Tribe Sagmatiini Hamilton, 1999

Myerslopella taylori Evans.

© Copyright Murray Fletcher, Orange Agricultural Institute.

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Regional Maps

• Sagmatiini Hamilton, K.G.A. 1999. The ground-dwelling leafhoppers Myerslopiidae, new family, and Sagmatiini, new tribe (Homoptera : Membracoidea). Invertebrate Taxonomy 13(2): 207-235 [209].

  Type genus:

   Sagmation Hamilton, 1999.

Introduction

Adults and nymphs of this group of small cryptic leafhoppers live in protected forest environments in decomposing leaf litter and soil with high organic content. The Australian fauna, which is confined to high altitude subtropical forests in Queensland, includes six species of Myerslopella Evans and two species of Sagmation Hamilton (one unnamed). They were originally placed in the tribe Myerslopiini of the subfamily Ulopinae by Evans (1977) who described the first Australian species, Myerslopella taylori Evans. The Myerslopiini was raised to subfamily status by Linnavuori (1972). Recent work by Hamilton (1999) has shown that the species placed in the Myerslopiinae display considerable convergence, probably due to their cryptic lifestyles and specialised habitat, and actually belong in three different tribes. All the Australian species belong in Hamilton's (1999) tribe Sagmatiini which is also found in Madagascar and New Caledonia. True Myerslopiini are only found in New Zealand and South America and are now classified in a separate leafhopper family, the Myerslopiidae. The third tribe, the Evansiolini, is only found on Juan Fernández Island near Chile.

Diagnosis

Small, cryptic, brown, brachypterous species with lateral pronotal lobes and an expanded bilobed head. Hamilton (1999) provided a detailed description and gave two diagnostic characters: genae carinate below deep antennal grooves; legs short and stout.

ID Keys

Fletcher, M.J. (2009 and updates). Key to the leafhoppers and treehoppers of Australia and neighbouring areas (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha). http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/leafhop/index.html

Diagnosis References

Hamilton, K.G.A. 1999. The ground-dwelling leafhoppers Myerslopiidae, new family, and Sagmatiini, new tribe (Homoptera : Membracoidea). Invertebrate Taxonomy 13(2): 207-235 [209]

General References

Evans, J.W. 1977. The leafhoppers and froghoppers of Australia and New Zealand. Part 2. Records of the Australian Museum 31(3): 83-129 [100–102]

Hamilton, K.G.A. 1999. The ground-dwelling leafhoppers Myerslopiidae, new family, and Sagmatiini, new tribe (Homoptera : Membracoidea). Invertebrate Taxonomy 13(2): 207-235 [209]

Linnavuori, R.E. 1972. Revision of the Ethiopian Cicadellidae (Hom.), Ulopinae and Megophthalminae. Annales Entomologici Fennici 38(3): 126–149 [143]

History of changes