The possibility to use bioacoustic characters in the taxonomy of the jumping plant lice with an example of the genus Craspedolepta (Homoptera, Psyllinea, Aphalaridae) and description of a new species from Transbaikalia

Abstract

Oscillograms of calling signals of 14 species of Craspedolepta s. l. are presented. Temporal patterns of the signals in representatives of different species groups are quite similar. Therefore, the use of acoustic characters for distinguishing between genera and subgenera of psyllids appears to be impossible. In certain cases, the structure of signals in different species is almost identical. Nonetheless, in strictly sympatric species occurring in the same territory and living on the host plants of the same species, i.e., involved into acoustic interactions with each other, the signal pattern is always distinctly different. Consequently, the similarity of signals can be considered evidence of the synonymy only in sympatric forms dwelling on the same host plant. On the other hand, distinct differences in the signal patterns indicate conclusively that the forms investigated possess the rank of species. Craspedolepta filifoliae sp. n. collected in the steppe of Transbaikalia on Filifolium sibiricum is described and illustrated. The new species is closely related to the widespread C. malachitica, but differs from it in the pattern of the fore wings and certain details of the genitalia structure. Besides, distinct differences in acoustic characters between these forms provide strong evidence that C. filifoliae sp. n. is a separate (valid) species.