Insect keys » Membracoidea

Subfamily Ledrinae: Tribe Ledrini

Ezrana primitiva Evans

The Ledrini includes some of the world's largest leafhoppers. All species have the head laminately expanded, often shovel-shaped with the ventral surface concave and the dorsal surface convex. Most Australian species are rugose dorsally, sometimes with ridging and elevated carinae. The bizarre Porcorhinus mastersi Goding was first described in the family Membracidae because of the horns on the pronotum but its true affinities lie here.

Metcalf (1962) and Oman et al. (1990) listed Jukaruka typica, J. grisea, Ezrana primitiva and Petalocephala bohemani in a distinct tribe, the Petalocephalini but this was synonymised with Ledrini by Jones & Deitz (2009) who also separated the genus Rubria into its own tribe Rubrini.

Species of Ledrinae: Ledrini known to occur in Australia

Genus Ezrana Distant

Ezrana Distant 1908b: 177

Ezrana primitiva Evans

Ezrana primitiva Evans 1969a: 735

Qld, NSW

[NSW update: 21.ix.2011]

Genus Jukaruka Distant

Jukaruka Distant 1907 : 190

Jukaruka grisea Evans

Jukaruka grisea Evans 1966: 100

WA, Qld

[Qld update: 22.ix.2011]

Jukaruka typica Distant

Jukaruka typica Distant 1907: 190

Qld

Genus Ledropsella Evans

Ledropsella Evans 1966: 101

Ledropsella monstrosa (Evans)

Platyledra monstrosa Evans 1939: 45
Ledropsella monstrosa (Evans), Evans 1966: 101

WA, NSW
[NSW update:
23.xi.2000]

Genus Ledropsis White

Ledropsis White 1844: 425
Scaphocephalus Matsumura 1905: 52, synonymised by Kato 1931: 436

Ledropsis froggatti Distant

Ledropsis frogatti [sic] Distant 1907: 192
Ledropsis crocina Distant 1917a: 188, synonymised by Evans 1966: 99

Known hosts: Ceratopetalum gummiferum (Cunoniaceae), Leptospermum (Myrtaceae)
Note: Jones & Deitz (2009) queried whether this species belonged in Ezrana Distant rather than in its own genus.

Qld, NSW, Vic

Genus Petalocephala Stål

Petalocephala Stål 1853: 266
Pachyledra Schumacher 1912: 248, synonymised by Evans 1947d 130

Note: This genus was described by Stål (1853) but it wasn't until Stål (1854) that any species were placed in it.

[update: 23.ix.2011]

Petalocephala bohemani Stål

Petalocephala bohemani Stål 1854: 251
Rhotidus ingens Kirkaldy 1906: 366: synonymised by Evans 1977: 104
Rhotidus flavomaculatus Kirkaldy 1906: 367: synonymised by Evans 1966: 103

Qld, Vic
Indonesia

Petalocephala concolor (Walker)

Ledra concolor Walker 1851: 826
Petalocephala concolor (Walker), Stål 1862: 494
?Ledra concolor Walker, Kirkaldy 1906: 366

Note: The generic placement of this species is currently uncertain. Stål's (1862) placement in Petalocephala Stål is followed here pending examination of Walker's type in BMNH.

[update: 22.ix.2011]

Tas