Olonia rubicunda ( Walker, 1851 )

Constant, Jérôme & Semeraro, Linda, 2020, Revision of the Eurybrachidae (XVI). The Australian Olonia rubicunda (Walker, 1851): Description of the male, distribution and host plants (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Eurybrachidae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 107, pp. 1-18 : 1-18

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.13590508

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:06736615-B749-4B4A-AD6A-BC66DF9BD7A4

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A8207F-FF96-FFD5-FDB9-FB9138B6FA40

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Olonia rubicunda ( Walker, 1851 )
status

 

Olonia rubicunda ( Walker, 1851) View in CoL

( Figs 1–7 View Fig View Fig View Fig View Fig View Fig View Fig View Fig )

Eurybrachys rubicunda WALKER 1851: 391 [described].

Eurybrachys rubicunda — KIRKALDY 1906: 445 [listed as belonging to Olonia ].

Olonia rubicunda — STÅL 1862: 488 [transferred to Olonia ]. — DISTANT 1906: 206 [typespecies of Olonia ]. — METCALF 1956: 65 [catalogued]. — CONSTANT 2018: 10 [distribution map], 69 [redescription], fig. 44 [type illustrated].

non Olonia rubicunda — JACOBI 1928: 4 [(re)described from Kimberley district (erroneous, based on misidentified specimens)]. — LALLEMAND 1935: 675 [mentioned from Northern Territory (erroneous, based on misidentified specimens)].

DIAGNOSIS

(1) disc of hind wings without orange marking but sometimes with a yellow-brown one on disc ( Figs 1 E View Fig , 2 E View Fig )

(2) pro- and mesofemora and tibiae largely black-brown ( Figs 1 A–D View Fig , 2 A–D View Fig )

(3) anal tube of male obovate, narrowing at basal ⅓ ( Fig. 3 E View Fig )

(4) centroventral part of gonostyli with strong, elongate process curved lateroventrally and pointed apically ( Fig. 3 A, B View Fig )

(5) laterodorsal part of gonostyli strongly bifid, with processes in a nearly horizontal plane, and projecting posteroventrally under the centroventral part in lateral view ( Fig. 3 A–B View Fig )

Dark females of O. marginata Distant, 1906 ( CONSTANT, 2018, figs 15, 17, 20) are nearly impossible to separate from females of O. rubicunda and female material collected south of the recorded distribution of the first species and north of the recorded range of the latter should be identified only if males of the same collecting event are available.

ETYMOLOGY. The species epithet rubicundus (adj., Latin) means bright red. It refers to the colour of the abdomen of the species.

TYPE MATERIAL. AUSTRALIA: Holotype of Eurybrachys rubicunda Walker, 1851 , ♀ ( CONSTANT, 2018: fig. 44): [N.H., Sandy Cape / on the reverse / 46 73] [Type] [22. Eurybracbys (sic!) rubicunda ,] [Re-pinned on stainless] – left anterior and posterior, and right median legs glued on labels attached to the pin of the specimen, left tegmen missing (BMNH) coordinates of Sandy Cape: 24°43’46”S 153°12’30”E.

NOTE. N.H. on the first label stands for “ New Holland ”, a former name for Australia.

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL. AUSTRALIA: Queensland:

3♂♂, 1♀, 3 nymphs: Mulambin, Emily Morgan Park, 23°11’22”S 150°47’31”E, 11.XII.2019, beach, sweeping Ipomoea pes-caprae , leg. J. Constant (1♂, 1♀, 3 nymphs: QM; 1♂: RBINS; 1♂: VAIC);

1♂, 6 nymphs: Emu Park, 23°15’19”S 150°49’45”E, 11.XII.2019, beach, sweeping Ipomoea pes-caprae , leg. J. Constant (1♂, 2 nymphs: QM; 2 nymphs: RBINS; 2 nymphs: VAIC);

1 nymph: same data as preceding, on Canavalia sericea , leg. L. Semeraro (QM);

3♂♂, 3♀♀, 6 nymphs: same location, 14.III.2020, on Canavalia sericea , leg. J. Constant & L. Semeraro, Leopold III Funds Expedition (1♂, 1♀, 2 nymphs: QM; 1♂, 1♀, 2 nymphs: RBINS; 1♂, 1♀, 2 nymphs: VAIC);

1 nymph: Emu Park, Haven Road, 23°14’15.6”S 150°49’21.4”E, 11.XII.2019, beach, sweeping Ipomoea pes-caprae , leg. J. Constant (QM);

1 nymph: Zilzie, 23°17’10”S 150°48’53”E, 11.XII.2019, beach, sweeping Ipomoea pes-caprae , leg. J. Constant (QM);

