Species Austrotartessus issa (Kirkaldy, 1907)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Tartessus issa Kirkaldy, G.W. 1907. Leafhoppers — Supplement (Hemiptera). Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 3: 1-186 [45].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) BPBM sex, quantity unknown (coll.: vii.1904), Nelson (=Gordonvale), Queensland; BPBM sex, quantity unknown (coll.: viii.1904), Kuranda, Queensland; BPBM sex, quantity unknown (coll.: viii.1904), Cairns, Queensland
  Comment: Kirkaldy (1907) indicates that both sexes are present in the type series but does not indicate which sexes are associated with which of the three localities, except that at least one female is from Kuranda. Evans (1981) has erroneously assumed that the primary type is a female from Nelson.

 

Generic Combinations

• Austrotartessus issa (Kirkaldy, 1907). —
  Evans, F. 1981. The Tartessinae of Australia, New Guinea and some adjacent Islands (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Pacific Insects 23(1-2): 112-188 [143]

 

Introduction

This species was described from an unknown number of specimens of both sexes from Nelson (=Gordonvale), Cairns and Kuranda in the wet tropics of North Queensland by Kirkaldy (1907). As is the case with most of Kirkaldy's type series, one specimen bears a "type" label and is considered by the Bishop Museum, where it is held, as being the primary type of the species. However, as documented by Medler (1987), these "type" labels have never been validated and have no status. Evans (1981) regarded this species as being of dubious identity since the "type" is a female. However, male syntypes should be present in BPB and are available for designation as lectotype which will establish the identity of the species and its placement in Austrotartessus.

 

Distribution

States

Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

Qld: Wet Tropics (WT)

Ecological Descriptors

All stages: phloem feeder.

 

Diagnosis

Superficially like the preceding [Plexitartessus. itonias (KIrkaldy)] but the vertex is roundly angulate and wider at the eyes than in the middle. Appendix to tegmina about as large, faintly smoky narrowly bordered inwardly with hyaline. Subcostal cell much wider and is subparalIel beyond the transverse vein, apical margin oblique. Subapical cells extending about equally far apically. Male: tegmina slightly suftused. Veins partly dark. Genital segment not unlike [Neotartessus] flavipes, but slenderer and more elongate. Female: tegmina not suffused, veins pale, genital segments elongate, slightly obtuse-angularly produced in the middle; pygophor elongate, but much shorter than the ovipositor. Length 6 (male) 8½ (female) mm. In a female from Kuranda the crossvein at the base of the inner subapical vein is absent on both tegmina. (Kirkaldy 1907).

 

Diagnosis References

Kirkaldy, G.W. 1907. Leafhoppers — Supplement (Hemiptera). Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 3: 1-186 [45]

 

General References

Evans, F. 1981. The Tartessinae of Australia, New Guinea and some adjacent Islands (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Pacific Insects 23(1-2): 112-188 [143]

Kirkaldy, G.W. 1907. Leafhoppers — Supplement (Hemiptera). Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 3: 1-186 [45]

Medler, J.T. 1987. Types of Flatidae (Homoptera) XI. Taxonomic notes on Kirkaldy Types in the Bishop Museum, with illustrations of the genitalia of male lectotypes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 27: 115-125 [115]

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
20-Sep-2011		20-Sep-2011	MOVED
		12-Feb-2010	(import)