Abricta, Stal and Allied, 1866

Moulds, M. S., 2003, An Appraisal of the Cicadas of the Genus Abricta Stål and Allied Genera (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadidae), Records of the Australian Museum 55, pp. 245-304 : 254

Abricta s.str.

In the cladistic analyses, the preferred tree ( Fig. 17) shows that the Afrotropical Abricta / Abroma clade is supported by two non-homoplasious synapomorphies (2.1 and 13.1) and one homoplasious forward change (9.1). The sister clade of Abricta / Abroma in the preferred tree ( Fig. 17), comprising the Afrotropical monotypic genus Monomatapa , is characterized by two homoplasious forward changes (4.1 and 22.1). Monomatapa insignis is also differentiated from Abricta and Abroma by three autapomorphies, its broad male abdomen, linear and tear-drop shaped male opercula and the double-pointed apices of the uncal lobes. All these apomorphies support the generic separation of Abricta and Abroma from Monomatapa . Further, there is clear separation of Abricta , Abroma and Monomatapa from all Australian species of the Abricta complex as discussed in Results above. The separation of Abricta from Abroma is supported by just one homoplasious reversal (14.0). Abroma guerinii also differs from Abricta by having the conjunctival claws apically bifurcate rather than simple. Both these attributes are relatively minor points of difference and the possible synonymy of Abricta and Abroma , as suggested by Boulard (1979, 1990), is supported by this evidence. However, synonymy has not been pursued here as a study of all Abroma species was not possible. The restriction of Abricta as defined here to just two Mauritian species, requires that the Australian species (all of which have been previously placed in Abricta ) be placed elsewhere.