taxonID	type	description	language	source
4B54E06FF81A8A46A297FC42A4CDBDAF.taxon	materials_examined	Type species. Melaniphax suffusculus sp. nov., by monotypy and present designation.	en	Bartlett, Charles R. (2019): A New Genus and Species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 4657 (2): 361-368, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4657.2.8
4B54E06FF81A8A46A297FC42A4CDBDAF.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Body dark (shades of brown), carinae concolorous to body, compact, with a slightly hunched appearance, vertex and frons in lateral view appearing smoothly rounded. Wings infused with fuscous. Calcar knife-like, with ~ 10 distinct teeth. Male pygofer without processes or teeth on ventral margin of opening, armature flattened, dorso-caudally projected in form of medially conjoined pair of semicircles. Gonostyli (~ parameres) simple (bearing large tooth on caudal margin below midline, evident in lateral view). Aedeagus broad and short, bearing large lateral flange. Anal tube with pair of large, short and blunt caudally projected processes conspicuous on caudolateral margin and a pair of fine elongate processes originating on anterior ventral margin.	en	Bartlett, Charles R. (2019): A New Genus and Species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 4657 (2): 361-368, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4657.2.8
4B54E06FF81A8A46A297FC42A4CDBDAF.taxon	description	Description. Small, robust, compact; slightly hunchbacked in lateral view. Body dark, carinae concolorous. Head narrower than pronotum (Fig. 1 B), vertex weakly projected in front of eyes. Vertex approximately quadrate, about equal in length and width. Inflection between vertex and frons smoothly rounded. Frons broad, sides weakly arched (Fig. 2 A). Medial facial carinae forking above fastigium. Antennae relatively short, segment II somewhat longer than I. Lateral carinae of pronotum laterally arched, not reaching posterior margin. Mesonotum bearing 3 carinae, becoming obscure posteriorly, tegulae conspicuous. Hind leg (Fig. 1 C) with 2 lateral spines, 1 near femoraltibial joint, 1 near midlength; tibial apex with 5 spinules, arranged 3 + 2. Basitarsus with 6 apical spinules, arranged 4 + 2, second tarsomere with row of 4 spinules. Beak reaching (not exceeding) hind coxae. Forewing (Figs 1 A, 1 B) uniformly infuscated, weakly deflexed at nodal line; venation (Fig. 3 A) with Sc and RA unbranched, RP 1 - 2 branched (varies), M unbranched and CuA 3 branched. Metatibial spur (Fig. 1 C) cultriform, bearing row of distinct black-tipped teeth on posterior margin. 2 C Male genitalia with pygofer triangular in lateral view (Fig. 2 D); opening in caudal view sinuate, subcircular with keeled margins (Fig. 2 C), lacking projections or teeth on ventral margin of opening. Gonostyli (≈ parameres) (Figs 2 C, 3 D) simple (unbranched), forceps-like, basal angle small (type species bearing tooth on caudal margin just below midline). Suspensorium distinct, elongate. Aedeagus (Figs 2 B, 3 B, 3 C) short, flattened and very stout, gonopore ventral, near apex. Male anal tube with stout, truncate caudally directed processes on laterocaudal margin and pair of fine projections from antero-ventral margin.	en	Bartlett, Charles R. (2019): A New Genus and Species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 4657 (2): 361-368, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4657.2.8
4B54E06FF81A8A46A297FC42A4CDBDAF.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Superficially, Melaniphax gen nov. is similar to Caenodelphax Fennah 1965 (sensu Kennedy & Bartlett 2014). They are similar in both genera having a dark body and deeply infuscated wings, and the male terminalia are grossly similar in a structural sense but differ in numerous details. Melaniphax differs from Caenodelphax in that the former has a hump-backed appearance, with the head in lateral view having a smoothly arced profile (Caenodelphax has a rounded fastigium, but the face is straight in profile), median carina of frons joined above the fastigium in Melaniphax, below in Caenodelphax. Melaniphax has an inflection of the wings at the nodal line that Caenodelphax lacks. The male terminalia differ in the form of the genital diaphragm (in Melaniphax foliate, dorsocaudally directed, with median V-shaped concavity for reception of the aedeagus, versus in Caenodelphax the diaphragm medially thickened and projected caudally). The aedeagus in Melaniphax is strikingly stout with lateral flanges, whereas Caenodelphax, while somewhat flattened is more nearly tubular. Finally, Melaniphax has a pair of elongate processes originating on the antero-ventral part of the anal tube, lacking in Caenodelphax. Melaniphax gen. nov. bears some similarities to Akemetopon Weglarz & Bartlett 2011 with regard to the male terminalia. Both genera have simple forceps-like parameres and similar builds to the pygofer, genital diaphragm and anal tubes, but Akemetopon has a ventral tooth on the opening of the pygofer and a tubular, downcurved aedeagus. The similarities may suggest a close phylogenetic relationship among these genera.	