A new genus, Smilirhexia, of Smiliini (Hemiptera, Membracidae) from Costa Rica

Abstract

Smilirhexia naranja, gen. n. and sp. n., is described from Central America, the southern limit of the tribe Smiliini, and represents a strong divergence from the morphology of the oak-feeding genera prevalent in North America.

Morphology-based phylogenetic analysis of the treehopper tribe Smiliini (Hemiptera: Membracidae: Smiliinae), with reinstatement of the tribe Telamonini

“…Yet, the evolutionary hypothesis and host plant data (large number of oak specialists) presented here suggest that the immediate ancestors to the Smiliini s. Wallace and Telamonini s. Wallace were probably oak feeders, or at least, early on in Smiliini and Telamonini evolution there was a switch to Fagaceae from another plant family. McKamey (2008) suggested Smilirhexia, based on its locality in an oak upland, likely feeds on oak. Two of the basal genera of clade three, Hemicardiacus (Antianthe group) and Tropidarnis, are reported from oak (Table 2).…”

“…The nominotypical tribe of the Smiliinae, the Smiliini Stål 1866(sensu lato: Deitz 1975McKamey 1998McKamey , 2008, is a predominantly Nearctic group of mainly tree-feeding membracids. Most Smiliini are documented as monophagous, solitary, univoltine, and rarely ant-attended (Wood 1984(Wood , 1993Cast 2002).…”

“…Most Smiliini are documented as monophagous, solitary, univoltine, and rarely ant-attended (Wood 1984(Wood , 1993Cast 2002). The tribe contains 169 species (excluding subspecies) in 23 genera (McKamey 1998(McKamey , 2008 (Table 1). For many years (prior to Deitz 1975), these taxa were separated into two tribes, the Smiliini and the Telamonini Goding 1892.…”

“…genera with the goal of elucidating tribal evolutionary relationships. Metcalf and Wade (1965) vs. Deitz (1975) and McKamey (1998McKamey ( , 2008). 1 = Metcalf and Wade also placed the following genera in the Smiliini, but these were subsequently moved to the Polyglyptini by Deitz (1975): Adippe Stål, Dioclophara Kirkaldy, Ennya Stål, Gelastogonia Kirkaldy, Hemiptycha Germar, Heranice Stål, Membracidoidea Goding, Methesia Fowler, and Polyglyptodes Fowler.…”

A striking new treehopper genus Mutilifolia (Hemiptera: Membracidae: Smiliinae: Telamonini), from Costa Rica

“…Since 2004, numerous articles have been published improving the taxonomy of the second largest treehopper subfamily, the Smiliinae. Most of the recent taxonomic work has focused on the tribes Amastrini (Evangelista and Sakakibara 2007b), Ceresini (Andrade 2004a, b;2005;2008), Smiliini (Wallace 2011), and Telamonini (Wallace 2011). Only two Smiliinae genera were described during this period, Aurimastris Evangelista and Sakakibara (2007a) Telamonines are known for their large size (8-10 mm) and striking pronotal projections, sometimes assuming a quadrate, sinuate, tonguelike, or thornlike shape (Ball 1931;Wallace 2011).…”