Species Amrasca terraereginae (Paoli, 1936)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Empoasca terraereginae Paoli, G. 1936. Descizione di alcune nuove specie di Empoasca (Hemipt. Homopt.) e osservazioni su specie note. Memorie della Società Entomologica Italiana 15: 5-24 [13].

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) BMNH 2 ♂, 2 ♀ (coll.: 4.i.1932, D.O. Atherton), Biloela, Queensland.
• Empoasca maculata Evans, J.W. 1942. New leafhoppers from Tasmania and Queensland. Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 1941: 27-30 [27].

  Type data:

   Holotype QM Ho. 15228 ♂ (coll.: 4.iv.1941, D.O. Atherton), Jandowae, N of Dalby, Queensland.

 

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Lower, H.F. 1952. A revision of Australian species previously referred to the genus Empoasca (Cicadellidae: Homoptera). Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 76(5-6): 190-221 [216] (synonymy of E. maculata)

 

Generic Combinations

• Amrasca terraereginae (Paoli, 1936). —
  Ghauri, M.S.K. 1967. New mango leafhoppers from the Oriental and Austro-oriental regions (Homoptera: Cicadelloidea). Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London (B) 36(11-12): 159-189 [163]
• Austroasca (Austroasca) terraereginae (Paoli, 1936). —
  Lower, H.F. 1952. A revision of Australian species previously referred to the genus Empoasca (Cicadellidae: Homoptera). Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 76(5-6): 190-221 [216]

 

Introduction

The Australian cotton leafhopper has been a minor pest of cotton in SE Queensland and in the Murray Darling basin of New South Wales for many years but the introduction of transgenic cotton for control of lepidopterous pests and consequent reduction in use of broad-spectrum insecticides has seen the re-emergence of leafhoppers as more serious pests in the crop. The species is similar in general appearance to many other empoascine species found in Australia and an examination of the male genitalia is needed to reliably differentiate the species from other species of Empoascini known to be present in Australia. However, the species limits within the genus Amrasca need to be determined through an intensive study of the genus in the Oriental and Australasian region since there are clearly undescribed species in the region.

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NSW, Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ)

Ecological Descriptors

All stages: parenchyma feeder (associated flora: Gossypium sp. [MALVACEAE]).

 

Diagnosis

Colour yellow with white markings. Crown distinctly produced in a blunt angle. Yellow with median, longitudinal, narrow, irregular white stripe and two suboval lateral white marks midway between eyes and coronal suture. Face normal, yellow with broad, white, median, longitudinal stripe and two white stripes from middle of upper part of face directed diagonally towards lower margin of each eye. In many specimens the three stripes are united above to form a broad arrow. Frontal and epicranial sutures obvious. Antennae normal, brownish yellow. Ocelli two, one very close to each eye on upper part of face. Eyes black. Pronotum long, about twice crown length, yellow with five white marks close to anterior margin, one median and two laterally. These five marks vary greatly in size and shape but their number and position are constant. Scutellum yellow with a large subrectangular median white blotch between suture and anterior margin of scutellum, lateral margins white. Posterior to suture is a small elongate median white blotch; the two anterior lateral parts of this area are white. Tegmen normal, colourless hyaline with a small brown irregular spot in cell Cu1 near the forking of Cu1b. The colour of the spot varies from dark brown to yellowish and its shape is very variable. Its area and position are constant. In cell Sc and near the base of the tegmen is a line of small, circular, colourless protuberances varying in number between twelve and sixteen. Posterior to these is a small raised area formed by the union of from seven to nine such protuberances. A large protuberance commonly occurs in cell M and a smaller one posterior to it in cell Cu1. Crossvein r-m present; R1a perpendicular to costal margin. Hindwing normal, colourless, veins white. Legs normal, yellow. Abdomen normal, dorsally yellow, ventrally yellowish white. Genitalia yellow, highly characteristic. Subgenital plate extremely long and narrow, its length being approximately ten times its greatest width. About twelve well-developed, ensiform bristles. Near its apex ventrally is a number of extremely long flagellate bristles, while a row of similar but somewhat shorter bristles occur along the terminal half of the upper margin, which bears marginal setae in the same region. Towards the base and on and near the upper margin is a group of long thin hairs. The flagellate bristles are so long as to give the plates a hairy appearance even to the naked eye. Harpagone [= pygofer process] short and stout, terminating in a spine; seven to eight denticulations; three short stout bristles. Brachone [= paramere] extremely long and slender, slightly angled about one quarter from its base, then straight with a small upcurved tip. Many specimens show a concave notching at the tip. Aedeagus with free dorsal part curved in an open arc. Length ♂ 3.0–3.6 mm, ♀ 3.9–4.2 (Lower 1952, as Austroasca terraereginae).

Ghauri (1963) published a comparison between the male genitalia of the Indian cotton leafhopper and the Australian cotton leafhopper, including diagnostic images for both species. However, there are additional undescribed species which can confuse the identities of both.

 

ID Keys

Lower 1952: 211–212

 

Diagnosis References

Ghauri, M.S.K. 1963. Distinctive features and geographical distribution of two closely similar pests of cotton (Empoasca devastans Dist. and E. terraereginae Paoli) (Homoptera, Cicadellidae). Bulletin of Entomological Research 53(4): 653–656

Lower, H.F. 1952. A revision of Australian species previously referred to the genus Empoasca (Cicadellidae: Homoptera). Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 76(5-6): 190-221 [216–217]

 

Common Name References

Lower, H.F. 1952. A revision of Australian species previously referred to the genus Empoasca (Cicadellidae: Homoptera). Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 76(5-6): 190-221 [216] (Cotton Jassid)

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
26-Jun-2023	MEMBRACOIDEA	26-Jun-2023	MODIFIED
10-May-2022	CICADOMORPHA	24-May-2023	MODIFIED
02-Jun-2021	AUCHENORRHYNCHA	26-Jun-2023	MODIFIED
05-Dec-2019	CICADELLIDAE Latreille, 1825	26-Jun-2023	MODIFIED	Dr Murray Fletcher
17-Feb-2015	Empoascini Distant, 1908	26-Jun-2023	MODIFIED	Dr Murray Fletcher
13-Oct-2014	Empoascini Distant, 1908	26-Jun-2023	MODIFIED	Dr Murray Fletcher
05-Dec-2019		26-Jun-2023	MODIFIED
		26-Jun-2023	MODIFIED