Genus Epipsychidion Kirkaldy, 1906

Museums

Regional Maps

• Epipsychidion Kirkaldy, G.W. 1906. Leafhoppers and their natural enemies. Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 1(9): 271-479 [345].

  Type species:

   Epipsychidion epipyropis Kirkaldy, 1906 by monotypy.

 

Introduction

Kirkaldy (1906) regarded this genus as being intermediate between the Agallinae and the Iassinae (which included the Tartessinae) and he chose to place it in the Agalliinae. Evans (1947) correctly placed it in the Thymbrini. The genus is endemic to eastern Australia with two species recognised by Stevens (1990). Both species are quite small (4.3–6.5 mm) in comparison with other thymbrines and have distinctive striping on the pronotum.

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NSW, Qld, SA, Tas: Eyre Yorke Block (EYB), Tasmanian South East (TSE) ; NSW, Qld, SA, Tas, Vic: Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ)

Diagnosis

Vertex dorsally very short, anteriorly obtuse-angled, posteriorly rotundately-emarginate (apex of emargination nearly reaching as far as anterior margin of eyes), obliquely striate on each side of the middle. Ocelli inserted on the vertex ventrally, immediately below the top of the head. Antennae inserted under a shallow ledge, but lying in a rather deep groove. Pronotum subhemispherical, transversely striate. Scutellum transverse. Tegmina punctured, especially on the clavus; 5 discoidals (of which two are subapical) and 5 apical cells (Kirkaldy 1906).

A comprehensive redescription was provided by Stevens (1990).

 

ID Keys

Fletcher, M.J. (2005) Illustrated Key to the Genera of the Tribe Thymbrini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Tartessinae) http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/leafhop/tartessinae/thym00.htm [accessed: 2.ii.2012]

 

Diagnosis References

Kirkaldy, G.W. 1906. Leafhoppers and their natural enemies. Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 1(9): 271-479 [345–346]

Stevens, M.M. 1990. A revision of the Genus Epipsychidion Kirkaldy (Homoptera : Cicadelloidea : Cicadellidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 4: 655-664 [656–657]

 

General References

Evans, J.W. 1947. A natural classification of leafhoppers (Jassoidea, Homoptera) Part 3. Jassidae. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 98(6): 105-271 [136]

Kirkaldy, G.W. 1906. Leafhoppers and their natural enemies. Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 1(9): 271-479 [345]

Stevens, M.M. 1990. A revision of the Genus Epipsychidion Kirkaldy (Homoptera : Cicadelloidea : Cicadellidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 4: 655-664

 

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)