Species Ledromorpha planirostris (Donovan, 1805)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Fulgora planirostris Donovan, E. 1805. An Epitome of the Natural History of the Insects of New Holland, New Zealand, New Guinea, Otaheite, and other Islands in the Indian, Southern, and Pacific Oceans: including Figures and Descriptions of One Hundred and Fifty-three Species of the more Splendid, Beautiful, and Interesting Insects, hitherto Discovered in those Countries, and which for the most Part have not appeared in the Works of any Preceding Author. London : Rivington iv + [167] pp. + [41] pls. [Date published January] [1].

  Type data:

   Holotype MMUS ♀, Australia
  Comment: Fletcher, Day & Humphrey (2003) have identified the holotype in MMUS.
• Ledra gladiata Blanchard, E. 1840. Homoptères. Histoire naturelle, générale particulière des Crustacés et des Insectes 3: 1-672 [194].

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) MNHP sex, quantity unknown, "New Holland".
• Ledra caudata Walker, F. 1851. List of the Specimens of Homopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum. London : British Museum (Natural History) Vol. 3 pp. 637-907. [813].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH ♀ (presented by the Haslar Hospital), New Holland.
• Ledra valida Walker, F. 1851. List of the Specimens of Homopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum. London : British Museum (Natural History) Vol. 3 pp. 637-907. [814].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH ♀ (from Mr Argent's collection), locality unknown.
• Ledromorpha vaginata Stål, C. 1864. Hemiptera nonnulla nova vel minus cognita. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 4 4: 47-68 [68].

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) whereabouts unknown ♀, quantity unknown (presumed depository is Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris. Probable holotype by monotypy), Moreton Bay, Queensland.

 

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Stål, C. 1862. Synonymiska och systematiska anteckningar öfver Hemiptera. Öfversigt af Kongelige Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar, Stockholm 19(9): 479-504 [495] (synonymy of L. caudata, L. valida)
• Stål, C. 1864. Hemiptera nonnulla nova vel minus cognita. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 4 4: 47-68 [68] (synonymy of L. gladiata)
• Evans, J.W. 1966. The leafhoppers and froghoppers of Australia and New Zealand. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 12: 1-347 [97] (synonymy of L. vaginata)

 

Generic Combinations

• Ledromorpha planirostris (Donovan, 1805). —
  Stål, C. 1864. Hemiptera nonnulla nova vel minus cognita. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 4 4: 47-68 [68]

 

Introduction

This is the world's largest leafhopper reaching a length of almost 30mm. All known specimens are females which implies that the species reproduces parthenogenetically. The original description by Donovan (1805) is accompanied by an illustration showing the species with its wings expanded in flight and the exposed abdomen is clearly that of a male. However, as concluded by Fletcher, Day & Humphrey (2003) based on evidence published elsewhere about Donovan and his illustrations, the abdomen was concocted by Donovan without realising that it should have been a female. Fletcher, Day & Humphrey (2003) also located Donovan's type specimen in the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney, and this has revealed how Donovan made such a fundamental mistake. The species is reasonably common through its range which is primarily eastern coastal from SE Queensland to Tasmania although there are records of the species from Broken Hill in western New South Wales.

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NSW, Qld, Tas, Vic: Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Nandewar (NAN), New England Tablelands (NET), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE)

Ecological Descriptors

All stages: phloem feeder (associated flora: Eucalyptus spp. [MYRTACEAE]).

 

Diagnosis

Brown; front of the head broad, flat and porrected (Donovan 1805).

General coloration reddish brown, nigger brown or buff mottled with dark brown. Hind tibia with six spurs and a few hair-like spines. Length ♀ 23–28mm; width of head across eyes 8mm (Evans 1966).

 

Diagnosis References

Evans, J.W. 1966. The leafhoppers and froghoppers of Australia and New Zealand. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 12: 1-347 [97]

 

General References

Fletcher, M.J., Day, M.F. & Humphrey, M. 2003. The discovery of the holotype of Ledromorpha planirostris (Donovan) (Cicadellidae: Ledrinae), with notes on other Australian Auchenorrhyncha species described by Edward Donovan. General and Applied Entomology 32: 25-30

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
26-Jun-2023	MEMBRACOIDEA	26-Jun-2023	MODIFIED
10-May-2022	CICADOMORPHA	24-May-2023	MODIFIED
02-Jun-2021	AUCHENORRHYNCHA	26-Jun-2023	MODIFIED
05-Dec-2019	CICADELLIDAE Latreille, 1825	26-Jun-2023	MODIFIED	Dr Murray Fletcher
20-Sep-2011		20-Sep-2011	MOVED
20-Sep-2011		20-Sep-2011	MOVED
05-Dec-2019		26-Jun-2023	MODIFIED
		26-Jun-2023	MODIFIED