Species Balclutha saltuella (Kirschbaum, 1868)

Balclutha saltuella (Kirschbaum), adult.

© Copyright Murray Fletcher, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Jassus (Thamnotettix) saltuellus Kirschbaum, C.L. 1868. Die Cicadinen der gegend von Wiesbaden und Frankfurt A.M. nebst einer anzahl neuer oder Schwer zu unterscheidender Arten aus anderen Gegenden Europa's Taballarisch Beschrieben. Jahrbuch des Nassauischen Vereins für Naturkunde 21-22: 1-202 [86].

  Type data:

   Holotype WNS ♀, Wiesbaden, Germany.
• Gnathodus angustus Then, F. 1886. Katalog der östereichischen Cicadinen. Jahres-Bericht über das Gymnasium der K.K. Theresianischen Adakemie in Wien 1866: 1-59 [52].

  Type data:

   Lectotype MJG ♂, Levico, Austria.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Knight, W.J. 1987. Leafhoppers of the grass-feeding genus Balclutha (Homoptera, Cicadellidae) in the Pacific region. Journal of Natural History 21: 1173-1224 [1182].
• Gnathodus zionoensis Matsumura, S. 1902. Monographie der Jassinen Japans. Természetrajzi Füzetek 25: 353-404 [360].

  Type data:

   Lectotype EIHU ♂, Yano, Japan.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Knight, W.J. 1987. Leafhoppers of the grass-feeding genus Balclutha (Homoptera, Cicadellidae) in the Pacific region. Journal of Natural History 21: 1173-1224 [1182].
• Gnathodus intrusus Melichar, L. 1903. Homopteren-Fauna von Ceylon. Berlin: Felix L. Dames. 248 pp. [209].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) whereabouts unknown ♂ ♀, quantity unknown (coll: i–ii.1902, Dr Uzel), Peradeniya, Sri Lanka; whereabouts unknown ♂ ♀, quantity unknown (coll: vii.1902, Dr Uzel), Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• Eugnathodus lacteus Baker, C.F. 1903. On the Gnathodus species of the abdominalis group. Invertebrata Pacifica 1: 1-2 [2].

  Type data:

   Holotype whereabouts unknown sex unknown, Managua, Nicaragua.
• Gnathodus quadriguttatus Matsumura, S. 1908. Neue Cicadinen aus Europa und Mittelmeergebiet. Journal of the College of Science, Imperial University of Tokyo 23(6): 1-46 [10].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) whereabouts unknown ♀ (coll: iv.190?, S. Matsumura), Catania, Sicily; whereabouts unknown ♀ (coll: iv.190?, S. Matsumura), Palermo, Sicily.
• Balclutha pectoralis Matsumura, S. 1915. Neue Cicadinen Koreas. Transactions of the Sapporo Natural History Society 5: 154-184 [160].

  Type data:

   Lectotype EIHU ♂ (coll.: 1914), Kongo Mountain, Korea.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Knight, W.J. 1987. Leafhoppers of the grass-feeding genus Balclutha (Homoptera, Cicadellidae) in the Pacific region. Journal of Natural History 21: 1173-1224 [1182].
• Typhlocyba delicatula Distant, W.L. 1918. Rhynchota. Homoptera: Appendix. Heteroptera: Addenda. The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma 7(i-viii): 1-210 [104].

  Type data:

   Lectotype BMNH ♂ (coll.: T.V. Campbell), Chikkaballapura, India.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Knight, W.J. 1987. Leafhoppers of the grass-feeding genus Balclutha (Homoptera, Cicadellidae) in the Pacific region. Journal of Natural History 21: 1173-1224 [1182].
• Empoanara lineolata Distant, W.L. 1918. Rhynchota. Homoptera: Appendix. Heteroptera: Addenda. The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma 7(i-viii): 1-210 [107].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH ♂ (6400 ft), Manipur, India [25°N 94-95°E].
• Anomiana longula Distant, W.L. 1918. Rhynchota. Homoptera: Appendix. Heteroptera: Addenda. The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma 7(i-viii): 1-210 [104].

  Type data:

   Lectotype BMNH ♂ (coll.: T.V. Campbell), Chikkaballapura, India.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Knight, W.J. 1987. Leafhoppers of the grass-feeding genus Balclutha (Homoptera, Cicadellidae) in the Pacific region. Journal of Natural History 21: 1173-1224 [1182].
• Eugnathodus minutus Osborn, H. 1929. Notes on Puerto Rican Homoptera. Journal of the Department of Agriculture of Porto Rico 13: 81-112 [101].

  Type data:

   Holotype OSM ♀ (coll: 18–23.ii.1929, matted grass at sea level), Aguirre, Puerto Rico.
• Eugnathodus ocellatus Singh Pruthi, H. 1930. Studies on Indian Jassidae (Homoptera). Part I. Introductory and description of some new genera and species. Memoirs of the Indian Museum 11(1): 1-68 [51].

  Type data:

   Lectotype ZSI ♂ (coll.: 14.iv.1927, H.S. Pruthi), Calcutta, Maidan, India.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Knight, W.J. 1987. Leafhoppers of the grass-feeding genus Balclutha (Homoptera, Cicadellidae) in the Pacific region. Journal of Natural History 21: 1173-1224 [1183].
• Eugnathodus neglecta pallida DeLong, D.H. & Davidson, R.H. 1933. Some new species of Eugnathodus (Homoptera Cicadellidae). Ohio Journal of Science 33(1): 55-58 [56].

  Type data:

   Holotype whereabouts unknown sex unknown, Tennessee, USA.
• Balclutha pauxilla Lindberg, H. 1954. Hemiptera Insularum Canariensium. Systematik, Ökologie und Verbreitung der Kanarischen Heteropteren und Cicadinen. Commentationes Biologicae Societas Scientiarum Fennicae 14(1): 1-304 [231].

