Genus Geraldtonia Distant, 1910

Geraldtonia protea Distant, type species of Geraldtonia.

© Copyright Murray Fletcher, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Geraldtonia Distant, W.L. 1910. Rhynchotal Notes. L. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 8 5: 297-322 [311].

  Type species:

   Geraldtonia protea Distant, 1910 by subsequent designation, see Melichar, L. 1923. Homoptera. Fam. Acanaloniidae, Flatidae et Ricaniidae. Genera Insectorum 182: 1-185 [37].

Introduction

This monotypic endemic genus is quite distinctive within the Australian fauna in shape and size. The tegmina show some variation in colour and markings and Distant (1910) recognised two species with two colour variants in one and one variant in the other. The two species and all variants were synonymised by Fletcher (1982). The species is only known from the wet tropics of North Queensland where a locality known as Geraldton has caused some confusion with a better known locality in Western Australia but no specimens have been found at Geraldton in Western Australia.

Distribution

States

Queensland

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

Qld: Wet Tropics (WT)

Diagnosis

Vertex as long as or slightly longer than pronotum, almost as broad as long, the lateral margins parallel and ridged, notched before apex and then apically, angularly convexly rounded, a little deflected on each side and strongly centrally longitudinally ridged, face longer than broad, wider posteriorly than at base, which is rounded, the lateral margins notched before base and again behind middle, a very short prominent longitudinal central ridge at base, and an obscure oblique ridge on each side, commencing at anterior notch and obliquely, inwardly directed towards clypeus, the lateral margins laminately reflexed; pronotum tricarinate, anterior margin convex, basal margin concave; mesonotum much longer than pronotum, tricarinate; legs of moderate size, the tibiae sulcate, posterior tibiae with a distinct spine before apex; tegmina about twice as long as broad, apically widened, costal margin strongly arched at base, moderately deflected towards apex, which is rounded, apical margin truncate, its posterior angles strongly, angularly backwardly produced, costal membrane narrower than radial area, clavus with transverse veins above claval vein, beneath this vein strongly granulose, three strongly branching longitudinal veins from upper end of cell; wings broad, two transverse veins before apical area. Allied to Scarpantina, Melich., but differing strongly in the structure of the vertex (Distant 1910).

Head produced forwards over entire width, with sharp carina separating vertex and frons. Frons concave with only slight indications of carinae near apex. Vertex transversely convex, longitudinally concave so that front is raised dorsally. pronotum and mesonotum convex. Tegmina wide with broadly curved costal margin and apical angle. Apical margin less strongly convex. Sutural margin concave from apex of clavus so that sutural angle produced dorsally to point. Tegmen without subapical lines. Hind tibia with one spine on external margin (Fletcher 1988).

ID Keys

Fletcher, M.J. (2005). Illustrated key to the genera of the family Flatidae found in Australia (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/fulgor/flatid/flat00.htm

Diagnosis References

Distant, W.L. 1910. Rhynchotal Notes. L. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 8 5: 297-322 [311–312]

Fletcher, M.J. 1988. The Australian genera of Flatidae (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). General and Applied Entomology 20: 9-32 [13]

History of changes