Species Siphanta constricta Fletcher, 1985

Siphanta constricta Fletcher, adult male

© Copyright Murray Fletcher, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Siphanta constricta Fletcher, adult female

© Copyright Murray Fletcher, Orange Agricultural Institute.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Siphanta constricta Fletcher, M.J. 1985. Revision of the genus Siphanta Stål (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea: Flatidae). Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 110: 1-94 [24].

  Type data:

   Holotype ANIC 9451 ♂ (coll.: 27.v.1973, Upton & McInnes), 7 km NW by N of Cahill's Crossing, East Alligator River, Northern Territory.

Introduction

This species was placed by Fletcher (1985) into the anomala group but, although the five species in this group show affinity with each other, they lack uniform characteristics throughout. S. constricta, which is found in the Northern Territory, shares a head structure and strongly sinuate costal margin of the tegmen S. anomala which is found in NW Western Australia. It is also distinctive in its bright coloration, particularly in the female, whereas S. anomala is basically dirty white in colour with dull reddish around the veins.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NT: Arnhem Plateau (ARP), Pine Creek (PCK)

Ecological Descriptors

All stages: phloem feeder.

Diagnosis

Head and thorax testaceous or green with red speckling around carinae and margins. Frons apically pallid with red and black speckling over apical half. Pronotum with white granules. Tegmen grey green in male and leaf green (fading to yellow) in females with orange crossveins. Margin spotted with red from near base of costal margin around apical margin to apex of clavus. Tegminal granules black at tip, usually with bright red area surrounding each. Clavus with outer two cells fuscous. Head with frons elongate, flat over basal 2/3 with rounded prominences level with antennae; apex of frons with three short longitudinal carinae; vertex apically curving upwards, smooth with apical margin roundly produced forwards. Costal margin of tegmen strongly convex to apex of costal cell, thence concave to rounded apical angle; costal margin more strongly sinuate in males than females; sutural angle rounded right-angle; M1+2 branched level with apex of clavus. Male pygofer without process differentiated from posterodorsal corner. Paramere triangular with recurved pointed process. Female third valvulae short, triangular with pilose area ventral. Second valvulae gap shallow, widely U-shaped (Fletcher 1985).

ID Keys

Fletcher 1985: 4
Fletcher, M.J. (2005). Illustrated Key to the species of the genus Siphanta Stål (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Flatidae) http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/fulgor/flatid/siphanta/siph00.htm

Diagnosis References

Fletcher, M.J. 1985. Revision of the genus Siphanta Stål (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea: Flatidae). Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 110: 1-94 [24]

History of changes