Afrorubria Linnavuori, 1972

Jones, Joshua R. & Deitz, Lewis L., 2009, Phylogeny and systematics of the leafhopper subfamily Ledrinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) 2186, Zootaxa 2186 (1), pp. 1-120 : 27-28

Genus Afrorubria Linnavuori

(Pl. 4C, 7B, 8A, 9A, 12F, 13F, I, 15E, F, 17D, 18A)

Afrorubria Linnavuori 1972: 205 , 240.

Type species. Acocephalus vitticollis Stål 1855 .

Synonymy. None.

Description. Adapted from Linnavuori (1972): “Narrow, medium sized leafhoppers, often with fulvous markings on crown and pronotum. Apical cells elytra in male +/– infuscate, 1st apical cell usually with a small dark spot. Body elongate and rather depressed. Head parabolic, broader than pronotum, anterior margin sharp, formed of a shallow score, bordered by a ridge both above and below, only extreme apex of head rounded, sides of head usually +/– foliaceous. Face flat or slightly convex, bluntly angular in outline below eyes; anteclypeus a little broadening apicad; frontoclypeus parallel-sided in lower part, triangularly tapering dorsad in upper one, lateral frontal sutures in upper part, postfrontal suture and epistomal suture indistinct; lora of normal size; genae strongly notched near eyes, antennal depressions shallow; microsculpturing of face faint, formed of irregular rugosities. Crown parabolic, with a faint median carina, disk flattish, with dense irregular longitudinal rugosities; ocelli far from each other; eyes elongate. Anterior tentorium branches (fig. 24 b) reduced. Pronotum flattish, lateral margins parallel, longish and carinate, anterior margin distinctly curvate, posterior margin medially insinuated; anterior margin of disk with longitudinal rugosities, other parts densely transversely wrinkled. Scutellum with a distinct transverse furrow, base rugose, apex transversely wrinkled. Elytra (fig. 24 c) usually longer than abdomen, narrow, semitransparent, only indistinctly punctate, venation regular, no extra cross veins, outer subapical cell absent, central and inner subapical cells closed. Pro- and mesothoracic tibia gracile, apex with two spines on lower surface. Metathoracic femur with two macrosetae. Metathoracic tibia gracile, outer surface with two longitudinal rows of spines, inner surface with short stiff hairs, apex with two transverse rows of spines on ventral surface. 1st joint of metathoracic tarsi with a transverse row of several well developed spines on ventral surface of apex.”

Species. [5]: curta Linnavuori ; flavida (Evans) ; mitellata (Naudé) ; ramosa Linnavuori ; vitticollis (Stål) .

Range. Democratic Republic of the Congo [ Zaire] (Parc National Upemba: Buye–Bala, Kabwe s. Muye); South Africa (Caffraria; Cape Province: Ceres, Gansbaai, Kougaberg (Bavianskloof), Mossel Bay; Derdepoort; East London: Gonubie; East Cape Province: Katberg; East Transvaal: Babanonga, Zululand: Eshowei; Natal: Umdloti; North Transvaal: Letaba Valley, Moketski; Orange Free State: Harrismith; Pilansburg; Pondoland: Port St. John; Pretoria; Sir Lowry’s Pass; Stellenbosch Jonkershoek; St. Lucia Estuary; Transvaal: Rustenburg; Umkomaas; West Cape Province: Du Toitskloof Pass, Hottentotsholland Nature Reserve, Nature’s Valley).

Host plants. Chrysophyllum sp. (Sapotaceae) ; Clerodendrum glabrum (Verbenaceae) ; Cliffortia atrata (Rosaceae) ; Cliffortia Serpyllifolia (Rosaceae) ; Lippia javanica (Verbenaceae) ; Rhus leptodictya (Anacardiaceae) ; Stoebe sp. (Asteraceae) ; Ursinia caledonica (Asteraceae) .

Material examined. A. vitticollis : 1 male, 2 females, South Africa, AMNH, Led1_001–003 , 2 females, 2 (abdomen missing), South Africa, SANC, JRJ _Led1_466, 472–473, 478; A. mitellata : 3 males, 5 females, South Africa, SANC, JRJ _Led1_469–471, 481–484 .

Remarks. Of the genera of Afrorubrini , Afrorubria is the most like Petalocephala in body shape and general appearance. Linnavuori (1972: 241) believed Afrorubria was a derivative of Petalocephala stock, and that its reduced puncturing, regular wing venation, reduced setal covering on the legs, and more developed leg spinulation were derived states. It appears that the exact opposite is true— Petalocephala and other Ledrinae are derived from leafhoppers more closely resembling Afrorubrini . The features of Afrorubria that Linnavuori mentioned as derived seem to instead demonstrate Afrorubria ’s greater proximity to ancestral lineages (possibly Aphrodinae ).

Host plant information was recorded by A. L. Capener and M. Stiller (SANC), who collected much of the available material. From the numerous plant species on which the genus has been discovered, it appears that Afrorubria is somewhat of a generalist. The plants listed include trees, woody shrubs, and low-growing leafy forbs in five different families.