Tribe Delphacini Lambertie, 1901

Museums

Regional Maps

• Delphacini Lambertie, M. 1901. Contribution à la Faune des Hémiptères, Hétéroptères, Cicadines et Psyllides du Sud-Ouest de la France. Actes de la Société Linnéene de Bordeaux 56: 129-230 [219].

  Type genus:

   Delphax Fabricius, 1798.

Introduction

This is the largest group of delphacid planthoppers in Australia and the one in greatest need of taxonomic attention. Many species have been placed in genera "of convenience" rather than one which reflects their true affinities. Some of these genera are probably not present in Australia and a comprehensive revision will provide a more valid generic classification for these species. Economically important species include the sugarcane planthoppers Perkinsiella species, the widespread Brown Planthopper Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), the Maize Planthopper Peregrinus maidis (Ashmead), the White Backed Planthopper Sogatella furcifera (Horváth), the Taro Planthopper Tarophagus persephone (Kirkaldy) and the Turf Planthopper Toya dryope (Kirkaldy).

Emeljanov (1993) recognised a subtribe Numatina (type genus Numata Matsumura 1935) to accommodate a group of genera which clearly belong together but he did not treat the remainder of the Delphacini which was therefore paraphyletic. Other lineages can be recognised within the Delphacini and a comprehensive phylogenetic study is needed to sort them out (Asche, pers. comm. 2011). Until that happens, the subtribal classification of the Delphacini will remain unsatisfactory and it is not followed here. Most of the genera placed in the Numatina have the median carina of the frons forked about halfway down the face. However, not all genera with the median carina forked in this manner belong to the Numatina and not all Numatina have this feature. The definitive feature of the Numatina is based on the male genitalia.

Diagnosis

Immediately recognisable by the flattened shape of the hind tibial spur bearing a line of dark tipped teeth along the outer margin.

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

General References

Emeljanov, A.F. 1993. A new genus of planthoppers of the family Delphacidae from Ethiopia (Homoptera, Cicadina). Zoosystematica Rossica 2: 93–96 [93]

History of changes