Phlogotettix Ribaut

VIRAKTAMATH, C. A., WEBB, M. D. & YESHWANTH, H. M., 2025, Review of the Monobazus-group leafhopper genera (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from the Indian subcontinent with description of five new genera and twenty-eight new species, Zootaxa 5567 (1), pp. 1-105 : 40

Phlogotettix Ribaut

Phlogotettix Ribaut, 1942 a: 262 . Type species: Jassus cyclops Mulsant & Rey , by original designation.

Remarks. Typical species of Phlogotettix are characterized by having a central large round black spot on the orange or orange brown crown. However, the genus is rather heterogeneous in nature at present. Rao (1989) described the first species of Phlogotettix from the Indian subcontinent and was followed by Meshram & Ramamurthy (in Meshram et al. 2015) who described the second species. Meshram et al. (2015) also provided a key for the identification of the 11 included species from the Palaearctic and Oriental regions. Male genitalia of typical Phlogotettix have a sclerotized brace on the dorsal margin of the subgenital plate which in some species is produced into a process (see Meshram et al. 2015: figs 17, 34), the subgenital plate abruptly narrowed into an appendage with dense hair-like setae in addition to macrosetae; arms of the connective strongly divergent ( Fig. 50F ), apophysis of style slender and elongate, aedeagus with dorsal apodeme and preatrium well-developed almost parallel sided, ventral process of shaft much stouter and shaft slender narrowed distally with apical gonopore. This genus most closely resembles Monobazus but differs in having the head spot noted above and in certain male genitalia characteristics. Monobazus has a slenderer and more elongate subgenital plate, with or without macrosetae, hair-like setae not as dense as in Phlogotettix , without a dorsal sclerotized brace, connective arms are not strongly divergent and the stem is well developed, the style apophysis is shorter and curved laterally, the aedeagus is stouter and more elongate, with well-developed dorsal apodeme and preatrium but are almost at an obtuse angle, the shaft is always stouter and elongate, with a ventral process arising either at the basal half or apical half and deeply bifid. The genus Phlogotettix is largely Palaearctic with incursion into the Oriental region. Li & Wang (1998) described four species of Phlogotettix from China and some of these lack a black spot on the crown.

Some male specimens of P. indicus and P. subhimalayanus have broken ventral process of the aedeagal shaft probably representing aged males which had already copulated. Similarly, in P. tibetensis Li & Wang 1998 the aedeagus is broken and hence its identification is questionable.

Key to species of Phlogotettix from the Indian subcontinent (males)

1. Style apophysis recurved ( Fig. 50G ); aedeagus with ventral process without subapical triangular lateral projections before forking ( Fig. 50H ).......................................................................... P. indicus Rao

- Style apophysis not recurved ( Fig. 51F ); aedeagus with ventral process with subapical lateral triangular projections before forking ( Figs 51 JI).................................................................................... 2

2. Aedeagal shaft with ventral process distally bifid ( Fig. 51J ); anteriorly curved part of aedeagal shaft shorter than ventral processes ( Figs 51 HL).............................................. P. subhimalayanus Meshram & Ramamurthy

- Aedeagal shaft with ventral process distally truncate, not forked, anteriorly curved part of aedeagal shaft longer than ventral process in lateral view ( Rai et al. 2022, fig. 2h).......................................... P. unicus Stuti & Meshram

Figures

FIGURES 50 A–J. Phlogotettix indicus Rao:A, head and thorax, dorsal view; B, face; C, pygofer, lateral view; D, pygofer and ventral process, lateral view; E, part of valve and subgenital plate, ventral view; F, connective, dorsal view; G, style, dorsal view; H, aedeagus ventral view; I, apex of aedeagal ventral process, dorsoposterior view; J, aedeagus, lateral view.

FIGURES 51A–M. Phlogotettix subhimalayanus Meshram & Ramamurthy: A, face; B, male genital capsule, lateral view; C, pygofer and ventral pygofer process, lateral view; D, subgenital plate, ventral view; E, connective and part of preatrium of aedeagus, dorsal view; F–H, style, different views; I, aedeagus lateral view; J, apex of aedeagal ventral process, dorsoposterior view; J–M, specimen from Myanmar: J–K, aedeagus ventral and dorsal views; L, part of connective and aedeagus, lateral view; M, styles, connective and aedeagus ventral view.