Species Balclutha viridinervis Matsumura, 1914

Balclutha viridinervis Matsumura, adult

© Copyright Murray Fletcher, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Balclutha viridinervis Matsumura, S. 1914. Die Jassinen und einige neue Acocephalinen Japans. Journal of the College of Agriculture, Tohoku Imperial University, Sapporo 5: 165-240 [166].

  Type data:

   Lectotype EIHU ♂ (coll: K. Kuroiwa), Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa, Kuroiwa, Japan.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Knight, W.J. 1987. Leafhoppers of the grass-feeding genus Balclutha (Homoptera, Cicadellidae) in the Pacific region. Journal of Natural History 21: 1173-1224 [1190].
• Eugnathodus micropterous Singh Pruthi, H. 1930. Studies on Indian Jassidae (Homoptera). Part I. Introductory and description of some new genera and species. Memoirs of the Indian Museum 11(1): 1-68 [50].

  Type data:

   Holotype ZSI 870 / H 7 ♂ (coll.: 1-3.vii.1929, H.S. Pruthi, ca 5000 ft), Palni Hills, Eastern Ghats, Muliar, below Kodaikanal, India.
• Balclutha graminea Merino, G. 1936. Philippine Cicadellidae (Homoptera). Philippine Journal of Science 61: 307-400 [378].

  Type data:

   Holotype whereabouts unknown ♀, Philippines.
• Cicadulina viridis Metcalf, Z.P. 1946. Homoptera. Fulgoroidea and Jassoidea of Guam. Bulletin of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum 189: 105-148 [134] [junior homonym; of Balclutha viridis (Matsumura, 1902)].

  Type data:

   Holotype BPBM ♂ (coll: 1.v.1936, R.L. Usinger), Piti, Guam, Micronesia.
• Balclutha flexuosa Linnavuori, R.E. 1960. Homoptera : Cicadellidae. Insects of Micronesia 6(5): 225-344 [342] [replacement name; for Cicadulina viridis Metcalf].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Linnavuori, R.E. 1975. Homoptera : Cicadellidae, Supplement. Insects of Micronesia 6(9): 611-632 [632] (synonymy of Cicadulina viridis Metcalf)
• Knight, W.J. 1987. Leafhoppers of the grass-feeding genus Balclutha (Homoptera, Cicadellidae) in the Pacific region. Journal of Natural History 21: 1173-1224 [1190] (synonymy of Eugnathodus micropterous Singh Pruthi, Balclutha graminea Merino)

Introduction

This distinctive green species has been collected from scattered localities around the coastline of mainland Australia from the New South Wales north coast to the Arnhem coast of the Northern Territory. A single female from Perth was tentatively identified as this species (Moir et al. 2003) but this needs confirmation by examination of a male.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NSW, NT, Qld: Arnhem Coast (ARC), Gulf Plains (GUP), NSW North Coast (NNC), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Wet Tropics (WT)

Ecological Descriptors

All stages: phloem feeder (associated flora: Oryza sp. [POACEAE]; Cajanus sp. [FABACEAE]).

Diagnosis

Der Form und Zeichnung nach B. breviceps Mats. sehr ähnlich, weicht aber wie folgt ab: (1) Elytren hyalin, Nerven ganz grün, auf dem Spitzenfelde nicht dunkel gesäumt wie bei breviceps, (2) Abdomen auf dem Rücken nicht schwarz gefärbt, wie bei breviceps, (3) Genitalklappe länger, Genitalplatten ein wenig die Genitalplatten überragend, ihre Spitzen je in einem dünnen, nach aufwärts gekrümmten Fortsatze verlängert, (4) Letztes Bauchsegment lang, am Hinterrande abgerundet, und nicht bräunlich gefärbt wie bei breviceps. Länge — ♂ ♀, 3–3.5 mm (Matsumura 1914).

Colour pale yellow or greenish yellow, rarelyi suffused with pink or rust. Head wider than pronotum. Length: ♂ 2.5–3.3 mm, ♀ 2.6–3.6 mm (Knight 1987)
Knight (1987) provided description and figures of the male genitalia.

ID Keys

Knight 1987: 1180

Diagnosis References

Knight, W.J. 1987. Leafhoppers of the grass-feeding genus Balclutha (Homoptera, Cicadellidae) in the Pacific region. Journal of Natural History 21: 1173-1224 [1190–1191]

Matsumura, S. 1914. Die Jassinen und einige neue Acocephalinen Japans. Journal of the College of Agriculture, Tohoku Imperial University, Sapporo 5: 165-240 [166–167]

General References

Moir, M.L., Majer, J.D. & Fletcher, M.J. 2003. New records for Hemiptera species in Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum 21(4): 353-357 [355]

History of changes