Species Schuerrera ecarinata Löcker & Fletcher, 2006

Schuerrera ecarinata Löcker & Fletcher, adult

© Copyright Birgit Löcker. Orange Agricultural Institute.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Schuerrera ecarinata Löcker, B. & Fletcher, M.J. in Löcker, B., Fletcher, M.J., Larivière, M.-C., Gurr, G.M., Holzinger, W.E. & Löcker, H. 2006. Taxonomic and phylogenetic revision of the Gelastocephalini (Hemiptera: Cixiidae). Invertebrate Systematics 20: 59-160 [137].

  Type data:

   Holotype ASCU ASCTHE026677 ♂ (coll: M.I. Nikitin, 28.xii.1965, by sweeping in orchard), Cabramatta, New South Wales.

Introduction

An odd-looking species in lateral view with the head rounded anteriorly and the wings broader towards their apices. It is reasonably widespread along the eastern seaboard between Bowen, Queensland and the Sydney region in New South Wales.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NSW, Qld: Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Sydney Basin (SB), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ)

Ecological Descriptors

Adult: phloem feeder.

Extra Ecological Information

Nymph might be phloem feeder or fungivore.

Diagnosis

Colour. Head mid to dark brown, carinae paler; pronotum mid brown, carinae light brown; mesonotum dark brown, central parts and carinae paler; legs straw coloured to light brown; forewing hyaline light brown with brown marks along crossveins and apical parts of veins, the latter concolorous with cells, tubercles mid brown; abdominal sternites brown, intersegmental membranes pale yellowish. Morphology. Body length. ♂ 4.7–5.3 mm; ♀ 6.1–7.1 mm. Head. Apex of vertex broadly truncate; median carina incomplete, ~3/4 as long as vertex; lateral carinae moderately elevated. Frons with its maximum width distinctly ventrad of centre of frontoclypeal suture; lateral carinae convex (evenly rounded) or slightly s-shaped. Frontoclypeal suture semicircular, median part reaching at least lower margin of antennal scape; median carina on postclypeus well developed close to frontoclypeal suture, otherwise evanescent; anteclypeus lacking median carina Thorax. Pronotum with sinuate carinae; hind margin right or acutely angled. Forewing more than 4× longer than wide; costa with 9–15 tubercles; fork of Sc+R distad of or at same level as fork of CuA1+CuA2; position of icu at CuP distad of apex of clavus; 10 (rarely nine) apical cells. Hind leg: tibia with 2–3 small lateral spines (without large lateral spines); six apical teeth in a row interrupted by a wide gap; 1st tarsomere with 10–11 apical teeth and five platellae. Male genitalia. Aedeagus: phallotheca with a very long, curved spine arising ventrolaterally near apex and a shorter moderately curved spine arising ventrally above midlength; flagellum unarmed.
Remarks. The male genitalia of this species looks very similar to those of S. clypeocarinata, the two species being differentiated most easily by the absence of a median carina on most of the clypeus and the longer forewing. (Löcker et.al. 2006)

ID Keys

Löcker et.al. (2006: 137)

Diagnosis References

Löcker, B., Fletcher, M.J., Larivière, M.-C., Gurr, G.M., Holzinger, W.E. & Löcker, H. 2006. Taxonomic and phylogenetic revision of the Gelastocephalini (Hemiptera: Cixiidae). Invertebrate Systematics 20: 59-160 [137]

History of changes