Species Cleotyche (Cleotyche) mariae Emeljanov, 1997

Cleotyche mariae Emeljanov, adult

© Copyright Murray Fletcher, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Cleotyche mariae Emeljanov, A.F. 1997. A new genus and species of the Dictyopharidae from Australia belonging to a new tribe (Homoptera: Cicadina). Zoosystematica Rossica 6(1/2): 77-82 [81].

  Type data:

   Holotype ANIC 20 011325 ♂ (coll: 13.iv.1997, Emeljanov, stony open places with grass amongst low bush in light forest), Pearl Beach, 15 km SE of Gosford, New South Wales [33°32′59′′ S, 151°17′57′′ E].
  Paratype(s) ANIC 20 011326 ♀, Pearl Beach, 15 km SE of Gosford, New South Wales [33°32′59′′ S, 151°17′57′′ E].

Introduction

This distinctive brachypterous planthopper could be misidentified as a caliscelid which are also mostly brachypterous but the spination of the hind tarsi exclude it from the Caliscelidae. The dark coloured, foliately expanded fore femora and tibiae are tipped with contrasting white tarsi, this contrast enhanced by the face also being black. The white tarsi against a dark background are probably used to mimic the way some salticid spiders signal with white pedipalps. A number of planthoppers mimic salticid spiders since they are of similar size and jump in a similar fashion. Morphological features which add to this mimicry will enhance the deception. The species is named after Mrs Maria Schreider who organised the author's visit to the Crommelin Biological Research Station at Pearl Beach in 1997.

Distribution

States

New South Wales

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NSW: Sydney Basin (SB)

Ecological Descriptors

All stages: phloem feeder.

Diagnosis

Head reddish; clypeus below epiclypeal lobes, rostrum and lora black; eyes dark; apical callus somewhat darkened. Pronotum mid- to dark brown except for an almost white band along the hind border between the lateral keels. Scutellum dark brown. Elytra mid- to dark brown with white band along hind margin. Abdomen black, more smooth and shining than elytra and remaining fore part of body. Tergite VIII with white, irregularly rounded spot extending to hind margin of tergite VII; in female, a narrow longitudinal brown line present behind this spot on pygofer and anal tube. Hind side of body and legs dark brown to black. Fore legs with white tarsi; femora with indistinct subapical transverse band; similar but subbasal band present on tibiae; these bands in half-bent legs continue each other; middle and hind tibiae lightened apically to light brown, middle and hind tarsi also light brown. Length of male 3.9–4.1 mm, female 4.5–4.7 mm. (Emeljanov 1997)

Diagnosis References

Emeljanov, A.F. 1997. A new genus and species of the Dictyopharidae from Australia belonging to a new tribe (Homoptera: Cicadina). Zoosystematica Rossica 6(1/2): 77-82 [81–82]

General References

Constant, J., Semeraro, L. & Moir, M.L. 2022. Australian Cleotychini planthoppers: review of the genus Cleotyche Emeljanov, 1997 with three new species (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Dictyopharidae). European Journal of Taxonomy 836: 66-95 [83, Figs 6, 11–12, Table 1]

History of changes