Rhinoploeus, Gnezdilov, Vladimir M. & Bourgoin, Thierry, 2009

Gnezdilov, Vladimir M. & Bourgoin, Thierry, 2009, First record of the family Caliscelidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) from Madagascar, with description of new taxa from the Afrotropical Region and biogeographical notes, Zootaxa 2020, pp. 1-36 : 10

Genus Rhinoploeus gen. n.

Type species: Rhinoploeus iwa sp. n.

Diagnosis (figs 13–15). Metope and coryphe are joined at obtuse angle, metope completely visible from above. Metope elongate, narrowing to clypeus, with incomplete sublateral keels. Postclypeus large, with median keel. Pedicel with a short process. Coryphe transverse, with keel-shaped margins and median keel, anterior margin convex, posterior margin concave. Pronotum nearly as long as coryphe, with median keel, paradiscal fields very thin, anterior margin convex, posterior margin straight. Scutellum twice as long as pronotum, with median and lateral keels. Fore wings reaching hind margin of third abdominal tergite, venation obscure. Fore legs missing in the type specimen. Middle femora and tibiae flattened. Hind tibia with single lateral spine. First metatarsomere nearly as long as second and third metatarsomeres combined, with only two lateral spines apically.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from the combination of Greek “ρɩσ”—nose and “πλοίο”—ship. It is masculine in gender.

Comparison. The new genus is close to Caliscelis Laporte, 1833 with the flattened middle femora and tibiae, but clearly differs by the metope joining with the coryphe at obtuse angle (about 150°) and completely visible in dorsal view (figs 13, 14).