Afrorubrini Jones, 2009

Jones, Joshua R. & Deitz, Lewis L., 2009, Phylogeny and systematics of the leafhopper subfamily Ledrinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) 2186, Zootaxa 2186 (1), pp. 1-120 : 26-27

Tribe Afrorubrini Jones , new tribe

Type genus Afrorubria Linnavuori 1972

Description. Head spatulate, more or less lamellate toward anterolateral margins. Crown flat or weakly transversely flexed at medial carina, outline parabolic or triangular and narrowing in front of eyes, with longitudinal costate texture converging toward midline anteriorly; medial longitudinal carina present and more or less developed; margin with two complete parallel carinae, furrowed in between. Ocelli present, vestigial, or absent. Face flattish or somewhat convex; maxillary sutures present but sometimes nearly indistinct; frontoclypeus weakly or strongly convex, lateral margins indistinct or distinct; lora and genae flattish; antennal ledge absent or very weakly developed, and, if present, indistinguishable from secondary marginal carina of crown. Posterior margin of head strongly curved or subtrapezoidal, anterior margin reaching nearly to but not past transect connecting anterior margin of eyes. Pronotum flat, with a short fine lateral carina, sometimes weakly expressed. Mesoscutum and scutellum flat, with transverse minute wrinkles or costate texture. Forewing venation regular, with short apical cells, punctate, punctuations more or less expressed. Proepisternum visible but small and tab-like. Pro- and mesothoracic leg chaetotaxy reduced. Metathoracic femur macrosetal formula 2 + 0. Metathoracic tibia rows I and II with stout macrosetae, rows III and IV with fine setae and/or macrosetae. Metathoracic tarsomere I short, with short ventral ridge, and a more or less dense covering of short setae distally.

Male genitalia: Genital capsule medium to small in size; anal tube wide, somewhat sclerotized, triangular or cone-shaped in dorsal view, ventral lobe lacking, circular or tubelike in distal view, sclerotization incomplete ventrally.

Female genitalia: Valvulae II long and slender, somewhat sclerotized, with a small dorsal tooth situated one third of the total length from the apex.

Range. Afrotropical region.

Ecology. Afrorubria occurs on trees, woody shrubs, and leafy forbs. “Genus 4,” placed with Afrorubrini in this analysis, is found on leafy forbs and grasses.

Remarks. Linnavuori (1972: 248) suggested that Sichaea might merit its own tribe within Ledrinae , but mentioned the need to examine species from other parts of the world to make this determination.

Two additional undescribed genera that appear to belong in this tribe were discovered in material sent from the SANC, and were included in this analysis (“Genus 2,” “Genus 3” in phylogenetic analysis). Both were collected by sweeping/vacuuming in grasses and forbs.

The following discribed genera are here placed in Afrorubrini : Afrorubria and Sichaea .