Subfamily Membracinae Rafinesque, 1815

Museums

Regional Maps

• Membracidia Rafinesque, C.S. 1815. Analyse de la nature, ou tableau de l'univers et des corps organises. Palermo (Italy) : Privately Published 224 pp. [Date published April to July] [121].

Introduction

This subfamily was added to the Australian fauna by the introduction of the lantana treehopper, Aconophora compressa Walker, as a biological control agent for weedy species of Lantana L. (Verbenaceae). The subfamily is otherwise Nearctic and Neotropical.

Diagnosis

Thorax à un seul segment; antennes à 3 articles (Rafinesque 1815).

Pronotum simple, globular, or foliaceous, with or without frontal, dorsal, lateral, or posterior horns or tubercles; posterior process entirely concealing scutellum. Forewings in repose fully exposed; claval apex truncate (most taxa) or acuminate (Hysoprorini); apical limbus broad, at least in part. Pro- and mesothoracic tibiae simple to extremely foliaceous. Metathoracic tibiae simple, foliaceous, or distally clavate, tibial rows I and II often with prominently cucullate setae, row III with weakly cucullate setae (most Aconophorini) or absent, all tibial rows absent in most Hoplophorionini (some with setae in row I). Abdomen with or without conspicuous pits (Deitz, Wallace & Rothschild 2011 http://treehoppers.insectmuseum.org/public/public_content/show/11909 [accessed: 2.iv.2012])

ID Keys

Fletcher, M.J. and Day M. F. (2005) Illustrated Key to the Genera of the Family Membracidae found in Australia (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Membracidae) http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/leafhop/membracid/membrac00.htm [accessed: 2.iv.2012]

Diagnosis References

Rafinesque, C.S. 1815. Analyse de la nature, ou tableau de l'univers et des corps organises. Palermo (Italy) : Privately Published 224 pp. [Date published April to July] [121]

History of changes