Subfamily Evacanthinae: Tribe Nirvanini
Australnirvana adelaideae (Evans) (female)
"Nirvana is a leafhopper"
The Nirvanini is the only tribe of Evacanthinae recorded from Australia. They are easily recognised by the shape of the head, coupled with the presence of only two preapical cells in the tegmen. The Australian fauna includes some beautiful insects including the brightly coloured species of Tortor and the black Sophonia doddi. Australnirvana adelaideae (pictured at right) is bright green with a longitudinal black stripe down the middle. The male's stripe is broader than that of the female. Although there are no known pest species of Nirvanini in the Australian fauna, there are species overseas that pose a quarantine threat to Australia. Sophonia rufifascia Kuoh & Kuoh has spread from the Oriental region across the Pacific to Hawaii and could easily reach Australia from there. It is a serious pest of vegetable crops although its feeding preferences have not been clarified. The placement of this tribe in the Evacanthinae with the Evacanthini, which was previously classified as a tribe of Cicadellinae, may indicate that the Nirvanini are xylem-feeders.
- Species of Nirvanini known to occur in Australia
- Species of Nirvanini known to occur in eastern Indonesia
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Species of Nirvanini known to occur in Australia
Genus Euronirvanella EvansEuronirvanella Evans 1966: 155 |
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Euronirvanella anomala Evans Euronirvanella anomala Evans 1966: 155 |
Qld |
Genus Australnirvana Wang, Dietrich & ZhangAustralnirvana Wang, Dietrich & Zhang 2016: 135 |
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Australnirvana adelaideae (Evans) Nirvana adelaideae Evans 1938a:
5 [update: 21.x.2016] |
NSW, SA, WA, Tas, Qld, NT [Qld, Tas, NT updates: 19.ix.2011] |
Genus Ophiuchus DistantOphiuchus Distant 1918: 33 |
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Ophiuchus pallidus Evans Ophiuchus pallidus Evans 1938a: 6 |
Qld |
Genus Sophonia WalkerSophonia Walker 1870: 327 |
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Sophonia doddi (Evans) Pseudonirvana doddi Evans 1966:
155 Note: Day & Fletcher (1994) credited Evans (1977) as the first to use this combination but Evans (1977) simply stated that Pseudonirvana Baker was a synonym of Sophonia Walker, apparently unaware that this synonymy had already been proposed by China (1924b). The first use of the combination Sophona doddi (Evans) was by Day & Fletcher (1994). [update: 19.ix.2011] |
Qld |
Genus Tortor KirkaldyTortor Kirkaldy 1907: 42 |
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Tortor daulias Kirkaldy Tortor daulias Kirkaldy 1907:
42 Known hosts: Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae), Croton (Euphorbiaceae) (Evans 1966) |
NSW, Lord Howe I., Qld, PNG |
Tortor dorrigensis (Evans) Kana dorrigensis Evans 1938a:
6 |
NSW, Lord Howe I., Qld |
Tortor pulchra Evans Tortor pulchra Evans 1966: 154 |
Qld, WA, NT, NSW |