Chlorocystini Distant, 1905

Moulds, MS, 2005, An Appraisal of the Higher Classification of Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea) with Special Reference to the Australian Fauna, Records of the Australian Museum 57 (3), pp. 375-446 : 435

Tribe Chlorocystini Distant, 1905

Chlorocystaria Distant, 1905f: 212 .

Chlorocystini Handlirsch, 1925: 1116 .

Gymnotympanini Boulard, 1979a .– Boer, 1995: 204. Hemidictyini Distant, 1905g (partim).– Boer, 1995b: 204.

Type genus. Chlorocysta Westwood (type species: Cystosoma vitripennis Westwood ).

Included genera. Aedeastria Boer , Baeturia Stål , Chlorocysta Westwood , Cystopsaltria Goding & Froggatt , Cystosoma Westwood , Glaucopsaltria Goding & Froggatt , Guineapsaltria Boer , Gymnotympana Stål , Mirabilopsaltria Boer , Owra Ashton , Papuapsaltria Boer , Scottotympana Boer , Thaumastopsaltria Stål , and Venustria Goding & Froggatt.

Diagnosis. Head with supra-antennal plate meeting or nearly meeting eye. Postclypeus shape in transverse cross-section angular; postclypeal ridges lacking transverse grooves towards distal ends. Pronotal collar with lateral margin confluent with adjoining pronotal sclerites; lateral tooth absent. Fore wing pterostigma absent; veins C and R+Sc close together; vein RA 1 diverging from subcosta (Sc) in subapical region (except in Thaumastopsaltria , Cystosoma and Cystopsaltria ). Hind wing with anal lobe broad (except in Gymnotympana ) and vein 3A usually curved at distal end, long, separated from wing margin. Fore leg femoral primary spine erect (except in Thaumastopsaltria , Cystosoma and Cystopsaltria ). Meracanthus gradually tapering to a point, triangular or nearly so. Male opercula not completely encapsulating meracanthus and partly covering tympanal cavity. Male abdominal tergites with sides partly concave in cross-section; tergites 2 and 3 similar in size to tergites 4–7; epipleurites rounded to ventral surface, without an inward V-shaped kink. Timbals extend below wing bases. Timbal covers absent. Pygofer with upper lobe present (except in Venustria ), thickened rather than flat; basal lobe ill-defined, substantially confluent with pygofer margin; dorsal beak present as a part of chitinized pygofer. Uncus absent. Claspers large, dominating the whole 10th abdominal segment. Aedeagus with basal portion of basal plate directed forwards away from thecal shaft; ventral rib completely fused with basal plate; theca “S” shaped; pseudoparameres absent; subapical cerci absent. Male reproductive system with accessory glands either short or long. Female reproductive system with accessory glands of common oviduct either short or long.

Distinguishing characters. The tribe is primarily characterized by the “S” shaped theca ( Boer, 1995b). Other features include the inflated male abdomen with epipleurites rounded to the ventral surface and fore wing vein RA 1 diverging from subcosta (Sc) in subapical region (except in Thaumastopsaltria , Cystosoma and Cystopsaltria ).

Discussion. The concept of the Chlorocystini remains unchanged from that of Boer (1995b). His extensive review of the tribe should be consulted for ingroup relationships and species reviews.