Tribe Ulopini Evans, 1947

Museums

Regional Maps

• Ulopini Evans, J.W. 1947. A natural classification of leafhoppers (Jassoidea, Homoptera) Part 3. Jassidae. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 98(6): 105-271 [118].

  Type genus:

   Ulopa Fallen, 1814.

Introduction

The Australian Ulopini comprise seven small cryptically coloured species in six genera. As with the Cephalelini, the species are found in the cooler temperate parts of the continent and in Tasmania. In general they are slow moving insects incapable of jumping and most are also incapable of flight. The best known and most widespread is Austrolopa brunensis Evans which is commonly found on species of Cassinia R. Br. (Asteraceae). The species are probably mainly relictual with one species, Doowella wanungarae (Evans), recorded from moss beds and it is possible that others live in a similar cryptic habitat.

Diagnosis

Head. The labium is long with two visible segments and the anteclypeus is long and narrow or bulbous and pear-shaped and is separated from the postclypeus by a distinct transverse suture. The lora are large and swollen and may extend as far as or beyond the outer margins of the maxillary plates. The maxillary plates are narrow and maxillary sutures are usually retained. The postclypeus, which may overhang and partially conceal the anteclypeus, is sometimes swollen, either entirely or anteriorly only. A distinct frons is sometimes retained and is usually on the face of the head, although, in forms in which the head is flexed across the axis of the antennal ledges, the frons may assume a dorsal position. Frontal and postfrontal sutures are always present. The antennal ledges are curved and may terminate medially as lobe-like processes. The antennal depressions are deep and continue anteriorly as channel-like depressions which extend as far as the anterior margin of the head in the neighbourhood of the eyes. The ocelli are either in marginal depressions or on the crown and sometimes lie close together on either side of the coronal suture; they may also be widely separated and lie either close to the anterior margin of the crown or nearer to the posterior than to the anterior margin. They may be well developed, rudimentary or absent and the eyes are prominent, often bulbous. Thorax. The pronotum is wide laterally, sometimes collar-like and may have narrow lateral paranota; it is usually anterolaterally depressed and may be declivous. The proepisterna are not concealed by the head. The scutellum usually has a deep transverse slit and the katepisterna of the mesothorax are produced as a pair of finger-like processes. Legs. The tibia may be qudrilateral in section or widely flattened and the hind tibiae short with only a few hair-like spines or long with a fringe of hair-like spines. Tegmina. The tegmina may be fully developed or elytra-like and hence functionless or thay may be reduced to short, flat pads. The veins are raised in relief and the venation may be of the complete normal jassid pattern, reticulate to a varying degree or obscure. Wings. The wings may be fully developed and have normal jassid venation or lack the anterior branch of the radius or they may be absent. Male genitalia. The base of the aedeagus usually extends between the anal segment and the basal plate; the parameres are long and the ninth segment retains its separate identity (Evans 1947).

Diagnosis References

Evans, J.W. 1947. A natural classification of leafhoppers (Jassoidea, Homoptera) Part 3. Jassidae. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 98(6): 105-271 [119–120]

History of changes