Hylicinae

Viraktamath, C. A. & Yeshwanth, H. M., 2023, Leafhopper subfamily Hylicinae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae) in the Indian subcontinent with description of new species, Zootaxa 5319 (4), pp. 451-500 : 453

Subfamily Hylicinae

Diagnosis. Medium to large sized (6.3–19.5 mm long), brown to dark brown or black leafhoppers with their body and appendages covered with conspicuous setae or setae mixed with scales. Head produced (except in Balala and Hemisudra ). Ocelli placed on protuberances on crown, lateral frontal sutures reaching or almost reaching ocelli; pronotum large with long and posteriorly diverging lateral margins. Forewing costal area deflexed ventrally in basal 0.5–0.33 region concealing dorsolateral area of thoracic region ( Figs 1B, 1F , 2B , 3B, 3E ), with cross vein m-cu 2 apparently connected to the anterior branch of Cu1 (or CuA in Emeljanov’s system) rather than Cu, forewing appendix broad, extended around wing apex as far as the costal margin and corrugated. Hind wing costal margin with 3–11 stout setae in proximal half. Abdomen flattened, extending laterally beyond folded forewings in repose. Abdominal tergites IV and V or V and VI with one large or paired transverse yellow median patches in most genera. Male genitalia more or less uniform in basic plan; pygofer with tergites and valve fused laterally, with a membranous area between anterior ring-like sclerite and posterior well-developed somewhat elongate pygofer lobes, without long macrosetae but invested with shorter sometimes stouter setae especially near posterior end (for example in Balala and Sudra ), male pygofer ventral process present (absent in Hylica , Nacolus and Traiguma ); valve short, transverse, often vestigial; subgenital plates triangular, separate, with scattered short setae; style with reduced apophysis (except in Traiguma and Wolfella ), with a few setae at posterior apex; connective with posterior margin bilobed and often recurved dorsoanteriorly; aedeagus articulated with connective, atrium often prolonged anteriorly, dorsal apodeme well-developed, shaft tubular with apical or subapical gonopore on ventral surface, rarely with apical processes (as in Balala ), dorsal surface often corrugated either entirely or laterally as in Assiringia , Hemisudra etc.; male segment XI with a pair of long anterior apodemes arising from ventral margin.

Evans (1946b), Kramer (1964) Linnavuori 1972) and Dietrich et al. (2015, unpublished) diagnosed the subfamily and the diagnosis given here is based on some of the characters enumerated by them in addition to our observations, especially the characters of the hind wing and male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 1A–H. Hylicinae genera Assiringia and Balala, habitus. A–D, Assiringia exhibita Distant, syntype male: A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, face, D, label data. E–H, Balala fulviventris (Walker), holotype male: E, dorsal view; F, lateral view; G, face, H, label data.

FIGURES 2A–H. Hylicinae genera Hatigoria and Kalasha, habitus.A–D, Hatigoria praeiens Distant, syntype male:A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, face, D, label data. E–H, Kalasha nativa Distant, holotype male: E, dorsal view; F, lateral view; G, face, H, label data.

FIGURES 3A–H. Hylicinae genera Nacolus and Sudra, habitus. A–D, Nacolus assamensis Distant, a junior synonym of Nacolus tuberculatus (Walker), syntype male: A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, face, D, label data. E–H, Sudra notanda Distant, topotype: E, dorsal view; F, lateral view; G, face, H, label data.