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

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