Abstract
A new endemic deltocephaline leafhopper, Tetramelasma gen.n. is described from the Grassland Biome of South Africa, comprising four new species: T. litopyx sp. n., T. nodosatha sp. n., T. scolosatha sp. n. and T. tanyphysis sp. n. Two paired dark markings on the vertex of the head are striking features of this genus and it is found in association with a number of grass species usually at high altitudes in the Grassland Biome. Species of this genus are characterized in the male by a short, truncated plate with a dorsal sclerotized process, the aedeagus with a long, slender shaft that is fused with the connective. Tribal placement in Deltocephalini is based on the fusion between the aedeagus and connective. The style has the posterior apophysis short and hollow or elongate and somewhat serrated. Females are characterized by the sternite 7 that is deeply invaginated along the posterior margin or only with a shallow notch, semicircular and sclerotized laterally.References
Blocker, H.D. & Triplehorn, B.W. (1985) External Morpholoyg of Leafhoppers. Chapter 3 In: Nault, L.R. & Rodriguez, J.G. Eds. The Leafhoppers and Planthoppers. John Wiley and sons, New York, USA, 500pp.
Davis, R.B. (1975) Classifiction of selected higher cateories of Auchenorrhynchous Homoptera (Cicadellidae and Aetalionidae). United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Services, Technical Bulleting No. 1494, 52pp.
Mucina, L. & Rutherford, M.C. (Eds) (2006) The Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Strelitzia, 19, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Stiller, M. (2009a) A revision of the South African leafhopper genus Drakensbergena Linnavuori (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Drakensbergeninae). Zootaxa, 2132, 1–39.
Stiller, M. (2009b) Revision of Elginus Theron (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with the description of two new genera and comments on the grassland leafhopper fauna in South Africa. Zootaxa, 2135, 1–56.
Stiller, M. (2010a) Revision of the Southern African leafhopper genus Pravistylus (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae). Zootaxa, 2468, 1–81.
Stiller, M. (2010b) Revision of the genus Vilargus Theron (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from South Africa. Zootaxa, 2674, 1–25.
Webb, M.D. & Viraktamath, C.A. (2009) Annotated check-list, generic key and new species of Old World Deltocephalini leafhoppers with nomenclatorial changes in the Deltocephalus group and other Deltocephalinae (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Cicadellidae) Zootaxa, 2163, 1–64.
Zahniser, J.N. & Dietrich, C.H. (2008) Phylogeny of the leafhopper subfamily Deltocephalinae (Insecta: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae) and related subfamilies based on morphology. Systematics and Biodiversity, 6(1), 1–24.
Zahniser, J.N. & Dietrich , C.H. (2010) Phylogeny of the leafhopper subfamily Deltocephalinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) based on molecular and morphological data with a revised family-group classification. Systematic Entomology, 35, 489–511.