African Derbidae (Homoptera,Fulgoroidea): taxonomic notes with descriptions of new species collected mainly from coconut

An annotated list of the African Derbidae described since Synave's 1973 monograph is given, with some corrections and additions to that work together with a revision of the genus Robigus from Africa. The following new species are described: Diostrombus schuilingi sp. nov., D. mkurangai sp. nov., Zorabana vipaku sp. nov., Patara minazi sp. nov., P. chambeziensis sp. nov., Paraphenice mawai, sp. nov., Phenice pongwei sp. nov., Robigus magawai sp. nov., Robigus synavei sp. nov. (= R. tortrinotatus sensu Synave, 1973), Kamendaka ukutu sp. nov. All of these new species with the exception of R. synavei were collected from coconut. The following new synonomies are made: Proutista fritillaris (Boheman) = P. tesselata (Westwood) syn. nov., Diostrombus abdominalis (Distant) = D. moerensis Synave syn. nov., Paraphenice dissimilis Synave = Pamendanga fuscinervis Van Stalle syn. nov., Zoraida fuligipennis Muir = Z. nigeriensis Synave syn. nov., Platocera africana Muir, omitted in error from Synave (1973), is described and figured. Proutista moesta (Westwood) is recorded from Africa for the first time.     

Patterns of host-plant utilization by leafhoppers in the genus Eupteryx (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in Britain

Known host-plant associations are listed for the 16 species of Eupteryx occurring in Britain. A total of 77 species in 17 plant families are exploited. The most frequently represented plant family is the Labiatae. Degrees of specificity range from strict monophagy (four spp.) to broad polyphagy (five spp.). In general, host-plant overlap between species is low. The detailed relationships between three Eupteryx species and three members of the Urticaceae were explored using field populations and laboratory feeding experiments, survival tests and examination of patterns of oviposition. Eupteryx urticae, E. cyclops and E. aurata all utilized Urtica dioica as their primary host plant. However, the only regularly recorded association with other members of the Urticaceae was the host range expansion of E. urticae onto Parietaria judaica in the second generation. These findings were supported by the laboratory experiments. The spatial distributions of E. urticae oviposition sites and levels of attack by mymarid parasitoids were similar in populations on the two plant species. The implications of these results are discussed.     

Cave-dwelling Fulgoroidea (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha) from the Canary Islands

Examination of Fulgoroid specimens collected in several caves of volcanic origin on the Canary Islands (Tenerife, El Hierro) has revealed the existence of at least two undescribed troglobitic Fulgoroid species. These are apparently the first records of troglobitic Auchenorrhyncha, not only from the Middle Atlantic Islands, but from the Palaeartic Region. These cavernicolous taxa belong to the families Cixiidae (Tachycixius lavatubus sp. nov.) and Meenoplidae (Meenoplus cancavus sp. nov.). Possible pathways towards the evolution of troglobitic forms in Auchenorrhyncha and ways of speciation—sympatric or allopatric—for T. lavatubus sp. nov. and its epigean relative Tachycixius canariensis (Lindberg) are discussed. These findings suggest that cavernicolous Homoptera are more widely distributed over the world than was previously assumed.     

Three new species of Euragallia Oman, 1938 from Brazil (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Agalliinae)

Four new species of Clinotanypus Kieffer, 1913 (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanypodinae) from Brazil are described and figured as male and immatures: Clinotanypus caritus, Clinotanypus gymnos, Clinotanypus setosus and Clinotanypus striatus. Keys to the Neotropical males, pupae and larvae of known species of Clinotanypus are provided. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DAE70C2F-15CA-4B72-9AE5-F601EAD76A7C