15♂♂, 10♀♀, 6 nymphs: Yeppoon, Lammermoor Beach, 23°10’01”S 150°46’55”E, 10.XII.2019, Ipomoea pes-caprae , leg. J. Constant, F. Martoni, M. Moir & L. Semeraro (5♂♂, 4♀♀, 2 nymphs: QM; 5♂♂, 3♀♀, 2 nymphs: RBINS; 5♂♂, 3♀♀, 2 nymphs: VAIC);

6♂♂, 4♀♀, 5 nymphs: same location, 13.III.2020, Clitoria ternatea , leg. J. Constant & L Semeraro, Leopold III Funds Expedition (2♂♂, 2♀♀, 3 nymphs: QM; 2♂♂, 1♀, 1 nymph: RBINS; 2♂♂, 1♀, 1 nymph: VAIC);

8♂♂, 8♀♀, 24 nymphs: Bargara, Nielson Beach, 24°48’21.1”S 152°27’23.4”E, 8–9.III.2020, Canavalia rosea , leg. J. Constant & L. Semeraro, Leopold III Funds Expedition (3♂♂, 3♀♀, 8 nymphs: QM; 3♂♂, 2♀♀, 8 nymphs: RBINS; 2♂♂, 3♀♀, 8 nymphs: VAIC);

3♂♂, 5♀♀, 6 nymphs: Clairview, Baracrab campsite, 22°07’24.1”S 149°32’17.2”E, 15– 16.III.2020, Ipomoea pes-caprae leg. J. Constant & L. Semeraro, Leopold III Funds Expedition (1♂, 2♀♀, 2 nymphs: QM; 1♂, 1♀, 2 nymphs: RBINS; 1♂, 2♀♀, 2 nymphs: VAIC);

2♂♂: Brisbane, 2.XII.1956, L. Sutherland, UQIC Reg. #43590 (QM).

MALE

Head ( Fig. 1 A–D View Fig ). Vertex slightly concave with anterior and posterior margins parallel, curved; medium to dark brown; obsolete median carina shortly marked along posterior margin, often absent; posterior carina and posterior portion of lateral carinae often marked with

yellowish. Posterior part of head with yellowish markings. Frons uniformly coloured, medium to dark brown, sometimes darker at lateral angles. Clypeus elongate, entirely medium to dark brown with small paler spot at each side at frontoclypeal suture. Genae brown to black withyellowish markings along anterior margin behind lateral expansion of frons. Labium brown to black, surpassing mesocoxae. Antennae black-brown; scape short, ring-shaped; pedicel subcylindrical, slightly narrowing towards apex.

Thorax ( Fig. 1 A–D View Fig ). Pronotum medium to dark brown with irregular paler, yellowish markings; slightly wrinkled; 2 small impressed points on disc slightly marked. Lateral fields of prothorax coloured as pronotum. Mesonotum medium to dark brown variegated with darker zones on middle and sides; yellowish spot at apex of scutellum and in middle of anterior margin; median and peridiscal carinae weakly marked; median carina stopped before scutellum; peridiscal carinae marked with yellowish; slight impression before scutellum. Red ventrally. Tegulae yellowish to medium brown.

Tegmina ( Fig. 1 A, C View Fig ). Medium to dark brown; pale yellowish marking on vein A 1 at midlength of clavus; marked with dark brown or black along costal margin, more broadly so on posterior half, and along posterior margin. Often darker, median, irregular marking at apical 2/3; triangular white marking on costal margin on nodal line; some minute white spots at apicosutural angle. Costal and sutural margins subparallel; costal margin slightly sinuate; apical margin obliquely rounded.

Posterior wings ( Fig. 1 E View Fig ). Brown to dark brown, paler on anal area and progressively darker on apical half; often a yellow-brown marking at midlength between veins CuP and A1; triangular to somewhat rounded white marking at apicocostal angle, extending on 3–4 cells. Margin of anal area slightly sinuate; sutural margin with 1 slight cleft, cubital one nearly not marked.

Legs ( Fig. 1 A–D View Fig ). Pro- and mesocoxae black-brown, paler apically. Pro- and mesofemora black-brown to brown variegated with brown to yellowish. Pro- and mesotibiae medium to dark brown, with 3 paler, yellowish to pale brown, rings. Pro- and mesotarsi black-brown with basal half of third tarsomere paler. Anterior legs always darker than medium legs and with paler markings less visible. Metacoxae reddish; metafemora reddish with apex brown. Metatibiae brown, darker basally and towards apex, with 3 lateral spines paler basally, and 9 apical black-brown spines. Metatarsi brown with a ventral row of 6 black spines on first tarsomere. Metatibiotarsal formula: (3) 9/4/0.

Abdomen. Bright red with genital segments black-brown.