en	Bartlett, Charles R. (2019): A New Genus and Species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 4657 (2): 361-368, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4657.2.8
4B54E06FF81A8A46A297FC42A4CDBDAF.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The “ Melaniphax ” was constructed from the Greek “ melanos ” beaning black, dark; joined with “ – phax ”, a truncation of the delphacid genus name ‘ Delphax’. The name is intended as masculine.	en	Bartlett, Charles R. (2019): A New Genus and Species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 4657 (2): 361-368, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4657.2.8
4B54E06FF8198A41A297FCB6A55DBDE7.taxon	description	(Figs 1 – 3)	en	Bartlett, Charles R. (2019): A New Genus and Species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 4657 (2): 361-368, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4657.2.8
4B54E06FF8198A41A297FCB6A55DBDE7.taxon	materials_examined	Type locality. Costa Rica, Heredia Provice nr Puerto Viejo, La Selva Biological Station.	en	Bartlett, Charles R. (2019): A New Genus and Species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 4657 (2): 361-368, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4657.2.8
4B54E06FF8198A41A297FCB6A55DBDE7.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Body brown with infuscated wings, carinae concolorous with body. Head in lateral view smoothly rounded vertex + frons. Body in lateral view with hunch-backed appearance. Male terminalia without teeth or processes on the ventral margin of opening in caudal view. Gonostyli simple, forceps-like, bearing a tooth on caudal margin just below midline. Aedeagus short, compressed, very stout bearing asymmetrical lateral serrate projections. Anal tube with short, stout caudally directed projections on caudoventral margin and slender, elongate projections on anterocaudal margins.	en	Bartlett, Charles R. (2019): A New Genus and Species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 4657 (2): 361-368, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4657.2.8
4B54E06FF8198A41A297FCB6A55DBDE7.taxon	description	Description. Color. General color brown (Figs 1 A, B), carinae concolorous; genae and antennae slightly paler, pronotum (including paranota) and mesonotum dark brown, slightly paler at anterior margin of pronotum and scutellum; legs and venter paler, wings uniformly infuscate; eyes dark, ocelli with reddish cast. Structure. Length male with wings 2.31 mm (n = 3); without wings 1.3 – 1.4 mm (n = 3); female with wings 2.4 mm (2.3 – 2.6 mm, n = 3); without wings 1.6 mm (1.3 – 1.7 mm, n = 3) (wings 1.96 mm (1.9 – 2.2 mm, n = 6). Body in lateral view with slightly hunched appearance (Fig. 1 A). Head. Head (dorsal view, including eyes) distinctly narrower than pronotum (Fig. 1 B); in lateral view (Fig. 1 A), slightly projected, uniformly arched from posterior margin of head to frontoclypeal margin. Vertex with carinae distinct (median carina weaker), nearly square (slightly wider than long, l: w ratio 0.72: 1, length x = 0.12 mm, width x = 0.17 mm; posterior margin truncate. Frons (Fig. 2 A) with lateral margins weakly convex, widest near lower margin of eyes (x = 0.19 mm), weakly narrowed dorsally (x = 0.16 mm) and ventrally (x = 0.15 mm), length x = 0.38 mm; l: w ratio 2.05: 1; median carina forking above fastigium. Clypeus triangular, x = 0.15 mm, with median carina. Antennal scape about as long as wide (length x = 0.12 mm), pedicel 1.7 x longer than scape (x = 0.18 mm) bearing rows of rhinaria; flagellum fine, bristlelike, longer than pedicle. Thorax. Pronotum subequal in length to vertex (length at midline x = 0.11 mm); lateral carinae diverging, not reaching posterior margin; posterior margin shallowly V-shaped. Mesonotum at midline about 4 x length of pronotum (x = 0.46 mm); junction of scutum and scutellum demarcated by faint inflection; lateral margins of