An Appraisal of the Higher Classification of Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea) with Special Reference to the Australian Fauna
Author
Moulds, MS
text
Records of the Australian Museum
2005
2005-11-30
57
3
375
446
https://doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.57.2005.1447
journal article
263912
10.3853/j.0067-1975.57.2005.1447
0e5dc21c-0971-430f-95e2-8d3aa91ebeb0
2201-4349
8239161
Tribe
Taphurini
Distant, 1905
Taphuraria
Distant, 1905e: 25
.
Lemuriaria
Moulton, 1923: 78
.
Eaphurarini [sic]
Lallemand, 1925: 2
.
Taphurini
Kato, 1932: 171
.
Type genus
.
Taphura
Distant
(type species
T. misella
Stål
).
Included genera
.
Abricta
Stål
,
Abroma
Stål
,
Aleeta
Moulds
,
Chrysocicada
Boulard
,
Dorachosa
Distant
,
Dulderana
Distant
,
Elachysoma
Torres
,
Hea
Distant
,
Hylora
Boulard
,
Imbabura
Distant
,
Kanakia
Distant
,
Lemuriana
Distant
,
Ligymolpa
Karsch
,
Magicicada
Davis
,
Malagasia
Distant
,
Malgachialna
Boulard
,
Monomatapa
Distant
,
Musimoia
China,
Nelcyndana
Distant
,
Neomuda
Distant
,
Nosola
Stål
,
Oudeboschia
Distant
,
Panka
Distant
,
Prosotettix
Jacobi
,
Psallodia
Uhler
,
Selymbria
Stål
,
Taphura
Stål
,
Trismarcha
Karsch
,
Tryella
Moulds
,
Ueana
Distant
,
Viettealna
Boulard
; a new genus represented by
Abricta occidentalis
.
Note that
Magicicada
was previously attributed to the
Tibicinini
and
Chrysocicada
to the
Parnisini
.
Diagnosis
. Head with supra-antennal plate meeting or nearly meeting eye (except in
Aleeta
and
Tryella
). Postclypeus shape in transverse cross-section rounded; postclypeal ridges lacking transverse grooves towards distal ends. Pronotal collar with lateral margin weakly ampliate or confluent with adjoining pronotal sclerites; lateral tooth absent (except in
Magicicada
). Fore wing pterostigma present; veins C and R+Sc close together; vein RA
1
aligned closely with subcosta (Sc) for its length. Hind wing with anal lobe broad and vein 3A usually curved at distal end, long, separated from wing margin. Fore leg femoral primary spine erect. Meracanthus gradually tapering to a point, triangular or nearly so. Male opercula not completely encapsulating meracanthus, partly or entirely covering tympanal cavity but never extending beyond midlength of abdomen. Male abdominal tergites with sides straight or convex in cross-section; tergites 2 and 3 similar in size to tergites 4–7; epipleurites reflexed to ventral surface (except in
Magicicada
), without an inward V-shaped kink. Timbals extend below wing bases. Pygofer with upper lobe either present or absent, flat; pygofer basal lobe moderately to well developed; dorsal beak a part of chitinized pygofer. Uncus absent. Claspers large, dominating the whole 10th abdominal segment, often widely separated.Aedeagus with basal portion basal plate directed forwards away from thecal shaft; ventral rib rod-like, suspended with attachment only at ends; theca either recurved basally through 140° or lacking a pronounced basal recurve; pseudoparameres absent; subapical cerci absent. Male reproductive system with accessory glands long in
Aleeta
, otherwise unknown. Female reproductive system with accessory glands of common oviduct long in
Aleeta
, otherwise unknown.
Distinguishing characters
. Males differ from other members of the subfamily
Cicadettinae
by having the aedeagal basal plate with the ventral rib rod-like, suspended with attachments only at ends. The claspers are widely separated except in
Abricta occidentalis
that represents a new genus. Males can be distinguished from those of the
Cicadettini
by having the timbals not extending below the level of the wing bases, and the timbal ribs are long and closely spaced and at least 5 in number. Females differ from the
Chlorocystini
and
Prasiini
by having the head broader than the maximum width of the pronotum. Females cannot be distinguished from those of the
Cicadettini
in which the fore wing veins M and CuA meet the basal cell separated.
Discussion
. Attributes previously defining the
Taphurini
still apply but are insufficient for unique characterization. Differences between the type genus from South America (and its allies) and other
Taphurini
are considered sufficiently distinct to warrant division of the tribe into two subtribes.
The nominotypical subtribe
Taphurina Distant
has no Australian representative. Included genera are
Dorachosa
Distant
,
Dulderana
Distant
,
Elachysoma
Torres
,
Imbabura
Distant
,
Nosola
Stål
,
Prosotettix
Jacobi
,
Selymbria
Stål
and
Taphura
Stål
, although some genera allocated here may be incorrectly placed as it was not possible to examine examples of all genera. The diagnostic features of the subtribe
Taphurina
are as follows: Male aedeagus lacks a strong basal recurve of the theca and the upper pygofer lobe is absent; the male opercula curve towards abdominal midline but are very small, narrow, and remain widely separated and far from the distal margins of the tympanal cavities.