Platyledra Evans

Jones, Joshua R. & Deitz, Lewis L., 2009, Phylogeny and systematics of the leafhopper subfamily Ledrinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) 2186, Zootaxa 2186 (1), pp. 1-120 : 53-54

Genus Platyledra Evans

(Pl. 3D–F, 10I, 16C–D, 19C)

Platyledra Evans, 1936: 39 .

Type species. P. hirsuta Evans, 1936: 40 , figs. 5a, 5b, by original designation.

Synonymy. None.

Description. Evans (1936): “The head is spatulate, narrowing apically to a point; dorsally it is convex, ventrally concave. The lateral sutures of the frons are deep, the lora depressed, and the clypeus small and pearshaped. The maxillary plates are narrow. The ocelli are on the dorsal surface, well in front of the eyes, and are closer to the eyes on each side than to each other. There is a well-defined dorsal median longitudinal keel that extends on to the pronotum, and the head, which has in addition irregular small ridges on its dorsal surface, is wider medianly [sic] than across the eyes. The pronotum is collar-like and more or less rectangular, the tegmina are coriaceous, the veins raised in relief, and the venation reticulate. The metathoracic tibiae are flattened and spineless, each of the outer edges bearing a fringe of short hairs only. The ovipositor, which extends well beyond the apex of the folded tegmina, is concave ventrally and tectiform dorsally.”

Species. [3]: acuminata (Distant) ; caldida Evans ; hirsuta Evans.

Range. Australia (Queensland: Caloundra; South Australia: Ooldea; Victoria: Toolangi)

Host plants. Tomatoes ( Solanaceae ).

Material examined. P. acuminata : 1 female, Australia, ASCU, JRJ _Led1_142; P. caldida : 1 male, Australia, USNM, JRJ _Led_143; P. hirsuta : 1 female, Australia, BMNH, JRJ _Led1_144 .

Remarks. Members of Platyledra are defined by their acuminate crowns and dorsoventrally depressed pronota bearing a single medial longitudinal crest. They form a monophyletic group (the Jukaruka genus group) with Jukaruka and Ledropsella .