mesonotum slightly elevated near midlength, scutellum slightly depressed. Wings macropterous (Figs 1 A, B), exceeding abdomen (forewing x = 1.96, 1.88 – 2.19 mm); forewing venation with ScP + R fork at approximately same level as fork of CuA, fusion of anal veins (i. e., Pcu and A 1) much proximad of forks of RP and CuA; Sc and RA unbranched, RP 1 – 2 branched (varies), M unbranched, CuA 3 branched. Metatibial spur shorter than basitarsus (Fig. 1 C, 0.21 vs 0.29 mm), weakly tectiform, bearing 10 – 12 distinct black-tipped teeth on trailing edge. Male terminalia. Pygofer in lateral view (Fig. 2 D) roughly triangular, narrowed both dorsally and ventrally from region near ventral margin of pygofer opening; anterior margin truncate, caudal margin without teeth or processes. In caudal view (Fig. 2 C), pygofer opening with sinuate, bluntly carinate margins; diaphragm well developed; opening for gonostyli small, compressed-oval in shape with pinched lateral margins; armature projection large, dorsocaudally directed, foliate, consisting of pair of semicircles, connate medially producing median notch for aedeagus. Aedeagus peculiar (Figs 2 B, 3 B, 3 C) — short and very broad, laterally compressed, widest before midlength (in lateral view), tapering anteriorly to rounded apex (gonopore ventral, subapical); bearing large asymmetrical serrate flanges on left and right sides — left flange arising ventrally just past midlength, tapering distally to 4 – 5 strong serrations, right flange semicircular, arising diagonally bearing 7 – 8 serrations (becoming smaller proximally). Aedeagus tapering proximately to junction with suspensorium. Suspensorium elongate, strap-like, joined with aedeagus near base. Anal tube subquadrate in lateral view latero-caudal margins with short, strong, stout caudally directed projections (posterior margin deeply concave in dorsal view), posteriorly truncate, rugose with rounded ventral inflection; ventro-caudal margin inflected to create a rounded concavity between stout dorsal process and ventral margin; a pair of thin elongate processes arising from antero-ventral margin, projecting ventro-caudally on either side of aedeagus. Anal column short and bluntly conical, just exceeding top of anal tube.	en	Bartlett, Charles R. (2019): A New Genus and Species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 4657 (2): 361-368, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4657.2.8
4B54E06FF8198A41A297FCB6A55DBDE7.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin word “ suffusculus ” meaning somewhat brown or fuscous.	en	Bartlett, Charles R. (2019): A New Genus and Species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 4657 (2): 361-368, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4657.2.8
4B54E06FF8198A41A297FCB6A55DBDE7.taxon	discussion	Remarks. The shape of the aedeagus and anal tube of this species are unusual and distinctive. Having only a single species to attribute to the genus makes it difficult to ascertain whether particular attributes should be ascribed to the genus or just to the species. In this case, I would anticipate that the very broad aedeagus bearing lateral flanges may be particular to this species, but having a broad, flattened and straight aedeagus are probably genus-level features. Similarly, the general form of the anal tube is likely a genus-level feature, but the specifics of the caudal margin and thin, elongate processes are species level considerations.	en	Bartlett, Charles R. (2019): A New Genus and Species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 4657 (2): 361-368, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4657.2.8
4B54E06FF8198A41A297FCB6A55DBDE7.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. HOLOTYPE: “ COSTA RICA, Heredia / nr Puerto Viejo, La SelvaBiol. / Sta. 179 ft N 10 25 ’ W 84 00, / at Station 23. ii. 04 – 23. iii. 04 [sic. should read 2. iii] / CRBartlett, JCryanJUrban // HOLOTYPE / Melaniphax / suffusculus / Det: C. R. Bartlett ” (INBio, male). Paratypes: COSTA RICA: Heredia: near Puerto Viejo, La Selva Biological Station, 10.41667 ° N 84 ° W, 55 m, 23 Feb – 02 Mar 2004, C. R Bartlett, J. Cryan and J. Urban (1 m, 2 f); 24 Feb 2004, C. R Bartlett, J. Cryan and J. Urban (3 m, 1 f, 1 broken); 25 – 26 Feb 2004, C. R. Bartlett (3 m, 1 f, 1 broken) (representatives donated USNM, INBio).	en	Bartlett, Charles R. (2019): A New Genus and Species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 4657 (2): 361-368, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4657.2.8
