Genus Jamella Kirkaldy
Jamella australiae Kirkaldy
The Pandanus Planthopper
Genus Jamella Kirkaldy 1906: 460
Type
species: Jamella australiae Kirkaldy 1906:
460 (by monotypy)
Known species: Medler (1990) revised the genus which now contains 6 species in Northern Australia, Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya. In the same paper, Medler described the closely related Malleja from Irian Jaya.
Australian species: Jamella australiae Kirkaldy 1906 and Jamella sojora Medler 1990 are the only Australian species. They can be differentiated by the presence of U-shaped lateral carinae on the frons of J. sojora, these being absent from J. australiae.
Economic significance: J. australiae has been associated with death of Pandanus plants in coastal Queensland [update: 6.iv.2000] and it has become known as the Pandanus planthopper. It has been reported in the north coastal regions of NSW in 2004. [update: 8.iv.2004].