Very preliminary notes on the Zanna of Africa with photos of 17 species

Zanna is a genus of large planthoppers found throughout Africa and Asia. In Africa, Zanna is the most commonly encountered genus of Fulgorids (and will probably remain so until the genus is inevitably removed from the family Fulgoridae). 24 species are known from Africa, but the genus is in major need of a modern revision. In absence of that, the images here from the entomology collection at the NHM London are meant to present an introduction to the genus in Africa and its complexities, but are not meant to be diagnostic. Only 17/24 species are pictured, and other factors such as the shape of the cephalic process in lateral view, the range, and the characters detailed in the original descriptions should also be considered when attempting to identify African Zanna, . A key to the genus does not exist, and identification to species level of most Zanna is discouraged until a more complete understanding of the genus can be made.

Species with hindwings completely black

Zanna tenebrosa (Fabricius, 1775) (including as a synonym Zanna madagascarensis, sometimes treated as a distinct species)

Zanna natalensis Distant, 1893 (note: this species may have been synonomized with tenebrosa, but I cannot find the source of this if it is true)

Zanna flammea (Linné, 1763)

Zanna bacula (Gerstaecker, 1895)

Species with hindwings black basally, lighter apically

Zanna pustulosa Gerstaecker, 1873

Zanna rendalli Distant, 1905

Zanna wroughtoni Distant, 1907

Zanna basibrunnea (Schmidt, 1906)

Species with hindwings black but with a pale marking on basal half

Zanna clavaticeps Karsch, 1890

Zanna turrita Gerstaecker, 1895

Zanna noduligera Melichar, 1908

Species with hindwings pale

Zanna intricata Walker, 1858

Zanna westwoodi Metcalf, 1947

Zanna punctata (Olivier, 1791)

Zanna ascendens Lallemand, 1959

Zanna beieri Lallemand, 1959

Zanna capensis Lallemand, 1966

Additional species not pictured here

Zanna angolana Lallemand, 1959
Zanna bouriezi Lallemand, 1959
Zanna chopardi Lallemand, 1942
Zanna ornata Melichar, 1908
Zanna pauliani (Lallemand, 1950)
Zanna schweizeri Schmidt, 1906
Zanna soni Lallemand, 1959

Posted on Μάρτιος 17, 2023 0342 ΠΜ by psyllidhipster