Genus Monomalpha Emeljanov, 2000

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• Monomalpha Emeljanov, A.F. 2000. New genera of the family Cixiidae (Homoptera, Fulgoroidea) from Australia and neighbouring Territories. Entomologicheskoe Obozrenie (English translation as Entomological Reviews) 79(1): 12-34 [14].

  Type species:

   Monomalpha gratiosa Emeljanov, 2000 by original designation.

  Secondary source:

   Emeljanov, A.F. 2000. New genera of the Family Cixiidae (Homoptera, Fulgoroidea) from Australia and neighboring Territories. [translation]. Entomological Review (English translation of Entomologicheskoe Obozrenie) 80(3): 251-270 [253].

Introduction

This genus contains two species, one from New England National Park in NE New South Wales and the other on Lord Howe Island. The genus is related to the endemic New Zealand genus Malpha Myers and the genus Aka White, which is primarily found in New Zealand but with two species in Tasmania.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NSW, Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ) ; Qld: Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), Wet Tropics (WT)

Other Regions

Lord Howe Island terrestrial & freshwater

Diagnosis

Macrocoryphe elongate, rather narrow. Anterior margin of coryphe acute-angular, narrowly rounded apically; anterior carina of macrocoryphe in the form of parabola, looking like ledge sloping toward acrometope because of thickened apical part of metope; posterior margin of coryphe parabolically concave, coryphe and metope deeply depressed. Eumetope nearly flat, except for the above mentioned upper callosity, with sharp median and lateral carinae; median carina simple along entire length. Eumetope rather wide, with straight diverging margins from apex of head to antenna; below antennae the margins arcuately bending and turning medially toward the narrower clypeus. Postclypeus also rather flat and short, strongly narrowing toward anteclypeus; border with metope smoothly arcuate or obtuse-angularly rounded; median ocellus absent. Rostrum somewhat produced backwards beyond hind coxae and trochanters; penultimate segment 1.5 times as long as ultimate one. Pronotum short, typical of macropterous Cixiidae; disc narrow, post-ocular carina running concentrically around eye as far as anterior margin of pronotum below eye; lateral carinae indistinct. Posterior incision at apex acute-angular. Scutellum of mesonotum with 3 sharp carinae, lateral carinae smoothly arcuate, slightly diverging posteriorly. Wings normally developed; fore wing subparallel-sided, more than three times as long as wide, asymmetrically rounded at apex; sutural margin elongate, arc running from costal margin wide and gently sloping; arc running from posterior margin significantly steeper and correspondingly narrow. Wing apex situated at the end of branch M5. Longitudinal veins bearing granules with rather coarse setae. Short stalk ScRM present, R branching somewhat before middle of costal area. Extravenal pterostigma wide and large, with setigerous granules. RA2 one-pointed, RP one- or two-pointed, M five-pointed, with 3 MA branches or only two-pointed (in the type species), branching at subapical level. CuA2 with oblique vein icu running slightly behind apex of clavus; this vein running along common straight line with vein CuA2, as if forming its prolongation; apical part of genuine CuA2 looking like arcuate anterolateral branch. Legs of medium proportions; hind leg rather long, of characteristic cixioid type, with several lateral and 6 apical teeth, forming 3 distinct groups: long outer tooth, two short middle teeth, and 3 inner teeth shifted apically; all teeth arising from common base. First segment of hind tarsus long, bearing 7 apical teeth, of which the distinctly shorter second and fourth teeth (counting from the outer side) belong to the second row; subapical setae on all teeth absent. Second segment of hind tarsus with 6 teeth, of which 4 inner teeth bearing thin subapical setae. Female pygofer with distinct wax area. Male pygofer with strongly shortened upper wall before base of anal tube; lower wall long, caudally terminating in wide emargination bearing single wide and short medioventral process. Lateral lobes of pygofer moderately projecting, rounded. Sternite VII entire, fused with margin of pygofer. Anal tube simple, parallel-sided, with rounded posterior margin. Stylus with strongly developed heel prominence and rather narrow apex proper, arising laterally from longitudinal axis of stylus. Structure of penis similar to that of Aka White and Malpha Myers. Theca with single large right process, slightly sinuate and directed basilaterally, with two recumbent left processes directed forward; distal segment of penis with subbasal, rather short process. (Emeljanov 2000)

Diagnosis References

Emeljanov, A.F. 2000. New genera of the Family Cixiidae (Homoptera, Fulgoroidea) from Australia and neighboring Territories. [translation]. Entomological Review (English translation of Entomologicheskoe Obozrenie) 80(3): 251-270 [253]

General References

Löcker, B. 2020. Revision of the Australian planthopper genus Monomalpha Emeljanov with the description of the new genus Latissima (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae: Cixiini). Zootaxa 4858(3): 375–393

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