Genus Thymbrella Evans, 1969

Museums

Regional Maps

• Thymbrella Evans, J.W. 1969. Characteristics and components of Ledrinae and some new genera and new species from Australia and New Guinea (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Pacific Insects 11(3-4): 735-754 [747].

  Type species:

   Thymbrella tamminensis Evans, 1969 by original designation.

 

Introduction

This genus and Putoniessiella were both described by Evans (1969) who did not give a method of separating them. Putoniessiella was compared with Putoniessa Kirkaldy only and Thymbrella was compared with Rhotidus Walker and Thymbris Kirkaldy. In keys to the genera of Thymbrini provided by the compiler (Fletcher, M.J. (2005) Illustrated Key to the Genera of the Tribe Thymbrini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Tartessinae) http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/leafhop/tartessinae/thym00.htm [accessed: 13.ii.2012]) Putoniessiella and Thymbrella, both of which occur in SW Western Australia, key out together and cannot be separated. Further obfuscating the limits of the two genera, Evans states that the male genitalia of Putoniessiella have a bilobed aedeagus and sword-like pygophore process, however his illustration of the type species, P. sagitta, shows no sword-like pygophore process although the aedeagus is bilobed and is drawn with what appears to be a long basal process. In contrast, no mention is made of the male genitalia in the description of Thymbrella although the illustration of the type species, T. tamminensis, shows a pronounced elongate dorsal pygofer process. Until the holotype males of both type species are examined and some valid generic features are clearly defined, the status of both genera remains unclear. Thymbrella is known from three arid zone localities in SW Western Australia.

 

Distribution

States

Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

WA: Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Coolgardie (COO)

Diagnosis

Slender insects with narrow [arrow?]-shaped heads. The face of the head, which is slightly wider than long, has the anteclypeus narrowing anteriorly and sloping towards the base of the labrum. The lora, which are striated, extend posteriorly almost as far as the antennal bases. The convex postclypeus is widest posteriorly. The antennal ledges are oblique and the wide antennal depressions slope steeply towards the sides of the lora. The ocelli, which are on the thickened apex of the head, are visible neither in ventral nor dorsal aspect. The crown of the head, which is considerably longer medially than against the eyes, is laterally declivous. The pronotum, which is slightly convex, is not declivous and anteriorly is at a lower level than the hind margin of the head. The tegmina which are long and narrow have a basic pattern of cicadellid venation. The spinose hind tibiae have seven spines in the row of strongest spines and these decrease in size from the apex to the base. Thymbrella resembles Rhotidus Walker in the shape of the crown of the head but differs in having the ocelli marginal instead of dorsally situated and in having the apex of the head thickened and not acute. It differs from Thymbris Kirkaldy, with which it shares certain characteristics, in having an almost flat, instead of a declivous pronotum (Evans 1969).

 

ID Keys

Fletcher, M.J. (2005) Illustrated Key to the Genera of the Tribe Thymbrini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Tartessinae) http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/leafhop/tartessinae/thym00.htm [accessed: 13.ii.2012]

 

Diagnosis References

Evans, J.W. 1969. Characteristics and components of Ledrinae and some new genera and new species from Australia and New Guinea (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Pacific Insects 11(3-4): 735-754 [747]

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
20-Sep-2011		20-Sep-2011	MOVED
		12-Feb-2010	(import)