Genus Gelastissus Kirkaldy, 1906

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• Gelastissus Kirkaldy, G.W. 1906. Leafhoppers and their natural enemies. Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 1(9): 271-479 [441].

  Type species:

   Gelastissus albolineatus Kirkaldy, 1906 by original designation.

Introduction

Gelastissus was created by Kirkaldy (1906) for three species from Cairns, North Queensland. All these names have now been synonymised, one as a colour variant and the other because the two names were male and female of the same species. A species from Java was added in 1907. Gnezdilov (2008) transferred a species occurring in Taiwan and Thailand into the genus as well which indicates that there may be other species across this relatively wide distribution. At least one other species of the genus occurs in Australia (Western Australia) and there may be many more living at or near ground level in arid regions of the continent. They are reported to be associated with grassland (Gnezdilov 2008) and have been collected using pitfall traps.

The Australian species are tiny creatures, up to about 3mm in total length, brachypterous and wingless.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NSW, Qld: Sydney Basin (SB), Wet Tropics (WT) ; Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Desert Uplands (DEU), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ)

Diagnosis

"Vertex flat or slightly concave, posteriorly truncate. Eyes very large, extending practically as far as the base of the pronotum. Frons at about right angles to the vertex, narrow, elongate, strongly and elevately carinate medianly with a lateral keel on each side, and a more or less obscure, sometimes obsolescent, curved keel on each side between the others, forming an elongate oval. Pronotum transverse, anterior and posterior margin truncate, medianly carinate, also a carina on each side close to the eye. Scutellum about twice as long as pronotum, tricarinate. Tegmina strongly abbreviate, venation obscure, clavus not sutured off, radial, cubital and brachial veins apparently all joined close to base. Legs simple." (Kirkaldy 1906)

Metope elongate, with a strong median keel reaching the post- and anteclypeus and sublateral keels. Pedicel with short process. Coryphe transverse. Brachypterous, venation of fore wings obscure. Hind tibia with single lateral spine. Each metatarsomere I and II has only one lateral apical spine ("socle seta" in my previous works), situated externally on both legs. Hind margin of pygofer straight. Anal tube widely rounded (in dorsal view). Anal column short and wide. Phallobase short and wide, narrows apically, with a lobe above ventral aedeagal hook and a couple of rounded basal processes under the hook. Single aedeagal hook bifurcated apically. Style with straight hind margin, caudodorsal angle obtuse. Capitulum of style long and narrow, without lateral tooth. (Gnezdilov 2008)

Diagnosis References

Gnezdilov, V.M. 2008. Revision of the genus Gelastissus Kirkaldy (Hemiptera, Fulgoroidea, Caliscelidae). Zootaxa 1727: 22-28 [23]

Kirkaldy, G.W. 1906. Leafhoppers and their natural enemies. Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 1(9): 271-479 [441]

General References

Gnezdilov, V.M. 2008. Revision of the genus Gelastissus Kirkaldy (Hemiptera, Fulgoroidea, Caliscelidae). Zootaxa 1727: 22-28 [23]

Kirkaldy, G.W. 1906. Leafhoppers and their natural enemies. Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 1(9): 271-479 [441]

History of changes