• Australoscopus China, W.E. 1926. A new subfamily of Bythoscopidae (Jassoidea, Homoptera). Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1926: 289-296 [296].

  Type species:

   Australoscopus whitei China, 1926 by original designation.

Introduction

The single species in this genus is known from widely scattered localities across Australia. Day & Pullen (1999) report that a species identified as Australoscopus was observed at Waikerie, South Australia, in association with Camponotus terebrans (Lowne), being carried by its host ants when danger threatened. The ants lifted the leafhoppers upside down in order to carry them deeper into the nest.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA

NT, SA, Vic, WA: Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Burt Plain (BRT), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Riverina (RIV)

Diagnosis

Similar to Pogonoscopus Ch. in the rounded vertex and face but differing in the narrower and more deflexed head, the tyep of structure of the last ventrite and the armature of the hind tibiae. The anterior margin of the pronotum is reflexed but not regularly, a small median section being muich less elevated. The reflexed anterior pronotal margin instead of meeting the posterior margin of the vertex, projects beyond the vertex so that the head is sunk beneath it. The breadth between the posterior margin of the eyes and that of the vertex is much greater than that in Pogonoscopus and Lasioscopus. The penultimate rostral joint extends beyond the apices of the hind coxae. Owing to the reflexed anterior pronotal margin extending beyond the posterior margin of the vertex, the pronotum from above appears to be produced anteriorly between the eyes much more than in Pogonoscopus. The tegminal and wing venation is similar to that in the latter genus but the armature of the hind tibiae is more dense, with much denser and longer hairs interspersed with the spines. The last ventrite in the ♀ instead of being indented medianly as in the two preceding genera, is produced into a tongue-like process in the centre (China 1926).

ID Keys

Evans 1966: 75

Diagnosis References

China, W.E. 1926. A new subfamily of Bythoscopidae (Jassoidea, Homoptera). Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1926: 289-296 [296]

Evans, J.W. 1966. The leafhoppers and froghoppers of Australia and New Zealand. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 12: 1-347 [75]

General References

Day, M.F. & Pullen, K.R. 1999. Leafhoppers in ant nests: Some aspects of the behaviour of Pogonoscopini (Hemiptera: Eurymelidae). Victorian Naturalist 116: 12-15 [14]

History of changes

• Australoscopus whitei China, W.E. 1926. A new subfamily of Bythoscopidae (Jassoidea, Homoptera). Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1926: 289-296 [296].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH ♀ (coll.: Capt S.A. White), Charlotte Waters to Hamilton Bore, Northern Territory.

  Type locality references:

  Day, M.F. & Fletcher, M.J. 1994. An annotated catalogue of the Australian Cicadelloidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha). Invertebrate Taxonomy 8: 1117-1288 [1248] (notes on the type locality).

Introduction

A blotchy yellow and brown species found in widely scattered locations across mainland Australia. Specimens from Waikerie, South Australia, reported by Day & Pullen (1999) as being Australoscopus China are probably also this species.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA

NT, SA, Vic, WA: Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Burt Plain (BRT), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Riverina (RIV)

Ecological Descriptors

All stages: inquiline, phloem feeder.

Diagnosis

♀ Rather pale chestnut brown, the vertex, the base of the frons between the frontal sutures and the pronotum about the cicatricial areas, darker. Apex of frons, clypeus, lorae, genae, anterior margin of pronotum in the middle, legs and underside brownish yellow. Tegmina chestnut brown with the costal area pale, a transverse whitish band extending from the claval suture (at one third its length from the base) to the costal area and another whitish area extending from the costal area over the subapical area towards the apex of the clavus but not reaching it. The apical costal area more or less hyaline. Front and middle femora and tibiae without spines or spinules but densely clothed with short bristly hairs. Last ventrite in female produced into a round concave process. Length 8 mm (China 1926).

Diagnosis References

China, W.E. 1926. A new subfamily of Bythoscopidae (Jassoidea, Homoptera). Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1926: 289-296 [296]

General References

Day, M.F. & Pullen, K.R. 1999. Leafhoppers in ant nests: Some aspects of the behaviour of Pogonoscopini (Hemiptera: Eurymelidae). Victorian Naturalist 116: 12-15 [14]

History of changes