  Type data:

   Holotype whereabouts unknown ♂, Canary Islands.
• Balclutha mixta Heller, F. & Linnavuori, R.E. 1968. Cicadellinen aus Aethiopian. Beiträge zur Naturkunde aus dem Staatlichen Museum für Naturkunde in Stuttgart 186: 1-42 [4] [nomen nudum; this species was said by Heller & Linnavuori (1968) to be "Lv. in litt." but Linnavuori doesn't appear to have published the name subsequently. Heller & Linnvuori (1968) provide some locality details from East Africa and the Sudan under this name].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Horváth, G. 1903. Adnotationes synonymicae de Hemipteris Palaearcticis. Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici (Zoologica) 1: 555-558 [556] (synonymy of G. angustus )
• Linnavuori, R.E. 1975. Homoptera : Cicadellidae, Supplement. Insects of Micronesia 6(9): 611-632 [632] (synonymy of G. zionoensis, E. lacteus, B. pectoralis, B. incisa Linnavuori (not Matsumura))
• Vilbaste, J. 1976. A revision of Homoptera - Cicadinea described by S. Matsumura from Europe and the Mediterranean area. Eest NSV Teaduste Akadeemia Toimetised 25, Bioloogia. Vol. 1. 25-36 pp. [27] (synonymy of G. quadriguttatus )
• Hamilton, K.G.A. 1983. Introduced and native leafhoppers common to the Old and New Worlds. (Rhynchota : Homoptera : Cicadellidae). The Canadian Entomologist 114: 473-511 [489] (synonymy of E. minutus, E. neglecta var. pallida)
• Knight, W.J. 1987. Leafhoppers of the grass-feeding genus Balclutha (Homoptera, Cicadellidae) in the Pacific region. Journal of Natural History 21: 1173-1224 [1182] (synonymy of G. intrusus, T. delicatula, E. lineolata, A. longula, E. ocellatus, B. pauxilla, B. mixta )

Generic Combinations

• Balclutha saltuella (Kirschbaum, 1868). —
  Linnavuori, R.E. 1975. Homoptera : Cicadellidae, Supplement. Insects of Micronesia 6(9): 611-632 [632]

Introduction

This pallid species is very common in grasslands in Australia where it has been recorded around most of the coastal areas in temperate to tropical parts of the country. Records from Victoria are limited to Karadoc in the Riverina region and there are no records from South Australia or Tasmania. It is also widespread overseas.

Distribution

States

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

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

ACT, NSW, NT, Qld, Vic, WA: Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Carnarvon (CAR), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Darwin Coastal (DAC), Dampierland (DL), Gulf Plains (GUP), Nandewar (NAN), New England Tablelands (NET), Northern Kimberley (NK), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Pilbara (PIL), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Victoria Bonaparte (VB), Wet Tropics (WT)

Other Regions

Torres Strait Islands terrestrial, marine & freshwater

Ecological Descriptors

All stages: phloem feeder (associated flora: Agrostis sp. [POACEAE]; Gossypium sp. [MALVACEAE]).

Diagnosis

Scheitel kaum 1/3 so lang als der hinten kaum ausgebuchtete Vorderrücken, sein Hinterrand winklig gerundet, Seitenrand der Stirn zwischen Fühler und Clypeus nicht länger als erstere zwischen den Fühlern breit, Clypeus die Wangen nicht überragend und an der Spitze nicht unter deren Fläche gebogen, Fühler etwa ¼ so lang als der Körper, Decken- und Flügelnerven ähnlich wie bei punctatus, aber der äussere Gabelast der Decken sehr undeutlich. ♀ letztes Bauchsegment etwas kürzer als das vorhergehende, am Hinterrand ganz, die seitlichen Wülste weisslich behaart. Hell gelblichgrün, Scheitel und Vorderrücken mit sehr erloschenen röthlichen Flecken, Stirn deutlicher röthlich, Schnabelspitze, Brust und Hinterleibsrücken bis auf diegrünlichen Ränder schwarz, Decken glanzlos weisslich, wenig durchsichtig, Flügel hell. 3 mm. l., im Habitus punctatus ähnlich (Kirschbaum 1868).

Colour sordid cream; frontoclypeus and anterior part of vertex smoked with pale brown; ocelli pink, sometimes cream, sometimes bordered anteriorly and posteriorly with pale fuscous shadow; coronal suture, a small spot on each side of vertex midway between coronal suture and eye and sometimes present on each side of midline of pronotum. Forewings transparent or semigreyish opaque, clavus and apical cells usually pale brownish. All markings sometimes absent. Head equal to or slightly wider than pronotum. Length: ♂ 2.2–3.5 mm; ♀ 2.3–3.4 mm (Knight 1987).
Knight (1987) described and figured the male genitalia.

ID Keys

Knight 1987: 1180

Diagnosis References

Kirschbaum, C.L. 1868. Die Cicadinen der gegend von Wiesbaden und Frankfurt A.M. nebst einer anzahl neuer oder Schwer zu unterscheidender Arten aus anderen Gegenden Europa's Taballarisch Beschrieben. Jahrbuch des Nassauischen Vereins für Naturkunde 21-22: 1-202 [86]

Knight, W.J. 1987. Leafhoppers of the grass-feeding genus Balclutha (Homoptera, Cicadellidae) in the Pacific region. Journal of Natural History 21: 1173-1224 [1183]

Misidentification

— as Balclutha incisa (Matsumura), Linnavuori, R.E. 1960. Homoptera : Cicadellidae. Insects of Micronesia 6(5): 225–344 [343].

History of changes