Carneocephala Ball, 1927

Catanach, Therese A., Dietrich, Chris H. & Woolley, James B., 2013, A revision of the New World sharpshooter genus Xyphon Hamilton (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae), Zootaxa 3741 (4), pp. 490-510 : 496

Carneocephala Ball, 1927 (in part)

Type species. Diedrocephala flaviceps Riley, 1880 .

Diagnosis. Medium to large-sized leafhoppers (~ 4-6mm); usually green overall, rarely straw, brown, or black; similar to Draeculacephala in having reticulate crossveins at apex of forewing (character 27) and aedeagus thickest at base (character 36), but differing in lacking medial sulcus on crown (character 6), having anterolateral margin of crown rounded not carinate (character 1), and having forewing appendix extending to costal margin (character 28).

Genus description (synapomorphies italicized). Head. Median sulcus of head absent. Anterolateral margin of crown rounded to face. Head patterned with dark pigment (both regular shapes or irregular patches) or not, face usually with muscle scars.

Thorax. Pronotum light/dark pigmentation pattern variable, with or without pigment patches, dark circles, or indentations; midline of pronotum concolorous with remaining surface or blue or white; darker individuals sometimes with brown longitudinal stripes on mesosternum.

Legs. Usually with longitudinal row of 4 paleate setae on plantar surface of first tarsomere of hind leg, species/ individuals vary; all species have 2+1 hind leg macrosetal formula (except gillettei 2+0).

Forewing. Appendix extended to costal margin; apex with many crossveins, usually densely reticulate; green, rarely black, brown, or straw colored; anal veins usually white, blue, or green.

Male genitalia. Macrosetae present on pygofer and/or subgenital plates, placement variable; pygofer approximately same length as subgenital plates. Subgenital plate triangular, apex weakly sclerotized, macrosetae small, arranged in oblique row or band. Aedeagal shaft not compressed in dorsal view; in lateral view thickest at base. Paraphyses short and stout in ventral view, curving across shaft at or basad of midlength; appearing sinuate in lateral view. Shank of style short, strongly curved mesad, with one (rarely two) conspicuous setae preapically.

Female sternite VII with posterior margin slightly produced and angulate medially and with shorter paired angulate lateral lobes. Second valvulae abruptly broadened near base and gradually tapered toward apex with close-set, serrate triangular teeth extended over most of length.

Geographic range. Xyphon is native to the temperate and tropical regions of the New World, but rarely collected in the northeastern United States and southern Canada. Collection localities range from Canada to Argentina, and include several Caribbean islands. One species, X. reticulatum , has been introduced into western Africa and several Pacific islands.