Species Falcophantis acuminatus Fletcher, 1988

Falcophantis acuminatus Fletcher, adult

© Copyright Murray Fletcher, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Museums

Regional Maps

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

  Type data:

   Holotype ANIC 9470 ♂ (coll.: 12.x.1972, M.S. Upton), 21 km SW of Barrow Ck, Northern Territory [21°40'S 133°45'E].

Introduction

This species is considerably larger and darker than its congener although still quite small with males reaching 5 mm and females 6.6 mm in total length. It is distributed across the Top End from Daly River in the Northern Territory to Normanton in the Gulf Country of North Queensland. It appears to be found in drier areas of the continent with a single record from South Australia.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NT, Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Burt Plain (BRT), Daly Basin (DAB), Flinders Lofty Block (FLB), Gulf Plains (GUP), Victoria Bonaparte (VB), Wet Tropics (WT)

Ecological Descriptors

All stages: phloem feeder.

Diagnosis

Coloration. Pale brown with darker brown stripe running from behind eye on lateral pronotum to about midlength of costal cell, thence across tegmen to apex. Margin cells beyond apex of clavus and near apex of scutellum, and fore and mid tibiae and tarsi also dark brown. In some specimens claval suture, anteclypeus and genae below eyes also dark brown. Some specimens have less extensive brown areas. Morphology. Frons slightly wider than long, smooth except for median longitudinal carina, with evenly convex lateral margins. Front margin of pronotum transverse, nearly level with front of eyes. Mesonotum wider than long, slightly longer than pronotum. Tegmen 2½ times as long as widest part which is about 1/3 length from base. Margins straight between widest part of tegmen and apex. Venation obscure. Male genitalia. Pygofer with posterodorsal corner rounded, process absent. Paramere narrow, obovate with strongly developed dorsal process (Fletcher 1988).

Diagnosis References

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

History of changes