Genus Phantiopsis Melichar, 1905

Phantiopsis australiaca Melichar, type species of Phantiopsis.

© Copyright Murray Fletcher, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Phantiopsis Melichar, L. 1905. Genera tria Fulgoridarum mundi antique. Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici (Zoologica) 3: 473-477 [475].

  Type species:

   Phantiopsis australiaca Melichar, 1905 by monotypy.
• Aphanophantia Kirkaldy, G.W. 1906. Leafhoppers and their natural enemies. Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 1(9): 271-479 [458].

  Type species:

   Aphanophantia cuscuticida Kirkaldy, 1906 by monotypy.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Kirkaldy, G.W. 1907. Leafhoppers — Supplement (Hemiptera). Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 3: 1-186 [101]

Introduction

This monotypic genus contains the world's smallest flatid planthopper reaching a total length of up to 2.5 mm. Melichar (1914) appears to have incorrectly regarded this genus as a synonym of Mimophantia Matsumura because he numbered each taxon he treated but did not number Phantiopsis australiaca, simply listing it under "65. Mimophantia maritima". Melichar (1914) stated that he had 8 specimens from Semerang (Indonesia: Java) and also reported the species from Australia and Japan. However, this statement applies to M. maritima and not to P. australiaca. Metcalf (1957) missed the proposed synonymy and listed P. australiaca from New South Wales, Java and Japan, the latter two being incorrect interpretations of Melichar (1914).

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Western Australia

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NSW, WA: Jarrah Forest (JF), Sydney Basin (SB)

Diagnosis

Head and pronotum subporrect, vertex a little longer than pronotum, conical, rectangularly prominent anteriorly, truncate posteriorly. Pronotum roundly, widely emarginate posteriorly, scutellum with a double keel medianly and a lateral one each side. Pronotum and scutellum feebly carinate. Tegmina subcoriaceous, little longer than wide, posteriorly roundly obliquely truncate; reticulate; costal cell generally broader than subcostal cell, with many simple transverse veins. Wings rudimentary (Kirkaldy 1906, of Aphanophantia Kirkaldy).

ID Keys

Fletcher, M.J. (2005). Illustrated key to the genera of the family Flatidae found in Australia (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/fulgor/flatid/flat00.htm

Diagnosis References

Kirkaldy, G.W. 1906. Leafhoppers and their natural enemies. Bulletin of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Experimental Station Entomological Series 1(9): 271-479 [458–459]

General References

Melichar, L. 1914. Homopteren von Java, gesammelt von Herrn. Ewd. Jacobson. Notes from the Leyden Museum 36: 91-147 [108–109]

Metcalf, Z.P. 1957. General Catalogue of the Homoptera. Fascicle IV, Fulgoroidea. Part 13, Flatidae and Hypochthonellidae. Raleigh N.C. : North Carolina State College 565 pp. [139]

History of changes