Sophonia Walker

Li, Z. Z. & Chen, X. S., 2005, A checklist and key to species of the genus Sophonia (Insecta: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae: Nirvaninae) in China with descriptions of two new species, Journal of Natural History 39 (1), pp. 71-78 : 71-72

Genus Sophonia Walker

Sophonia Walker, 1870: 327 . Type species: Sophonia rufitelum Walker, 1870 .

Pseudonirvana Baker, 1923: 386 . Type species: Pseudonirvana sandakanensis Baker, 1923 . Synonymized by Evans, 1947: 178.

Quercinirvana Ahmed and Mahmood, 1969: 260 . Type species: Quercinirvana longicephala, Ahmed and Mahmood, 1969 . Synonymized by Viraktamath and Wesley, 1988: 198.

ISSN 0022-2933 print/ISSN 1464-5262 online © 2005 Taylor & Francis Ltd

DOI: 10.10800022293031000155331

Description

Head with crown flat or slightly convex, produced anteriorly, crown longer medially than width between eyes, anterolateral margin with marginal ridge; ocelli located laterally on crown, close to anterior corner of eyes; frontoclypeus elongate, basal area evenly convex, with one distinct longitudinal ridge medially, sides obliquely wrinkled, apex flat. Pronotum wider than head. Scutellum with transverse suture extending to lateral margins. Fore wings in repose extending beyond apex of abdomen, venation obscure at base, without pre-apical cells, with four apical cells, appendix narrow and short. Hind wing with three closed cells.

Male genitalia with lateral lobe of pygofer with long macrosetae, often with a variably shaped process; subgenital plate long and broad, median area with a row of long macrosetae and apical part with short fine setae; aedeagus with a complicated arrangement of processes laterally on the basal apodeme; connective Y-shaped; style twisted basally, apex acute.

Remarks

The genus Sophonia is closely related to Kana Distant and Nirvana Kirkaldy , but can be differentiated from these two genera mainly by its shorter male plates and complex aedeagus that has processes on the dorsal apodeme and usually apex of the shaft.