Species Schuerrera merula (Distant, 1907)

Schuerrera merula (Distant), adult.

© Copyright Birgit Löcker. Orange Agricultural Institute.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Cixius merula Distant, W.L. 1907. Rhynchotal Notes. xli. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 7 19: 277-295 [284].

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) BMNH 4 x ♀, Peak Downs, Queensland.

Generic Combinations

• Schuerrera merula (Distant). —
  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 [138]

Introduction

A nicely marked species based on four female specimens from Peak Downs, Queensland, but redescribed by Löcker et.al. (2006) with males collected in SE Queensland.

Distribution

States

Queensland

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ)

Ecological Descriptors

Adult: phloem feeder.

Extra Ecological Information

Nymph might be phloem feeder or fungivore.

Diagnosis

Colour. Head dark brown, median carinae orange brown, lateral carinae yellow (except dark brown on postclypeus); pronotum dark brown, carinae and hind border of yellow; mesonotum dark brown to black; legs straw coloured to brown; forewing hyaline white with a few brown marks along crossveins and apical veins, the latter white to pale yellow, tubercles mid brown; abdominal sternites dark brown, intersegmental membranes yellow. Morphology. Body length. ♂ 4.0–4.2 mm; ♀ 4.8–4.9 mm. Head. Apex of vertex broadly truncate or pointed; median carina incomplete, 1/2–3/4 as long as vertex; lateral carinae slightly to moderately elevated. Frons with its maximum width distinctly ventrad of centre of frontoclypeal suture; lateral carinae slightly convex (although rectilinear apically). Frontoclypeal suture semicircular, median part not reaching lower margin of antennal scape; post- and anteclypeus lacking median carina. Thorax. Pronotum with arched carinae; hind margin rectangular. Forewing 3.5–4.0× longer than wide; costa with 15–18 tubercles; fork of Sc+R distad of or at same level as fork of CuA1+CuA2; position of icu at CuP distad of or at same level as apex of clavus; nine (rarely 10) apical cells. Hind leg: tibia with 2–3 small lateral spines (without large lateral spines); six apical teeth in row interrupted by a narrow gap; 1st tarsomere with 10 apical teeth and four platellae. Male genitalia. Aedeagus: phallotheca with a long, moderately curved spine arising ventrolaterally near apex, a strongly curved spine and a moderately curved spine, both arising ventrolaterally above midlength; flagellum unarmed. (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 [138]

General 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 [138]

History of changes