Genus Hypsiphanta Jacobi, 1928

Hypsiphanta minax Jacobi, type species of Hypsiphanta.

© Copyright Murray Fletcher, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Hypsiphanta Jacobi, A. 1928. Results of Dr E. Mjöberg's Swedish Scientific Expeditions to Australia 1910-1913. Rhynchota, Homoptera. 1. Fulgoridae und Cercopidae. Arkiv för Zoologi 19A(28): 1-50 [19].

  Type species:

   Hypisphanta minax Jacobi, 1928 by original designation.

Introduction

This monotypic genus has at least one undescribed species in collections and may have others. It is found in tropical Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Its relationship with Euphanta Meliichar needs to be examined. Both genera have a flat vertex and convex pronotum although the vertex is ascending anteriorly in Hypsiphanta. Species of Hypsiphanta have a more or less distinct subapical line of crossveins in the tegmen whereas this is missing from species of Euphanta. The only described species, H. minax Jacobi was synonymised with Euphanta munda (Walker) by Medler (1986) but this was rejected by Fletcher (1988) because of the presence of the subapical line and the significance of this feature in the Flatidae generally. Medler's (1988) genus Burnix is a synonym of Hypsiphanta.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Western Australia

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NT, WA: Daly Basin (DAB), Dampierland (DL), Gulf Fall and Uplands (GFU), Northern Kimberley (NK), Ord Victoria Plain (OVP)

Diagnosis

Scheitel spitzwinklig, flach, mit einem Mittelkiel, schräg nach oben gerichtet, Stirn doppelt so lang wie breit, mit drei scharfen Kielen, die an der Stirnbasis vereinigt, vor dem Clipeus aber getrennt sind; Clipeus gewölbt, ungekielt. Pro- und Mesonotum gewölbt, beide mit drei scharfen Kielen. Hinterschienen eindornig. Deckflügel wie bei Siphanta geadert und mit offener Subcostalzelle, aber mit einer scharfen Subapikallinie, die vom Apikalrande weit absteht. Von Siphanta durch die Wölbung des Notums und die Kielbildungen des Kopfes, von Euphanta durch den aufgerichteten Scheitel und die offne Subcostalzelle, von beiden durch die Subapikallinie verschieden (Jacobi 1928).

Head triangularly produced, slightly ascending anteriorly. Frons separated from vertex by carinate margin; flat to slightly convex with three strong carinae. Vertex flat, ascending anteriorly, with median longitudinal carina. Pronotum flattish medially with median longitudinal carina which continues onto mesonotum. Tegmen with apical margin subtruncate, angles rounded. Cu simple. One subapical line running from apex of clavus to apex of costal cell. Costal cell and costal membrane of more or less equal width. 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

Fletcher, M.J. 1988. The Australian genera of Flatidae (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). General and Applied Entomology 20: 9-32 [17]

Jacobi, A. 1928. Results of Dr E. Mjöberg's Swedish Scientific Expeditions to Australia 1910-1913. Rhynchota, Homoptera. 1. Fulgoridae und Cercopidae. Arkiv för Zoologi 19A(28): 1-50 [19–20]

History of changes