Sphenax, Gnezdilov, Vladimir M. & Bourgoin, Thierry, 2009

Gnezdilov, Vladimir M. & Bourgoin, Thierry, 2009, First record of the family Caliscelidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) from Madagascar, with description of new taxa from the Afrotropical Region and biogeographical notes, Zootaxa 2020, pp. 1-36 : 20

Genus Sphenax gen. n.

Type species: Sphenax cuneus sp. n.

Diagnosis (figs 45–47). Metope elongate, with distinct sublateral keels and weak median keel. Metope forming a short wedge-shaped (flattened dorso-laterally) proboscis. Median keel of metope not reaching its upper margin. Sublateral keels of metope are joined at apex of proboscis and not joined at its upper margin. Metope striated between sublateral keels and with two rows of granules between lateral and sublateral keels. Pedicel with comparatively long acuminate process. Coryphe transverse, with median keel, anterior margin convex, posterior margin nearly straight or weakly concave. Pronotum with median keel. Scutellum with median and lateral keels. Fore wings reaching middle of third abdominal tergite. Venation of fore wings obscure, radius bifurcate. Hind tibia with single lateral spine. First and second metatarsomeres are equal in length, each without intermediate spines. Female sternite VII with convex hind margin.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from the Greek noun σφηνός—wedge, referring to peculiar wedge-shaped proboscis of the metope. It is masculine in gender.

Comparison. The new genus is close to the genera Homaloplasis Melichar, 1906 (figs 41–44) and Ugandana Metcalf, 1952 (figs 48, 49) according to the dorso-laterally flattened wedge-shaped proboscis (fig. 47), but it differs from the first by absence of developed sensory pits and from the latter by its elongate metope and first metatarsomere without intermediate spines.