Family DELPHACIDAE Leach, 1815

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Family DELPHACIDAE Leach, 1815

Compiler and date details

20 May 2011 - Murray J. Fletcher

27 January 2011 - Murray J. Fletcher

25 November 2010 - Murray J. Fletcher

Delphacida Leach, W.E. 1815. Entomology. pp. 57-172 in Brewster (ed.). The Edinburgh Encyclopedia. Edinburgh : William Blackburn Vol. 9(1) 764 pp. [reprint 1830] [125] [nomen oblitum].
Type genus:
Delphax Fabricius, 1798.
Secondary source:
International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1961. Opinion 602. Delphax Fabricius, 1798 (Insecta, Hemiptera); Interpretation under the Plenary Powers. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 18(4): 246–248 [246].
Delphacidae Leach, W.E. 1815. Entomology. pp. 57-172 in Brewster (ed.). The Edinburgh Encyclopedia. Edinburgh : William Blackburn Vol. 9(1) 764 pp. [reprint 1830] [125].
Type genus:
Delphax Fabricius, 1798.
Secondary source:
International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1961. Opinion 602. Delphax Fabricius, 1798 (Insecta, Hemiptera); Interpretation under the Plenary Powers. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 18(4): 246–248 [246].
Araeopidae Metcalf, Z.P. 1938. The Fulgorina of Barro Colorado and other parts of Panama. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard 82: 277-423 [280] [invalid name].
Secondary source:
International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1961. Opinion 602. Delphax Fabricius, 1798 (Insecta, Hemiptera); Interpretation under the Plenary Powers. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 18(4): 246–248.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1961. Opinion 602. Delphax Fabricius, 1798 (Insecta, Hemiptera); Interpretation under the Plenary Powers. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 18(4): 246–248

Introduction

The Delphacidae include some of the world's worst pest species of planthoppers. Most species are obligate grass-feeders and many transmit a range of diseases to grass crops such as rice, maize, sugarcane and cereals in many parts of the world, including Australia. They are mainly small elongate species although some of the Asiracinae can be a bit more chunky. Brachyptery is common, both in dimorphic species and in monomorphic species. Delphacids are also some of the most common planthoppers in Australia. A sweep net through native or exotic grass anywhere on the continent will almost always catch a delphacid. Considerable work is required on the Australian fauna, particularly the species-rich Delphacini. Fennah (1965) published a key to genera from Australia and New Zealand but in his Introduction he acknowledges that the Australian material on which he worked came almost entirely from the eastern side of the continent so there was little representation from the northern, southern or western fauna. He also noted that there was little repetition in the material he saw, that few of the previously described species were present and six undescribed species were included. From this, he concluded that the material with which he worked, despite the grandiose title of the publication, was quite unrepresentative of the Australian fauna which, to this day, remains largely unexplored. The known Australian fauna is divided into three subfamilies the Delphacinae, Stenocraninae and Asiracinae with the Delphacinae divided into two tribes, the Delphacini and Tropidocephalini. The subfamily Asiracinae is somewhat better known than the other groups because of publications by J.F. Donaldson (1979, 1983, 1987, 1988).

The compilation of this family for the Australian Faunal Directory has been greatly supported by input from Glenn Bellis (NAQS, Darwin, Northern Territory), Manfred Asche (Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany) and Charles Bartlett (University of Delaware, Newark, USA).

Diagnosis

The Delphacidae can be identified by the present of a mobile spur at the apex of the hind tibia. This spur may be spine-like, curved or straight, or expanded to form a flat elongate bowl shape or may be knife-like. The outer edge of the spur may bear a row of short dark teeth or there may be a single tooth at the apex or teeth may be absent altogether. The shape of the spine is used to define the subfamilies and tribes of the family.

ID Keys

Fletcher, M.J. (2005). Illustrated Key to the subfamilies and tribes of the Family Delphacidae found in Australia (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/fulgor/delphacidae/delph00.htm