Neometopina Yang & Yang

Hou, Xiao-hui, Yang, Lin & Chen, Xiang-sheng, 2013, Revision of the genus Neometopina (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Delphacidae) from China, ZooKeys 307, pp. 97-104 : 98-99

Neometopina Yang & Yang

Neometopina Yang & Yang 1989: 301. Type species: Neometopina penghuensis Yang & Yang, 1989, by original designation.

Laminatopina Qin & Zhang 2007: 168. Type species: Laminatopina orientalis Qin & Zhang, 2007. Monotypic. syn. n.

Diagnosis.

Species of Neometopina are characterized by the large size (lengths ranging from 4.62-4.82mm in macropterous males), body slender; general color pale yellowish brown with narrow brown stripes on frons and postclypeus, vertex with outer area black, median carina and two sides of pro- and mesonotum whitish yellow; forewings without spot, rounded at apex; vertex longer medially than broad at base, acutely rounding into frons; median carina of frons forked at base; antennal cylindrical, extending to the level of frontoclypeal suture; lateral carinae of pronotum not attaining hind margin; male anal segment ring-like, caudoventral margin produced medially into a large spinose process; pygofer without medioventral process, diaphragm broad with a distinct plate-like process at each side of dorsal margin; phallus tubular with one strong process arising; suspensorium with dorsal part Y-shaped, ventral part ring-like; genital styles extremely long, distinctly narrowed subapically to acute apex.

Description.

Head including eyes narrower than pronotum. Vertex longer than broad at base, lateral carinae straight, submedian carinae not really uniting at apex, fastigium acutely rounded, Y-shaped carina with stem existence, basal compartment wider at base than greatest length. Frons longer in middle line than wide at widest part about 3:1, widest at apex or median, with median carina forked at base. Rostrum reaching to meso-trochanters or metacoxae. Antennae cylindrical, relatively long, basal segment longer than wide, shorter than second. Pronotum with lateral carinae not attaining hind margin. Spinal formula of hind leg 5-7-4. Post-tibial spur with about 20 teeth.

Male genitalia: Anal segment ring-like, apical margin produced medially into a large spinose process. Pygofer without medioventral process. Diaphragm broad, with dorsal margin produced at median and plate-like process at each side. Phallus simple with large process at base or median. Genital styles long, simple.

Host plant.

Unknown.

Distribution.

China (Taiwan, Guizhou, Hainan).

Discussion.

Members of this genus are superficially similar to species of the genus Eumetopina Breddin, but differs in having the following combination of characters: pygofer without medioventral process but with a plate-like process at each side of dorsal margin of diaphragm; shape of phallus and frons.

Laminatopina Qin & Zhang (2007) is a junior synonym of Neometopina Yang. Features purporting to separate the genera are not generic features, but only species-level differences. For example, the stem of Y-shaped carina weak or distinct, rostrum reaching to meso-trochanters or metacoxae, and the shape and process of phallus. Secondly, based on the examined specimens, the description of the genera Neometopina and Laminatopina have some question due to the observation angle. For example, specimens of Neometopina basal compartment wider at base than greatest length, male anal segment with median process not produced in ventral margins, suspensorium with the dorsal portion Y-shaped, diaphragm distinctly projected dorsomedially, the slender plate-like of diaphragm processes at each side, the specimens of Laminatopina male genital styles diverging.

Key to Species of Neometopina