Thlasia Germar, 1836

Jones, Joshua R. & Deitz, Lewis L., 2009, Phylogeny and systematics of the leafhopper subfamily Ledrinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) 2186, Zootaxa 2186 (1), pp. 1-120 : 54-55

Genus Thlasia Germar

(Pl. 3H–I, 10D, 14H–I, 16K)

Thlasia Germar, 1836: 71 .

Type species. T. brunnipennis Germar 1836: 72 , by original designation.

Synonymy. None.

Description. Linnavuori (1972): “Resembling Tituria but body smaller. Pronotum much less strongly protruding laterad, humeral angles only roundedly prominent, posterior margin distinctly insinuated. Side lobes rounded, ventral margin with a long appendage. Apophysis of stylus hook-shaped apically. Penis short, lamellate, without appendages, gonopore subapical on the ventral surface.”

Species. [10]: borealis Jacobi ; brunnipennis Germar ; cingulata Jacobi ; corona Linnavuori ; emmrichi Zhang and Yang ; funebris Jacobi ; jacobii Zhang and Yang ; longicornis Zhang and Yang ; obtusa (Walker) ; symmetrica Jacobi.

Range. Cameroon (Nkolbisson; Yaounde); Central African Republic (Bangui; Boukoko; La Maboke); Congo (Stanleyville); China (Fujian [Fukien], Kuatun); Côte d’Ivoire [ Ivory Coast] (Lamto); Gambia; Guinea (Friguiagbe; Nimba); Liberia (Suakoko); Nigeria (Gangare); Senegal (Casamance); South Africa (Cape of Good Hope; Cape Province: Assegaaibos, Grahamstown; Pirie Forest; Rustenburg); Tanzania (Kasulo Province: Buhoro Bunganda); Uganda (Kampala).

Host plants. Unknown.

Material examined. T. brunipennis : 1 male, South Africa, AMNH, JRJ _Led1_174, 3 females, South Africa, SANC , Led 1_172–173, 175; T. corona , South Africa, BMNH , 2 males, JRJ _Led1_170–171; Tituria obtusa : 1 female, Liberia, USNM, JRJ _Led1_179, 1 male, 1 female, Gambia, Tanzania, MZLU, JRJ _Led1_180, 183, 2 males, 3 females, Central African Republic, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire [ Ivory Coast], Senegal, MNHN, JRJ _Led1_176–178, 181–182.

Remarks. Thlasia is similar to Tituria , but differs in having the pronotal extensions broad but not distinctly acute, and the forewings flexed downward at the second claval vein in one or both sexes. In the species observed (all African) the claval area is pigmented with a variably pink and cream-colored glossy texture. These features do not appear to be unique to Thlasia , however. Proranus , Hespenedra , and some species of Petalocephala all have wings strongly flexed at the second claval vein, and Hespenedra and several unidentified species of Ledrini ( Petalocephala ?) from Africa and China exhibit claval pigmentation.

Species recently described from China ( Zhang et al. 2004), based on the wing venation, shape of the pronotum and male genitalia, appear to constitute a heterogeneous group. Some exhibit slight similarities to the African species in shape of the aedeagus or pronotum, but probably none of them belong within Thlasia as it is currently defined (sensu Linnavuori 1972). They may belong within any number of genera (possibly among the Oriental genera that have been weakly characterized), and appear to be more closely related to Hangklipia or Parapetalocephala .

Linnavuori (1972: 224) observed T. obtusa (Walker) to differ from other Tituria , placing it in its own monobasic species group within Tituria . In this analysis, T. obtusa was placed with Thlasia corona Linnavuori. While its aedeagus is more similar to those of Tituria and some Petalocephala species , the other phylogenetic data suggest it properly belongs with the Thlasia species , and it is here placed within Thlasia with the new combination given below. Range information above thus includes label data for T. obtusa .

Thlasia obtusa ( Walker, 1851) , NEW COMBINATION. Synonymy: Epiclines obtusa Walker, 1851: 832 [not Tituria obtusa Kato, 1931 ].