Mohan planthopper (Metaurus mohanensis), new species based on mitochondrial genome and geographic distribution

NEWS - A new species, Mohan planthopper (Metaurus mohanensis) from Yunnan, China, was distinguished from the species Metaurus Stål, 1866 (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Dictyopharidae) based on analysis of geographical distribution and mitochondrial genome data.

Metaurus Oriental shows a continental distribution in Southeast Asia, restricted to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and southwest China. M. ramusitis Song & Liang 2012 is known from Laos and was found by only one female from Yunnan, China. The new species in this study was also collected from Yunnan.

Global distribution 748 species in 160 genera, family Dictyopharidae Spinola 1839 is a medium-sized taxon within Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha. Dictyopharidae are herbivorous insects known to feed on more than 25 families. Several dictyopharid species are known to be economically significant agricultural pests.

Dictyopharidae is classified into 19 tribes, plus two fossils divided between Dictyopharinae Spinola 1839 and Orgeriinae Fieber 1872. The genus Metaurus Stål 1866 was originally placed in Dictyopharini Spinola 1838, but was moved to Orthopagini Emeljanov 1983 by Emeljanov (2011) and later revised by Song and Liang (2012).

The species of Metaurus are externally similar to the species of Centromeria Stål 1870, a more diverse genus of Orthopagini with 14 species known to date, but with a wider Southeast Asian distribution consistent with the Oriental zoogeographic region.

This study describes M. mohanensis based on morphology and mitogenome. The new species in males has BL 17.3-17.1 mm, HL 3.6-3.7 mm, HW 1.7-1.8 mm, FWL 12-12.1 mm. The epithet “mohanensis” refers to the collection site in Mohan town.

The new species resembles M. ramusitis Song & Liang, but differs by the shape of the base of the base and segment X. The dorsal apical lobe of the base is formed in a pair of long lobes, directed posteriorly in lateral view and two lobes above it, the base extending forward to form a leaf-like projection in dorsal view (vs. not in M. ramusitis).

Segment X in dorsal view is relatively narrow with a maximum length to width ratio near the base of about 2.3:1. The ventral margin projects ventrally into a large rounded process at the base in lateral view and is slightly concave, not incised medially (vs. segment X is relatively wider in dorsal view and with irregular incisions medially in lateral view in M. ramusitis).

Original research

Zheng Y-L, Bourgoin T, Yang L, Chen X-S (2024). A new species of Metaurus Stål, 1866 (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Dictyopharidae), supplemented with mitogenome data from China. ZooKeys 1215: 53-64, DOI:10.3897/zookeys.1215.128976

Dlium theDlium

Srigati morning glory (Ipomoea trifida)

Srigati morning glory or threefork morning glory ( Ipomoea trifida ) is a species of plant in the Convolvulaceae family. It is a herbaceous, climbing, twining, cylindrical plant with green stems when young and brown when mature, and white hairs. The leaves are heart-shaped, plain or three-lobed, up to 9 cm long and 9 cm wide. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, reddish-white or purplish, with red or purple inner lobes, up to 4 cm long and 3.5 cm wide. This species grows as a ground cover and climbs into the forest canopy. It grows in forests, agricultural lands, roadsides, and abandoned areas. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Solanales Family: Convolvulaceae Subfamily: Convolvuloideae Tribe: Ipomoeeae Genus: Ipomoea L. in Sp. Pl.: 159 (1753) Species: Ipomoea trifida (Kunth) G.Don in Gen. Hist. 4: 280 (1837) HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS Convolvulus trifidus Kunth in F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 3: 1...

Java milkwort (Polygala javana)

Java milkwort ( Polygala javana ) is a species of plant in the Polygalaceae family. It has erect, woody, branched stems with brown to black stems and white hairs or powdery hairs. The leaves are opposite and alternate. The leaves are oval, up to 30 mm long and up to 9 mm wide, and green. The inflorescences are arranged in panicles, arranged in rows and radially. The flowers are butterfly-shaped, yellow, green, and purple, with white hairs, up to 8 mm wide. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fabales Family: Polygalaceae Tribe: Polygaleae Genus: Polygala Tourn. ex L. in Sp. Pl.: 701 (1753) Species: Polygala javana DC. in Prodr. 1: 327 (1824) HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS Polygala ceylanica B.Heyne ex Wall. in Numer. List: n.° 4183 (1831) Polygala javana var. angustifolia Thwaites in Enum. Pl. Zeyl.: 22 (1864) Polygala raoi R.N.Banerjee & L.K.Banerjee in Proc. Indian Acad. Sci., B 82: 218 (1975) PUBLICATIONS Aung, Y.L., Aung, M.H....

Redflower ragleaf (Crassocephalum crepidioides)

Sintrong or ebolo or thickhead or redflower ragleaf ( Crassocephalum crepidioides ) is plant species in Asteraceae, terma height 25-100 cm, white fibrous roots, generally grow wild on the roadside, yard gardens or abandoned lands at altitude 200- 2500 m. C. crepidioides has erect or horizontal stems along the soil surface, vascular, soft, non-woody, shallow grooves, green, rough surface and short white hair, aromatic fragrance when squeezed. Petiole is spread on stems, tubular and eared. Single leaf, spread out, green, 8-20 cm long, 3-6 cm wide, longitudinal or round inverted eggshell with a narrow base along the stalk. Pointed tip, flat-edged or curved to pinnate, jagged rough and pointed. The top leaves are smaller and often sit. Compound flowers grow throughout the year in humps that are arranged in terminal flat panicles and androgynous. Green cuffs with orange-brown to brick-red tips, cylindrical for 13-16 mm long and 5-6 mm wide. The fruit is hard, slender elongated, has 10 r...

Dlium