Αρχεία Ημερολογίου για Μάρτιος 2023

Μάρτιος 02, 2023

Notes on the identity of Hariola claryi Audibert, Porion & Nagai, 2016, a lanternfly from New Guinea

In 2016 Audibert, Porion, & Nagai described a new species of Hariola from New Guinea. The new species resembles the type species of Hariola by reference to the tegmen coloration, but the shape of the cephalic process differs dramatically, and the authors did not explain the placement of this species in the genus Hariola. Indeed, many genera from New Guinea are similarly colored and nothing in the description of the species implies that the species was compared with other New Guinea genera, which are largely distinguished by the shape of the cephalic process. Based on the shape of the cephalic process, I posit that the species is correctly placed in the genus Ombro, and as the authors did not compare their species with this genus it is likely that Hariola claryi is synonymous with Ombro vindemitor Fennah 1977.


Left: Hariola tiarata, type species. Right: Hariola claryi


Hariola tiarata, cephalic process


Left: Hariola claryi cephalic process. Right: Ombro vindemitor cephalic process, illustration by Fennah 1977


Left: Hariola claryi. Right: Ombro vindemitor, illustration by Fennah 1977

Posted on Μάρτιος 02, 2023 1033 ΜΜ by psyllidhipster psyllidhipster | 2σχόλια | Αφήστε ένα σχόλιο

Μάρτιος 17, 2023

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 psyllidhipster | 14σχόλια | Αφήστε ένα σχόλιο

Μάρτιος 21, 2023

The Fulgoridae of South Africa: the subfamilies Strongylodematinae and Lyncidinae


Capenopsis from South Africa © Gigi Laidler, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)

The Fulgoridae of South Africa is made up of 4 components, the most unique and unusual of which is a group of tiny brachypterous species which resemble (and were formerly treated as) Orgeriine Dictyopharids. These species, now referred to the Fulgorid subfamilies Strongylodematinae and Lyncidinae, are almost entirely endemic to South Africa, with the exception of a single species described from the island of Mayotte north of Madagascar. That species is not treated here.

Fennah (1962, 1967) described and illustrated most of the species, and an additional species was described by Emeljanov 2007. The following illustrations are taken from those publications and reorganized for convenience. The original publications should be consulted for complete descriptions.

Risius gibbus Fennah, 1967


Risius astyanax Fennah, 1967


Risius palamedes Fennah, 1967


Risius spurcus Stål, 1859


Risius patroclus Fennah, 1967


Risius darwini Fennah, 1962


Risius limonias Fennah, 1967


Risius omega Fennah, 1967


Risius porrectus Fennah, 1967


Risius belona Fennah, 1967


Capenopsis minos Fennah, 1962


Capenopsis horvathi Melichar, 1912


Capenopsis krameri Synave, 1969


Capocles podlipaevi Emeljanov, 2007


Capocles socrates (Fennah, 1967) type species


Codon adrastus Fennah, 1967


Codon praestana Fennah, 1962


Strongylodemas breviceps Fennah, 1962


Strongylodemas circulare Stål, 1855 type species


Strongylodemas retarius Fennah, 1967


Tecmar pausanias Fennah, 1962


Posted on Μάρτιος 21, 2023 1229 ΜΜ by psyllidhipster psyllidhipster | 2σχόλια | Αφήστε ένα σχόλιο

Μάρτιος 27, 2023

Notes on the identity of Acmonia aegrota and Acmonia spilota, two Fulgorids from South America


The above image from Porion 1994, labeled Acmonia aegrota, depicts a beautiful and unique species, quite different from other Acmonia. It is also not Acmonia aegrota.

Porion 1994, while being a monumental work in terms of new world Fulgoridae, is not without errors. This post seeks to correct one of them to help progress the understanding of this group of insects

Acmonia aegrota was described from Colombia in 1860 by Gerstaecker. The original description, translated to english, includes: "elytra ... almost translucent yellowish green... the basal third part of the broad anterior margin bright red.... The hindwings are ... red over the smaller basal half, otherwise light smoky brown...". Gerstaecker includes the folloing illustration of this species:

While the color characters aren't possible to assess from a black and white illustration, it becomes clear that Gerstaecker's description and illustration of Acmonia aegrota is not in agreement with Porion's interpretation.

A specimen in the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin is labeled Acmonia aegrota, and agrees in all respects with Gerstaecker's description. This is the correct interpration of the species:

The question then becomes, if the species pictured in Porion 1994 is not Acmonia aegrota, what is it? Costa Lima 1942, in Insetos de Brasil, helps provide an answer, with this image labeled Acmonia maculata:

Gerstaecker again incudes a description of Acmonia maculata. Translated to english, "head, thorax, and elytra ochraceous-black variegated... [hind]wings black brown, base pale blue-marked, a small hyaline spot". Metcalf 1947 includes Acmonia maculata as a synonym of Acmonia spilota, and several specimens of Acmonia spilota are again present in the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin:

Based on these things, the correct interpretation of Acmonia aegrota sensu Porion 1994 should be Acmonia spilota.

Posted on Μάρτιος 27, 2023 1109 ΠΜ by psyllidhipster psyllidhipster | 0σχόλια | Αφήστε ένα σχόλιο