Species Philagra parva (Donovan, 1805)

Philagra parva (Donovan), adult.

© Copyright Murray Fletcher, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Philagra parva (Donovan), adult on Acacia sp.

© Copyright Murray Fletcher, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Fulgora parva 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] [pl. 1].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, MMUS unknown (Francillon collection), New Holland.
• Chalepus teliferus 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. [731].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) BMNH 1 (Mr Pamplin's collection), New South Wales; BMNH 1 (Capt. Parry's collection), New Holland.
• Aphrophora rufiventris 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. [700].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH sex unknown (by monotypy), locality unknown.
• Chalepus pugionatus Stål, C. 1854. Nya Hemiptera. Öfversigt af Kongliga Svenska Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar. Stockholm 11(8): 231-255 [251].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, NHRM sex, quantity unknown, Australia, as "Nova Hollandia".
• Philagra vittata Metcalf, Z.P. & Horton, G. 1934. The Cercopoidea (Homoptera) of China. Lingnan Science Journal 13: 367-429 [405].

  Type data:

   Holotype USNM ♂, China.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Stål, C. 1862. Synonymiska och systematiska anteckningar öfver Hemiptera. Öfversigt af Kongelige Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar, Stockholm 19(9): 479-504 [494] (synonymy of C. teliferus with C. pugionatus)
• Stål, C. 1866. Analecta Hemipterologica. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 10: 381-394 [386] (synonymy of C. pugionatus with P. parva)
• Liang, A.-P. & Fletcher, M.J. 2003. A review of the Australian aphrophorid spittlebugs (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae). Australian Journal of Entomology 42(1): 84-93 (synonymy of A. rufiventris and P. vittata)

Generic Combinations

• Philagra parva (Donovan, 1805). —
  Stål, C. 1866. Analecta Hemipterologica. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 10: 381-394 [386]

Introduction

This is reportedly the most widespread species of Philagra in Australia. Evans (1966) states that it is found in all states and territories, but available databases only have records from SE Queensland and eastern New South Wales. Here, the distribution is taken to include all states and territories but a comprehensive survey of museum collections will provide more details of the precise distributions amongst the recognised bioregions. The synonymy of P. vittata with P. parva extends the known distribution to China. The species is commonly found on species of Acacia Mill. (Fabaceae) and Casuarinaceae.

Distribution

States

Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

ACT, NSW, NT, Qld, SA, Tas, Vic, WA: Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Nandewar (NAN), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ)

Ecological Descriptors

All stages: xylem feeder.

Nymph: live in spittle.

Diagnosis

Grey, front short, conic and ascending; wing cases clouded with fuscous. Grisea, fronte brevi conica adscendente elytris fusco-nebulosis (Donovan 1805).

Length, male & female, 9-12 mm. General coloration reddish-brown with mottled tegmina. The anterior prolongation of the head is greater in length than the pronotum and scutellum combined. (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 [322]

History of changes