Species Pseudembolophora macleayi Muir, 1920

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• Pseudembolophora macleayi Muir, F. 1920. A new genus of Australian Delphacidae (Homoptera). Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 45(1): 182-183 [183].

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) MMUS 1 ♂, 3 ♀, King George's Sound, Western Australia.

Introduction

This relatively large (5.5–6.0 mm) delphacid is one of Australia's most unusual members of the family. Found only at King George's Sound and near Perth in the south west of Western Australia, it has a greatly elongated head which is bilaterally compressed and, in brachypterous forms at least, the tegmina are narrow and produced to an acute point. The type material described by Muir (1920) comprises a male and two females with narrow tegmina and lacking hind wings and a third female which is missing the tegmina but which has hind wings present. This indicates that, in females at least, both macropterous and brachypterous forms exist. The type material is accompanied by a late instar nymph which has the head less produced but the wingpads are apically pointed. However, Donaldson (1991) was unable to locate any specimens in the Macleay Collection at University of Sydney but found two specimens, one a male and the other lacking the abdomen, in BMNH which were collected at the type locality by Charles Darwin. It is possible that these are part of the type series. Little collecting of Delphacidae has occurred in SW Western Australia but a more intensive look at the fauna may uncover many more unusual species.

Distribution

States

Western Australia

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

WA: Jarrah Forest (JF), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Warren (WAR)

Ecological Descriptors

All stages: phloem feeder.

Diagnosis

Male. Brachypterous; ochraceous or light brown, carinae of head and thorax lighter; dorsum of abdomen dark brown. Tegmina hyaline, veins and apex of tegmina brown, the brown veins broken by small white dots. The pygofer cannot be made out very well as the specimen is carded and too old to relax and remount. The ventral edge of opening straight, the sides angular and curved inward; anal segment large with large anal style; genital styles small, slightly curved and gradually narrowed to a point. Length, 5.5 mm; tegmen, 3 mm. Female. Macropterous and brachypterous; similar in colour to the male. Pygofer large, ovipositor small, reaching about half way along pygofer; anal segment large, wider than deep, anal style large, narrowly oblong. Length, 6 mm; tegmen 4 mm. (Muir 1920).

Diagnosis References

Muir, F. 1920. A new genus of Australian Delphacidae (Homoptera). Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 45(1): 182-183 [183]

History of changes