Genus Austrolopa Evans, 1937

Museums

Regional Maps

• Austrolopa Evans, J.W. 1937. Australian Leafhoppers (Jassoidea: Homoptera) Part 4. — (Ledridae, Ulopidae and Euscelidae, Paradorydiini). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 1936: 37-50 [47].

  Type species:

   Austrolopa brunensis Evans, 1937 by original designation.

 

Introduction

There are currently two species recognised in this endemic genus but their validity needs to be tested. Evans (1966) differentiated the two species by the length of the crown. In A. brunensis Evans the crown is longer in the centre than against the eyes while in A. victoriensis Evans the crown is of even length throughout. The validity of this character needs to be tested using examination of the male genitalia or using molecular methods to determine if both species are valid and whether the variation across the range of A. brunensis is indicative of more than one species or if there is a single variable species present across Australia. Evans (1939), in describing A. victoriensis hypothesised that development of the head appeared to be associated with loss of wings with the anterior prolongation of the head having the effect of displacing the legs from the front part of the body to the centre and thus possibly serving to adjust the balance for walking purposes of insects that have lost both powers of flight and jumping.

 

Distribution

States

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

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

ACT, NSW, NT, Qld, Tas, Vic, WA: Australian Alps (AA), Jarrah Forest (JF), King (KIN), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Pine Creek (PCK), Sydney Basin (SB), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Warren (WAR)

Diagnosis

The head ventrally is transversely convex with a median longitudinal ridge on the vertex; on either side of this ridge is a transverse depression. The frons is very large and flat anteriorly; it projects as a ledge above the clypeus and its hind margin, which is distinct, lies well away from the hind border of the head; the clypeus is small and narrows anteriorly. The lorae, which are bounded dorsally by the suture that divides the genae from the maxillary plates, lie for their entire length against the frons and do not reach as far as the clypeus. The labium reaches as far as the middle pair of legs. The vertex is spatulate and the crown, dorsally between the eyes, very broad. The eyes are prominent and ocelli are present. The pronotum is shorter than the crown of the head and the propleurae extend widely laterally. The scutellum is wide and short. The tegmina, which are thickened along the anterior costal margin, are short and broad and narrow apically. The venation is distinct. Hind wings are absent and the head, thorax and tegmina are punctate. The tibiae of all three pairs of legs are quadrilaterial in section and are armed with minute spines (Evans 1937).

The anteclypeus is almost entirely concealed by the overhanging postclypeus which is tectiform. In winged forms the pronotum is declivous while in those lacking hind wings it is entirely on a plane with the pronotum. The tegmina (wingless forms) are apically narrow and the veins are raised in relief (Evans 1966).

 

ID Keys

Fletcher, M.J. (2005) Illustrated Key to the Australian Genera of the Tribe Ulopini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Ulopinae) http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/leafhop/ulopinae/ulop00.htm [accessed: 19.iii.2012]

 

Diagnosis References

Evans, J.W. 1937. Australian Leafhoppers (Jassoidea: Homoptera) Part 4. — (Ledridae, Ulopidae and Euscelidae, Paradorydiini). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 1936: 37-50 [48]

Evans, J.W. 1966. The leafhoppers and froghoppers of Australia and New Zealand. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 12: 1-347 [86]

 

General References

Evans, J.W. 1939. Some new Australian Leafhoppers (Homoptera: Jassoidea). Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 63(1): 44-50 [44–45]

Evans, J.W. 1966. The leafhoppers and froghoppers of Australia and New Zealand. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 12: 1-347 [86]

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
05-Dec-2019		27-Apr-2012	MODIFIED
		12-Feb-2010	(import)