Tribe Platyjassini Evans, 1953

Platyjassini Evans, 1953: 113 (type genus: Platyjassus Evans, 1953).

Description

HABITUS. Medium-sized to large (4.9–19.0 mm) pale yellow (green in life) or brown leafhoppers, with or without red, yellow or brown markings. Body moderately to strongly depressed (Figs 1–3).

HEAD. With crown flat to slightly convex, usually produced, with two or more transverse carinae delimiting crown-face transition (Figs 23 D–F). Ocelli on crown well separated from anterior margin and eyes. Face (Figs 23 D–E) flattened to slightly convex; antenna inserted near anterodorsal corner of eye, shorter than head width; antennal ledge oblique, sharply carinate but not concealing antennal base, or amalgamated with marginal rim of crown; lateral frontal sutures absent or extended only to dorsal margin of face; gena slightly to strongly emarginate below eye, partially to completely concealing proepisternum; lorum flat, not extended to lateral margin of face; anteclypeus flat to slightly convex, distinctly broadened distally; rostrum short, not extended beyond middle coxae.

THORAX. Pronotum (Figs 1–3) with transverse striations indistinct to well developed, lateral margins carinate and slightly to strongly divergent posterad of eyes, usually wider than head. Forewing venation (Fig. 23G) including at least one s, two r-m and three m-cu crossveins, appendix well developed, much wider than inner apical cell, extended to or near wing apex. Hindwing venation complete, with R4+5 and M1+2 partially (Fig. 23H) to completely confluent (Fig. 23I). Front femur with AM1 well developed, other setae of AM poorly differentiated or absent; row IC uniseriate or with setae scattered near apex; AV usually with several long, stout setae; tibia cylindrical or with dorsal surface somewhat flattened, row PD with widely spaced macrosetae; AD weakly differentiated; ventral rows moderately to well differentiated. Middle femur usually with several widely spaced macrosetae in AD and PD. Hind femur macrosetal formula usually 2+ 2+1, with penultimate pair close-set; supernumerary macrosetae sometimes present; tibia with all macrosetal rows well differentiated and extended for nearly full length of tibia, PD macrosetae more numerous and usually slightly longer than in AD; tarsomere I with dorsoapical pair of macrosetae, plantar rows variably developed, pecten with four or more platellae.

ABDOMEN. Male abdomen with 2S apodemes usually well developed, capitate (Fig. 21E); sternite VII enlarged, posterior margin truncate, slightly produced or slightly emarginate, concealing at least basal half of subgenital plates with genital capsule in resting position. Pygofer (Fig. 21F) broadly fused to valve, base well sclerotized dorsally, lobes with numerous scattered macrosetae in distal half, with or without appendages. Subgenital plates (Fig. 21G) separate to base, freely articulated to valve, narrow at base, broadened toward middle, then tapered to slightly compressed apices, usually extended to or near pygofer apex, with or without macrosetae, usually with some long, fine setae along dorsolateral margin. Style (Fig. 19H) narrow and sinuate basally, with short apodeme and elongate apophysis often bearing denticuli ventrally. Connective (Figs 19H, 20H) with median anterior lobe variably developed, articulated to aedeagus. Aedeagus with dorsal apodeme usually well developed, shaft usually curved dorsad, with or without processes. Ovipositor with dorsal sculpturing of first valvulae strigate (Fig. 16A) or (rarely) imbricate-areolate (Fig. 17Q); second valvulae usually broad distally with dorsal margin serrate distally (Fig. 16R), rarely narrow with two widely spaced dorsal teeth (Fig. 16C).

Remarks

As mentioned by Evans (1953), Platyjassini are superficially similar to members of the endemic New World iassine tribe Gyponini in having the crown usually well delimited and flattened, with the ocelli on the crown and well separated from the anterior margin and eyes. The two tribes also have a similar structure of the male and female genitalia, forewing venation and leg chaetotaxy. Platyjassini differ from Gyponini in having the anteclypeus broadened apically, the forewing appendix much wider than the inner apical cell, and the hindwing with veins R4+5 and M1+2 partially to completely confluent.

Checklist of Platyjassini Evans, 1953

Betsileonas Kirkaldy, 1903 Betsileonas marmorata (Blanchard, 1840) . Southern Madagascar.

Pachyjassus gen. nov.

Pachyjassus alatus sp. nov. Mahajanga.

Pachyjassus basifurcatus sp. nov. Toliara.

Pachyjassus ranomafanensis sp. nov. Antananarivo.

Pallijassus gen. nov.

Pallijassus reticulatus (Evans, 1959) comb. nov. Mahajanga and Toliara.

Pallijassus stenospatulatus (Evans, 1959) comb. nov. Antananarivo, Mahajanga and Toliara.

Petalojassus gen. nov.