MALE GENITALIA ( Fig. 3 View Fig ). Posterior margin of pygofer (Py) in lateral view strongly sinuate, strongly roundly projecting at dorsal 1/3, moderately broad ventrally ( Fig. 3 A–C View Fig ). Anal tube (An) spatulate, 1.9 times as long as broad, laterally constricted at level of epiproct (ep), slightly curved ventrally in lateral view; lateral margins slightly curved ventrally on apical 2/3; apical margin rounded ( Fig. 3 A–F View Fig ). Gonostyli (G) fused on basal half of length of centroventral part (cvp) and projecting posteriorly ( Fig. 3 A–F View Fig ). Centroventral part broad and dorsoventrally flattened on basal half, then narrowing into an elongate, curved, spinose process directed posterodorsally and slightly laterally, and ended in point curved laterally and slightly ventrally ( Fig. 3 A–B View Fig ). Laterodorsal part (ldp) of gonostyli strong and curved dorsocentrally, reaching about level of apex of centroventral part, bifid with a side and a central process elongate and pointed apically, and forming a C together, side process more curved and slightly longer than central one; lateral process (lp) elongate, longer than spoon-shaped process (ssp), projecting laterally and curved anteriorly ( Fig. 3 B, D–F View Fig ). Dorsal portion of phallobase (dpp) with hooked process on each side, progressively narrowing from base to apex, curved posterodorsally at

mid-length and with apex pointing centrally ( Fig. 3 G–I View Fig ). Ventral portion of phallobase (vpp) subrectangular with apical margin roundly truncate in dorsal view and not surpassing phallus (ph) ( Fig. 3 G–J View Fig ). Phallus dorsoventrally flattened, moderately elongate with apical marginroundly truncate ( Fig. 3 G–J View Fig ). Connective (cv) elongate and narrow, without tectiductus ( Fig. 3 G View Fig ).

FEMALE

Similar to male but with white spot on costal margin of tegmina at nodal line and white spot of posterior wings, reduced ( Fig. 2 View Fig ).

BIOLOGY

Olonia rubicunda was found in December 2019 in several locations around Yeppoon, exclusively on Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R.Br. ( Convolvulaceae ) and mostly on plants growing in areas covered in grass on the first dunes along the beaches ( Fig. 4 A–E View Fig ). The conditions at that time were extremely dry and active sweeping of other plants, especially of Vigna marina (Burm.f.) Merr. ( Fabaceae ) did not yield any Olonia specimens. Adults and nymphs of all stages were found on Ipomoea , and some nymphs were found at Emu Park, on Canavalia sericea A. Gray ( Fabaceae ) growing on rocky cliffs along the seashore (Fig. F–H). In March 2020, the collecting was following heavy rains which allowed a lot of vegetation to grow. In the same location of Lammermoor Beach in Yeppoon ( Fig. 5 A–D View Fig ), where specimens were collected in Dec 2019, intensive search on Ipomoea plants did not reveal any Olonia specimens although adults and nymphs were found to be quite numerous on Clitoria ternatea L. ( Fabaceae ) growing among the grass. In Emu Park, adults and nymphs were found on Canavalia sericea ( Fig. 5 F– G View Fig ) while the specimens from Clairview were all on Ipomoea pes-caprae growing between grass. In Bargara, Nielson Beach, intensive sweeping of a promising area covered in I. pes-caprae between grass ( Fig. 6 A View Fig ) did not allow the collecting of any specimen, while specimens were found a few metres further in a dense habitat ( Fig. 6 B–C View Fig ) with Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC. ( Fabaceae ) ( Fig. 6 D–E View Fig ), Euphorbia cyathophora Murray ( Euphorbiaceae ) ( Fig. 6 D View Fig ) and Vitex trifolia L. ( Lamiaceae ) ( Fig. 6 F View Fig ); from these three plant species however, only C. rosea can be confirmed as a food-plant of O. rubicunda which was found as adults and nymphs in a small area covered exclusively in this plant ( Fig. 6 G–I View Fig ).

The species is polyphagous and the current list of confirmed host-plants includes two families, Convolvulaceae with Ipomoea pes-caprae and Fabaceae with Canavalia rosea , C. sericea and Clitoria ternatea . It can be abundant in suitable habitats.

As adults and nymphs at all stages were found both in December and in March, it is possible that the species can be found all year round but this needs to be confirmed.

DISTRIBUTION. Australia: Southeastern Queensland, between Brisbane and Clairview.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hemiptera

Family

Eurybrachidae

Genus

Olonia

Loc

Olonia rubicunda ( Walker, 1851 )

Constant, Jérôme & Semeraro, Linda 2020
2020
Loc

Olonia

Stal 1862
1862
Loc

Olonia

Stal 1862
1862
Loc

Olonia

Stal 1862
1862
Loc

Eurybrachys rubicunda WALKER 1851: 391

Walker 1851: 391
1851
Loc

Eurybrachys rubicunda

Walker 1851
1851
Darwin Core Archive (for parent article) View in SIBiLS Plain XML RDF