Genus Fletcherolus Löcker & Larivière, 2006

Museums

Regional Maps

• Fletcherolus Löcker, B. & Larivière, M.-C. in Löcker, B., Fletcher, M.J., Larivière, M.-C., Gurr, G.M., Holzinger, W.E. & Löcker, H. 2006. Taxonomic and phylogenetic revision of the Gelastocephalini (Hemiptera: Cixiidae). Invertebrate Systematics 20: 59-160 [100].

  Type species:

   Fletcherolus monospinosus Löcker & Larivière, 2006 by original designation.

Introduction

The two species recognised by Löcker et al. (2006) were based on males from North Queensland. However, Löcker et al. (2006) provided measurements for three females from the Northern Territory which were identifiable to the genus Fletcherolus but not to species which are identifiable only by examination of the male genitalia.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NT, Qld: Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Gulf Coastal (GUC), Gulf Plains (GUP)

Diagnosis

Colour. Vertex brown with white mark along lateral carinae, median carina paler; frons dark brown with yellow carinae; clypeus light brown with yellow carinae; pronotum brown, carinae and adjacent areas pale yellowish; mesonotum brown, central area and carinae paler; legs yellow to brown; forewing hyaline white with light brown marks, veins concolorous with cells, tubercles dark brown; abdominal sternites brown, intersegmental membranes pale yellowish. Morphology. Body length. ♂ 4.7–5.3 mm, ♀ 5.8–6.4 mm. Head. Vertex 0.8–0.9× as long as wide; apex broadly pointed; caudal border u- or v-shaped; lateral carinae strongly elevated; median carina 1/3–1/2 as long as vertex. Lateral carinae of frons slightly elevated; median carina complete. Frontoclypeal suture semicircular, median part not reaching lower margin of antennal scape; postclypeus with well developed lateral carinae and median carina. Thorax. Pronotum with sinuate carinae. Concavity at costal border absent; Sc+R forming common stem with M emerging separately from basal cell; r–m1 distad of fork of MA–MP; position of icu at CuP at same level as apex of clavus; 10 apical cells. Hind tibia with row of six apical teeth interrupted by narrow gap; 1st tarsomere with 7(–8) apical teeth and no platellae; 2nd tarsomere with nine apical teeth and seven platellae. Male genitalia. Anal tube, in dorsal view, ovoid-shaped with a pointed tip; Aedeagus ventrally with a large sclerotised triangular ridge bearing another small ridge in 90° angle ending in small tooth.
Remarks The presence of a large sclerotised triangular ridge bearing another small ridge at 90° angle ending in a small tooth is a synapomorphy for the iFletcherolus clade. Other characters shared by both species of this genus are the ovoid-shaped anal tube with its pointed tip in dorsal view, the presence of a spine arising right lateral near the apex of the phallotheca, the shape of the genital styles, the narrow gap in the row of apical spines on the hind tibia, the
broadly pointed apex of vertex and a distinctive shape and carination of the face (Löcker et al. 2006).

ID Keys

Fletcher, M.J., Löcker, B., Larivière, M.C. and Löcker, H. (2006). Illustrated Key to the Australian Genera of the Planthopper Tribe Gelastocephalini (Hemiptera: Cixiidae: Fulgoromorpha) http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/fulgor/cixiid/gelastocephalini/gel00.htm

Diagnosis References

Löcker, B., Fletcher, M.J., Larivière, M.-C., Gurr, G.M., Holzinger, W.E. & Löcker, H. 2006. Taxonomic and phylogenetic revision of the Gelastocephalini (Hemiptera: Cixiidae). Invertebrate Systematics 20: 59-160 [100]

History of changes