Petalojassus ochrescens sp. nov. Fianarantsoa.

Phaiojassus gen. nov.

Phaiojassus acutus sp. nov. Fianarantsoa.

Phaiojassus bispinosus sp. nov. Antananarivo and Fianarantsoa.

Phaiojassus constrictus sp. nov. Antsiranana.

Phaiojassus grandis sp. nov. Antsiranana.

Phaiojassus spatulatus sp. nov. Antsiranana.

Phaiojassus undulatus sp. nov. Antsiranana.

Phaiojassus unispinosus sp. nov. Antananarivo, Fianarantsoa and Toliara.

Pictojassus gen. nov.

Pictojassus kirindiensis sp. nov. Toliara.

Pictojassus productus sp. nov. Toliara.

Pictojassus tulearensis sp. nov. Toliara.

Platyjassella gen. nov.

Platyjassella ancora sp. nov. Antsiranana and Toamasina.

Platyjassella andohahelensis sp. nov. Toliara.

Platyjassella attenuata sp. nov. Toliara.

Platyjassella cormorana sp. nov. Mahajanga.

Platyjassella emarginata sp. nov. Antananarivo.

Platyjassella immaculata sp. nov. Toliara.

Platyjassula gen. nov.

Platyjassula cyclura sp. nov. Mahajanga.

Platyjassula heterofurca sp. nov. Mahajanga and Toliara.

Platyjassula isofurca sp. nov. Toliara.

Platyjassula mahajangensis sp. nov. Antsiranana and Mahajanga.

Platyjassus Evans, 1953

Platyjassus acutus sp. nov. Fianarantsoa.

Platyjassus asymmetricus sp. nov. Fianarantsoa.

Platyjassus fisheri sp. nov. Antsiranana.

Platyjassus griswoldi sp. nov. Antananarivo and Mahajanga.

Platyjassus harinhalai sp. nov. Toliara.

Platyjassus irwini sp. nov. Antananarivo.

Platyjassus pedistylus sp. nov. Fianarantsoa.

Platyjassus pennyi sp. nov. Fianarantsoa.

Platyjassus pictipennis sp. nov. Antsiranana and Mahajanga.

Platyjassus symmetricus sp. nov. Mahajanga.

Platyjassus vestigius sp. nov. Fianarantsoa.

Platyjassus viridis Evans, 1953 . Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Mahajanga and Fianarantsoa.

Plerujassus gen. nov.

Plerujassus appendiculatus (Evans, 1959) comb. nov. Mahajanga and Toliara.

Plerujassus brunnescens sp. nov. Mahajanga.

Plexijassus gen. nov.

Plexijassus caliginosus sp. nov. Antsiranana and Fianarantsoa.

Pseudocurtara gen. nov.

Pseudocurtara minima sp. nov. Antananarivo and Antsiranana.

Pseudocurtara nigripicta sp. nov. Toamasina.

Pseudocurtara quadrata sp. nov. Antananarivo, Antsiranana and Fianarantsoa.

Pseudocyrta gen. nov.

Pseudocyrta hyalina sp. nov. Antsiranana.

Pseudomarganana gen. nov.

Pseudomarganana olivacea sp. nov. Antananarivo and Fianarantsoa.

Pseudomarganana rosea sp. nov. Fianarantsoa.

Pulchrijassus gen. nov.

Pulchrijassus anjozorobensis sp. nov. Antananarivo.

Pulchrijassus eunsunae sp. nov. Antsiranana.

Pulchrijassus pallescens sp. nov. Fianarantsoa.

Pulchrijassus roseus sp. nov. Fianarantsoa.

Pulchrijassus rubrilineatus sp. nov. Fianarantsoa.

Pulchrijassus sindhuae sp. nov. Antananarivo and Fianarantsoa.

Pulchrijassus talatakelyensis sp. nov. Fianarantsoa.

Pulchrijassus toamasinensis sp. nov. Toamasina.

Punctijassus gen. nov.

Punctijassus circularis sp. nov. Toliara.

Punctijassus compressus sp. nov. Toliara.

Punctijassus ivohibensis sp. nov. Toliara.

Key to genera of Platyjassini (males)

1. Dorsal coloration nearly uniformly yellow or light brown (or green in life), without distinct pattern consisting of numerous colored spots or larger maculae (Fig 1A), at most with small black spot or dark infuscation near apex of forewing clavus or corium, or fuscous crown margin.........2

– Dorsal coloration not uniformly yellow or light brown, either mostly dark brown, red or black(Fig.1F), or with pattern consisting of numerous conspicuous spots or larger maculae (Figs 1N, 3D, J).........8

2. Crown in dorsal view without acute anterolateral extension distinctly overlapping eye (Figs 21A, 23B)....................................................................................................................................................3

– Crown in dorsal view with acute anterolateral extension distinctly overlapping eye (Figs 22A, 23 A–B)...............................................................................................................................................4

3. Frontoclypeus punctate, without transverse striations (Fig. 23D) ............ Pallijassus gen. nov.

– Frontoclypeus transversely rugose (Fig. 23E) ............................................ Plerujassus gen. nov.

