Tomaspisina Distant, 1909 : 206

Andrew Hamilton, K. G., 2016, Neotropical spittlebugs related to Neaenini (Hemiptera, Cercopidae) and the origins of subfamily Cercopinae, Zootaxa 4169 (2), pp. 201-250 : 244

Tomaspisina Distant, 1909: 206 .

Diagnosis. Venation of tegmen prominent, reticulate.

Description. Antenna as in Olcotomaspis but with only a single large basiconic sensillum visible (possibly a smaller one on inner side); mesosternum with prominent ridge before coxae, as in some Cosmoscartini; male pygofer with very prominent dorsoapical process; subgenital plates short, taper to point, appressed, not divided beyond base, bearing tooth on dorsal margin near midlength; style with prominent crest on apical quarter; theca weakly laterally compressed, straight, with 3 pairs of lateral teeth on outer edge ( Carvalho & Webb 2005, figs 197a–f).

Included taxa: possibly only the genotype, Sphenorhina frontalis Walker , described as a large, black female. It is known from a syntype from Colombia and a second female, also in the BMNH, from Ecuador, Picincha [volcano] Bellavista Cloudforest Reserve 2200–2300m, 0°00’55.77”N 78°40’49.73”W, 23–27 July 2008, general collecting [in] tropical cloudforest. This specimen, successfully barcoded as CNC#HEM 305303, provided the only image of the antennal sensillum and also the sternal sculpturing. It may be a dimorphic species as the only known male, the missing holotype of Tomaspisina fuliginosa Nast (from Peru), is somewhat smaller, brown with a similar color pattern and dark tegminal veins. Should another specimen be found its status relative to the genotype can be compared by the full barcode data obtained from the Ecuador specimen.

The holotype of Tomaspisina rubromarginata Nast ( Carvalho & Webb 2005, fig. 748) is almost certainly not the same genus. Its green color is unusual in a spittlebug and strongly suggests that it belongs to Paratriecphora Lallemand ( Carvalho & Webb 2005, fig. 355).