Chlamydopteryx mammoides, Gnezdilov, Vladimir M. & Fletcher, Murray J., 2010

Gnezdilov, Vladimir M. & Fletcher, Murray J., 2010, A review of the Australian genera of the planthopper family Issidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) with description of an unusual new species of Chlamydopteryx Kirkaldy, Zootaxa 2366, pp. 35-45 : 36-38

Chlamydopteryx mammoides sp.n.

( Figs 1–3)

Type material. Holotype, female, [ Australia, Queensland], Mapleton, 7.iv. [19]57, E.F. Henzell, “Reg. # 43753” ( UQIC). Paratypes, 3 females, [ Australia, Queensland], ex Eremophila mitchellii Benth. (Myoporaceae) , 48.6 km NW of Charleville, 26º08'49"S 145º51'49"E, 365m, 1.xi 1998, Schuh, Cassis & Silveira (2 in AMS, 1 in ASCU).

Description. Total length: Females: (n=3) 4.7–5.4 mm (mean = 5.07 mm). Metope light yellow, with smooth black orbs medially and black transverse stripes laterally. Clypeus light yellow, with dark brown transverse and longitudinal stripes. Genae light yellow. Coryphe dark brown, with light yellow spots. Pronotum dark brown, with light yellow median line, tubercules and paranotal lobes. Mesonotum black, with light yellow median line. Fore wings smooth. Corium of fore wings dark brown, sometimes black, with fuzzy light yellow band medially and with light yellow spots and transverse veins distally. Clavus dark brown, with light yellow spots. Hind wings dark brown. Thoracic sternites and trochanters light yellow. Femora and tibiae with brown internal sides and light yellow, with light brown stripes external sides. Abdominal sternites IV-VI light yellow, excluding brownish middle parts and two dark brown spots on each side laterally. Abdominal sternite VII with dark brown lateral parts (almost completely covered by sternite VI). Gonoplacs and anal tube dark brown. Apices of spines of legs black.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin noun “mamma” = bust, referring to the two rounded orbs on the metope.

Distribution. Queensland.

Note. This species is placed in the genus Chlamydopteryx by virtue of its wide fore wings and triangularly elongate gonoplacs but differs from all other species in the genus in the surface structure of the metope.

The presence of the two rounded orbs on the metope implies a function similar to that suggested by Constant (2005: 62) for the smooth prominences on the metope of Gelastopsis insignis Kirkaldy, 1906 ( Hemiptera : Fulgoromorpha: Eurybrachidae ) as being mimicry of the large frontal eyes of salticid spiders. Many of these spiders are of similar size to these insects and move with short jumps. Although C. mammoides has not been observed alive, it is suggested that these insects may move in a similar manner to strengthen the ruse. Observations of living G. insignis by Mr Peter Chew of Brisbane and reported by Constant (2005) support this hypothesis. Within the Australian Issidae , only Chlamydopteryx sidnicus ( Kirkaldy 1906) , comb. n. has a comparable feature – a white oval inside a black field ( Fig. 4).