Species Kirbyana australis (Muir, 1913)

Kirbyana australis (Muir), adult female

© Copyright Birgit Löcker, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Kirbyana australis (Muir), holotype male.

© Copyright Birgit Löcker, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Ptoleria australis Muir, F. 1913. On some new Fulgoroidea. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 2(5): 237-269 [258].

  Type data:

   Lectotype BPBM ♂ (coll.: viii.1904, Perkins & Koebele), Cairns, Queensland.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Löcker, B., Fletcher, M.J. & Gurr, G.M. 2010. Taxonomic revision of the Australian Eucarpiini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae) with the description of nine new species. Zootaxa (2425): 1-31 [14].

Generic Combinations

• Eucarpia australis (Muir, 1913). —
  Fennah, R.G. 1980. The genus Bajauana and two allied new genera in New Guinea (Fulgoroidea: Cixiidae). Pacific Insects 22(3-4): 237-328 [238] (although synonymising Ptoleria with Eucarpia, Fennah failed to list the affected species)

Introduction

The generic placement of this species was discussed at length by Löcker et.al. (2010). The lectotype is the only known male and it is in poor condition. The species, which is greyish brown with pale markings, has been recorded at Humpty Doo in the Northern Territory and near Cairns in the wet tropics of North Queensland.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NT, Qld: Darwin Coastal (DAC), Wet Tropics (WT)

Ecological Descriptors

Adult: phloem feeder.

Extra Ecological Information

Nymph might be phloem feeder or fungivore.

Diagnosis

Colour. Vertex, pronotum and mesonutm with percurrent, parallel-sided, pale yellow stripe. Between stripe and lateral carinae, pro- and mesonotum brown. Frons mid brown speckled with small pale dots. Forewings hyaline light brown or mid brown with scattered darker marks, veins light brown, tubercles mid brown, pterostigma light brown. Abdomen light to mid brown, legs light brown. Morphology. Body length: ♂ 4.5 mm; ♀ 4.8 mm. Head: Vertex 1.7–1.8 times wider than long; with anterior margin angulately emarginate; median carina covering entire length of vertex; lateral carinae slightly elevated. Frons 0.9–1.0 times as long as wide; frons invisible in dorsal view; maximum width of frons less than 2x apical width; median carina incomplete, covering more than 3/4 of length of frons; lateral carinae slightly elevated. Frontoclypeal suture distinctly semicircular, bent upwards, median part not reaching lower margin of antennal scape. Lateral carinae of anteclypeus well developed. Rostrum distinctly surpassing hind coxae. Thorax: Forewing 3.0 times longer than wide; with MP joining CuA directly without crossvein MP-CuA; with 19–27 tubercles on costa; Sc+R fused, forming common stem Sc+R, M emerging separately from basal cell or Sc+R+M fused, forming very short common stem; Sc+R forking distinctly basad of fork CuA1+CuA2; position of crossvein R-M at same level as fork MA-MP; RP apically bifid; MA apically trifid; apical cells 10. Male genitalia: Anal tube triangular in dorsal view; with very large apical lobes in lateral view. Genital styles with inner side of basal arm bearing small tooth. Ventromedian process circular. Aedeagus (damaged). Phallotheca ventrally with spine inserting near apex of aedeagus (this spine appears to have been much longer, but being broken off). Flagellum with very long spine. (Löcker et.al. 2010)

Diagnosis References

Löcker, B., Fletcher, M.J. & Gurr, G.M. 2010. Taxonomic revision of the Australian Eucarpiini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae) with the description of nine new species. Zootaxa (2425): 1-31 [14]

General References

Löcker, B., Fletcher, M.J. & Gurr, G.M. 2010. Taxonomic revision of the Australian Eucarpiini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae) with the description of nine new species. Zootaxa (2425): 1-31 [16]

History of changes