly extends the range of the genus Aprivesa, which was previously known as an endemic Australian genus. A checklist of all known species of the Ricaniidae from India and keys to all the known genera of the Ricaniidae from India and all species in the genus are provided.

Th e ricaniid fauna of India remains inadequately studied and there is still much basic taxonomic work to be done on the group. To date, 28 species in 9 genera from the Ricaniidae are described or recorded from India (Distant 1906, 1909, 1916, Metcalf 1955, Ghauri 1973. Th e number of the described species likely represents only a small fraction of the actual diversity of the whole Indian ricaniid fauna considering the vast territory and various complex habitats of India. Th e genus Aprivesa was established by Melichar (1923) for Privesa exucta Melichar, 1898 from Australia. Muir (1931) described the second species of the genus Aprivesa varipennis from Western Australia. More recently, Fletcher (2008) transferred Privesa pronotalis Walker, 1917 into the genus. Until now, Aprivesa contains 3 known species and they are all endemic to Australia.
While sorting and identifying the Ricaniidae from material in the Department of Entomology Insect Collection, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA, we found a new species of Aprivesa from south India. Th e new species represents the fi rst record of Aprivesa in India, and its discovery has broadened our knowledge of the morphology and biogeography of the genus. In this paper, we redescribe the genus Aprivesa and describe and illustrate the new species from south India. A key is given for the separation of the known species in Aprivesa. A checklist of all known species of the Ricaniidae from India and a key to all the known genera of the Ricaniidae from India are also provided.

Materials and methods
Th e specimens studied in the course of this work are deposited at the Department of Entomology Insect Collection, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA (NCSU).
Specimens used for dissection were cleaned in 10% KOH at room temperature for ca. 12 hours, rinsed in distilled H 2 O, stained by methylrosanilinium chloride (a clinical solution, comprising methyl violet, ethanol and purifi ed water) to highlight the internal thin and transparent membranous parts, and then transferred to glycerol for examination. Morphological characters were observed with a Zeiss Stemi SV 11 optical stereomicroscope and were illustrated with the aid of a drawing tube attached to the microscope. Measurements were made with the aid of an eyepiece micrometer.
Th e following abbreviations are used in the text, BL: body length (from apex of cephalic process to tip of fore wing) and FWL: fore wing length.
Th e morphological terminology followed is that of Bu et al. (2010).

Key to genera of Ricaniidae from India
Pronotum (Figs 9-11) narrow, with median longitudinal carina, punctuated beside central carina; disk slightly sloping laterally, hind margin centrally distinctly arched anteriorly. Mesonotum (Figs 9-11) large, triangular and convex, with 3 carinae: central carina straight; lateral carinae inwardly and anteriorly curved, nearly parallel on anterior margin, each bifurcating outwardly near middle in a straight longitudinal carina. Forewing (Figs 9-10, 13, see Fletcher 2008: 110-112, Figs 13-15;) quadrate, with costal and sutural margins subparallel; apical margin convex, shorter than claval suture; precostal area at middle broader than costal cell, with transverse veinlets dense; three veins emanating from basal cell, R and Sc nearly parallel, the radial veins originating from a common point on the basal cell; M leaving basal cell as a single short stem but forking in more than length of basal cell; Cu1 with four or fi ve branches just before the apical margin; subapical line complete; claval veins uniting near middle of clavus, common claval vein entering commissural margin, clavus with many transverse veinlets. Hindwing (Figs 10, 14, see Fletcher 2008: 108, Fig. 2) small, anterior margin strongly sinuate; Sc short, unforked, R with three or four branches, M with two or three branches, Cu1 with more than four branches; transverse veinlets including only R-M and M-Cu. Legs moderately long; hind tibiae with 2 lateral black-tipped spines.
Female and male genitalia. See description of Aprivesa unimaculata sp. n. below. Biology. As with many ricaniid planthopper species, no biological data are currently available for species of Aprivesa, except that A. exuta was collected on Melaleuca quinquenervia (Fletcher 2008).
Distribution. Australia, India. Remarks. Aprivesa is distinguished from other genera in Ricaniidae by the shape of frons and wing, the wing venation, and the minutiae of the male genitalia.
Species of Aprivesa are similar to those of Privesa Stål. But Aprivesa can be separated from Privesa by the lateral margins of the frons with a slight outward bulge below the antennae and the forewing with two radial veins originating from a common point on the basal cell (Fletcher 2008). In addition, the genus Privesa is distributed primarily in the Afrotropical region. Although the genus Aprivesa was an Australian endemic before, the fi nding of the new species in south India greatly extends the range of the genus Aprivesa. Th e similar distribution pattern is seen in another ricaniid genus Sco-lypopa. Most of Scolypopa species are found in the Australian region; but three distinct species of Scolypopa are distributed in the Indo-Malayan region (Metcalf 1955, Fletcher 1979a,b, 2008. Aprivesa   1 Forewing pale dull ochraceous, with dark mottlings; precostal area at middle 1.6 times as broad as costal cell (see Fletcher 2008: 112, Fig. 15). BL: 4.5-5.5 mm (male) (Distant 1917  Head (including compound eyes) (Figs 9-12) slightly wider than pronotum. Vertex (Fig. 11) wider at anterior margin than long in middle line (5.8:1). Frons (Fig. 12) wider at widest part than long in middle line (1.4:1); disc tricarinate, with sublateral carinae shorter than central carina. Clypeus (Fig. 12) triangular, with central carina. Rostrum long, nearly reaching between hind coxae, with apical segment slightly shorter than basal segment.  Pronotum (Fig. 11) wider at widest part than long in middle line (7.1:1), punctuated beside central carina. Mesonotum (Fig. 11) large, longer than broad, tricarinate on disc, lateral carinae on each side diverging from the middle one, disunited on the anterior border. Wing venation as in Figs 13-14.
Male genitalia with pygofer ( Fig. 19) narrow and high, with dorsal posterior margin smoothly produced posteriorly in lateral view. Anal tube (Figs 19-20) moderately small, distinctly projected caudad, dorsally sulcate in distal half, trapezium in dorsal view, longer than wide at middle (1.3:1). Anal styles (Figs 19-20) relatively short and small. Genital styles (Fig. 19) relatively large and slender, with a long apical process, the base of inner margin curvedly produced, in profi le longer than wide at middle (4.3:1). Aedeagus (Figs 21-23) cone-liked, nearly straight, partly sclerotised, symmetrical, having two pairs of caudad directed membranous processes at apex, with the inner pair longer and the outer pair slightly short.