Tribe Macrostelini Kirkaldy, 1906

Museums

Regional Maps

• Macrostelini Kirkaldy, G.W. 1906. Leafhoppers and their natural enemies. Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 1(9): 271-479 [342].

  Type genus:

   Macrosteles Fieber, 1866.

Introduction

The macrostelines are small to minute leafhoppers that superficially resemble some of the microleafhoppers (Typhlocybinae) which are also small with two preapical cells in the forewing. However, the macrostelines have a well-developed appendix on the tegmen and this differentiates them from all typhlocybines found in Australia.

Worldwide there are more than 30 genera, among them some of the most common leafhoppers in open grassland. Australia has three genera, Balclutha Kirkaldy in which most species are coloured green although some are pink or red — Cicadulina China with two yellow species with black spots on the head and Nesoclutha Evans with a single described species N. phryne (Kirkaldy), the Australian Grass Leafhopper. All Australian macrostelines feed on grass and some are important vectors of diseases of grass crops.

Diagnosis

The Australian Macrostelini can be identified by presence of two, rather than three, preapical cells in the elongate tegmina, presence of a well-developed appendix on the tegmen, hind femur with at least two preapical spines and antennal ledges lacking.

ID Keys

Fletcher, M.J. (2009 and updates). Key to the leafhoppers and treehoppers of Australia and neighbouring areas (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha). http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/leafhop/index.html

History of changes