Comparative morphology of female gonapophyses IX in Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoromorpha) with key to tribes Author Wallner, Adam M. Author Bartlett, Charles R. text Zootaxa 2019 2019-03-05 4564 1 137 172 journal article 28428 10.11646/zootaxa.4564.1.5 9b7dd2d2-8b30-426f-92c7-531b05c3ea53 1175-5326 2588807 5EA3EB07-F3FD-4F05-9478-EAE0AA797CDE Tribe Plesiodelphacini Asche Description. Gonapophyses IX semicircular-shaped, average length 1404.35 µm, width 89 µm, bearing numerous, small, sharp teeth; lacks carination ( Fig. 10B ); one subapical tooth, ventrally; apex slightly serrate ( Fig. 10B ). Small ventral membranous sheath encompassing distal third of gonapophyses ( Fig. 10B ). Notes. Plesiodelphacini currently includes two genera in eight species, with seven of these species in Burnilia Muir & Giffard. As noted in Asche et al. (2016) , the phylogenetic position of this taxon may be problematic. Early cladistic (but non-quantitative) analyses ( Asche 1985a , b ) placed Plesiodelphacinae basad to the Stenocraninae and Kelisiinae , whereas the molecular phylogenetic analyses of Urban et al . (2010) placed Plesiodelphacinae in a derived position relative to Stenocraninae and Kelisiinae , sister to the Delphacinae . The latter analysis, if verified, “would have a substantial impact on the interpretation of morphological data” ( Asche et al . 2016 : 76). The tribe is restricted to the New World, more specifically the Caribbean, Central America, and South America ( Asche 1985b ), except for Burnilia japonica Asche, Hayashi & Fujinuma from Japan . New World representatives of this tribe are specialists on Heliconia spp. ( Heliconiaceae ), where nymphs and adults are found within the rolls of young leaves. Burnilia japonica from Japan is associated with Alpinia intermedia Gagnep (a ginger-lily; Zingiberales , Zingiberaceae ) ( Asche et al. 2016 ).