4. Length of male 6.7 mm or less; aedeagus symmetrical or nearly so, or, if distinctly asymmetrical, with only distal processes present (Figs 7D, 15E).................................................5

– Length of male> 6.7 mm; aedeagus either symmetrical with paired basal processes or distinctly asymmetrical, with single process arising from atrium and well separated from shaft (Fig. 10F, except Platyjassus asymmetricus sp. nov. with asymmetrical process near shaft apex, Fig. 9C)......6

5. Hind coxa and apex of femur without black spot; male pygofer lobe often with sclerotized dorsal appendage or with apex emarginate (Fig. 7E, O); style apophysis with numerous conspicuous denticuli (Fig. 7B, F) ................................................................. Platyjassella gen. nov.

– Hind coxa and apex of femur each with distinct black spot (Figs 3 R–S, 23F); male pygofer lobe rounded distally, without processes (Fig. 15A); style apophysis without distinct denticuli (Fig. 15C) .................................................................................................. Punctijassus gen. nov.

6. Male style with two prominent acute projections apically (not foot-like, Fig. 8B); pygofer sometimes with ventral process (Fig. 8H) ...................................................... Platyjassula gen. nov.

– Male style apex foot-like with short heel and more elongated toe (Fig. 10D), or with single acute point (Fig. 10K); pygofer without ventral process...............................................................7

7. Anterolateral extension of crown overlapping <½ of anterolateral margin of eye (Figs 1A, 23A); hind coxa and apex of femur each with distinct black spot (Fig. 23F); aedeagus with pair of long basal processes (Fig. 4A, E) .......................................................... Pachyjassus gen. nov.

– Anterolateral extension of crown overlapping> ½ of anterolateral margin of eye (Fig. 23B); hind coxa and apex of femur without black spots; aedeagus with basal process absent, or present but unpaired and asymmetrical ................................................... Platyjassus Evans, 1953

8. Vertex in dorsal view with acute lateral extension overlapping anterolateral margin of eye (Figs 3C, J, 23B)..........................................................................................................................................9

– Vertex in dorsal view without acute lateral extension overlapping anterolateral margin of eye (Figs 3D, I, 23F).........................................................................................................................................13

9. Body length including forewings 15 mm or more, head distinctly wider than pronotum .............. ................................................................................................................. Betsileonas Kirkaldy, 1903

– Body length including forewings <13 mm, head narrower than pronotum................................10

10. Dorsal color pattern consisting of symmetrical red spots or pale green transcommissural marking (Fig. 1 M–O); hindwing veins RP and MA confluent for short distance, then separate distally......11

– Dorsal markings not as above, usually consisting of distinct longitudinal stripes (Fig. 3C, J–Q); hindwing veins RP and MA completely confluent distally...........................................................12

11. Dorsum with numerous conspicuous symmetrical red spots ........................ Pictojassus gen. nov.

– Dorsum with pale green transcommissural marking .................................... Petalojassus gen. nov.

12. Forewing vein R without supernumerary branches extended to costal margin, with extra crossveins usually present between veins R, M and CuA; dorsum usually with bold symmetrical pattern of dark and pale markings (Fig. 3 J–Q) ...................................................... Pulchrijassus gen. nov.

– Forewing vein R with one or more long supernumerary branches extended to costal margin, without extra crossveins between veins R, M. and CuA; dorsum nearly uniform dark brown or black (Fig. 3C) .................................................................................................... Plexijassus gen. nov.

13. Forewing with numerous supernumerary crossveins (Fig. 3F) .............. Pseudocurtara gen. nov.

– Forewing with, at most, 1–2 supernumerary crossveins (Fig. 3 G–I)...........................................14

14. Forewing mostly hyaline, appendix crenulate (Fig. 3G); hind femur with supernumerary macrosetae ........................................................................................................................... Pseudocyrta gen. nov.

– Forewing membrane with extensive opaque sclerotization, appendix flat, not crenulate (Fig. 3 H–I); hind femur macrosetae 2+2 +1........................................................................................15

15. Crown with pair of round black spots posterad of ocelli, pronotum with anterior group of irregular black maculae (Fig. 3 H–I); aedeagus symmetrical, with pair of lateral spines closely paralleling shaft .................................................................................... Pseudomarganana gen. nov.

– Crown without pair of round black spots, pronotum unicolorous, without group of anterior maculae (Fig. 1F); aedeagus usually asymmetrical, with spines variously arranged ..... Phaiojassus gen. nov.