Species Chiasmus varicolor (Kirkaldy, 1906)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Kosmiopelex varicolor Kirkaldy, G.W. 1906. Leafhoppers and their natural enemies. Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 1(9): 271-479 [335].

  Type data:

   Lectotype BPBM ♂, Bundaberg, Queensland.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Fletcher, M.J. & Condello, A.A. 1993. Lectotype designations and new synonymies for G. W. Kirkaldy's Australian Deltocephalinae (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) held in the B.P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu. General and Applied Entomology 25: 35-59 [53].
• Kosmiopelix rieki Evans, J.W. 1947. A natural classification of leafhoppers (Jassoidea, Homoptera) Part 3. Jassidae. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 98(6): 105-271 [253].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH ♀, "Malooka" = Moolooka, Queensland.
• Postumus hyalinus Evans, J.W. 1947. A natural classification of leafhoppers (Jassoidea, Homoptera) Part 3. Jassidae. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 98(6): 105-271 [253].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH ♂, Eshowe, Zululand, South Africa.

 

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Evans, J.W. 1966. The leafhoppers and froghoppers of Australia and New Zealand. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 12: 1-347 [141] (synonymy of K. rieki )
• Evans, J.W. 1974. New Caledonian leafhoppers and the systematic position of Kosmiopelix Kirkaldy and Euacanthella Evans (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Pacific Insects 16(2-3): 165-175 [172] (synonymy of P. hyalinus )

 

Generic Combinations

• Chiasmus varicolor (Kirkaldy, 1906). —
  Evans, J.W. 1974. New Caledonian leafhoppers and the systematic position of Kosmiopelix Kirkaldy and Euacanthella Evans (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Pacific Insects 16(2-3): 165-175 [172]

 

Introduction

This species occurs most commonly in a dark coloured brachypterous form. The colour variation, however, is quite considerable. The uncommon macropterous form has the head shorter than in the brachypterous form. The species is widely distributed in grassland around Australia.

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Africa.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NSW, NT, Qld, SA, Tas, Vic, WA: Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Carnarvon (CAR), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Darwin Coastal (DAC), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), Flinders Lofty Block (FLB), Gawler (GAW), Gulf Plains (GUP), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Nandewar (NAN), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Sydney Basin (SB), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Stony Plains (STP), Tiwi Cobourg (TIW), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Victoria Bonaparte (VB), Wet Tropics (WT)

Ecological Descriptors

All stages: phloem feeder.

 

Diagnosis

Typically: head, pronotum and scutellum pallid testaceous, marked with brownish black. Tegmina shining blackish brown, posterior margin widely milky white. Abdominal tergites shining blackish brown, except the white genital segment. Legs black and w'hite, more or less mottled. The species varies considerably in color and pattern, however, like its congeners, independent of sex. The general color may be pale testaceous. Abdominal tergites pale yellowish brown. no clear markings, or in the other direction, like the type, but pronotum milk wliite and a milk white band across. Length: 2 7/8–3½ mm. There is nothing notable about the nymph (Kirkaldy 1906).

 

Diagnosis References

Kirkaldy, G.W. 1906. Leafhoppers and their natural enemies. Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 1(9): 271-479 [335]

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
05-Dec-2019		13-Aug-2013	MODIFIED
05-Dec-2019		30-Nov-2012	MODIFIED
05-Dec-2019		16-May-2012	MODIFIED
05-Dec-2019		05-Aug-2011	MODIFIED
		12-Feb-2010	(import)