Balclutha punctata (Fabricius)

Lu, Lin, Zhang, Yalin & Webb, M. D., 2013, Review of the Grass Feeding Leafhopper Genus Balclutha Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) in China, Zootaxa 3691 (5), pp. 501-537 : 521-522

Balclutha punctata (Fabricius) species complex

( Fig. 15 ; Plate 1, K)

Cicada punctata Fabricius, 1775: 687 .

Balclutha punctata Blocker, 1967: 7 ; Knight, 1987: 1188, Figs. 32–38; Webb & Vilbaste, 1994: 64, Figs. 44–54; Chiang, 1996: 64, Fig. 2 ; Dai, Li & Chen, 2004: 749

See Knight (1987) and Webb & Vilbaste (1994) for full synonymy.

Material examined. China: 2 males, 2 females, Hebei Prov., Weichang County, Jiangjiadian Township, 12.viii.2006, Coll. Duan Yani; 1 male, Shaanxi Prov., 23.iv.1980, Coll. Ma Ning; 1 male, Gansu Prov., Mt. Baiyun, 29.vii.2002, Coll. Wei Cong & Yang Zhaofu (light trapped); 2 males, 11 females, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Qinghe County, Birch Garden, 5.viii.2006, 1270m, Coll. Dai Wu (NWAFU).

Distribution. China (Hebei, Shaanxi, Gansu, Xinjiang, Taiwan), Northern America, Europe, Africa, Oriental Region, Australia, New Guinea Island, Scandinavia, Mongolia.

Remarks. Webb & Vilbaste (1994) previously recognized the B. punctata species complex to comprise five valid species from the Oriental fauna: B. punctata Blocker, B. lineolata (Horvath), B. arhenana Dlabola, B. tiaowena Kuoh, B. uncinata Kuoh. We could find only slight differences in Chinese specimens examined and identified as B. punctata , B. tiaowena and B. uncinata based on external morphological characters (coloration, shape of aedeagal base, the radian of bending of aedeagal shaft of male genitalia), but whether these slight differences represent interspecific variation remains unknown. We retain them as separate species following Webb & Vilbaste (1994), but additional data, including molecular data and morphological characters will be needed to confirm their status.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Balclutha asymmetrica Knight (reproduced from Knight, 1987) A. head and thorax, dorsal view; B. pygophore, lateral view; C. style, ventral view; D. aedeagus, ventral view; D. valve, subgenital plate, ventral view; E. connective, ventral view; F – G .. aeadeagus, posterior and lateral view.

FIGURE 15. Balclutha punctata (Fabricius) complex A. head and thorax, dorsal view); B. pygophore, lateral view; C. valvae, subgenital plate, style and connective, ventral view; D – F. aedeagus, lateral view.