Tambila Distant, 1907

Shobharani, M., C. A. Viraktamath & Webb, M. D., 2018, Revision of the penthimiine leafhopper genus Tambila Distant (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) of the Indian subcontinent, Zootaxa 4514 (4), pp. 501-515 : 502

Genus Tambila Distant

Tambila Distant 1908: 247 . Type species: Tambila greeni Distant , by original designation.

Colour variable, head in profile spatulate, anterior margin with five to six transverse carinae; crown medially sulcate. Face with clypellus medially ridged in basal half; lorum flat; lateral frontal suture extending beyond antennal pits near to ocelli on crown. Forewing with six apical and three anteapical cells, covering entire abdomen, claval veins joined by cross vein. Hind wing with four apical cells. Fore femur with anteroventral row (AV) of setae present in proximal third distance only consisting of short and stout setae; intercalary setae about 14 well developed somewhat in an arcuate row and anteromedian seta AM1 well developed ( Fig. 34 ). Hind femoral macrosetae 2+2+1. Hind tibia with one macroseta between 1–2 much smaller setae on postero dorsal row, with small setae between macrosetae on anterodorsal region. Metabasitarsus with three platellae, rarely with four or five platellae in the same species ( Figs 43, 44 ).

Male pygofer with rounded caudal lobe. Subgenital plate large with rounded caudal margin. Style short with well developed preapical lobe, apophysis finger like, curved laterally. Connective Y shaped. Aedeagus simple, shaft dorsoanteriorly curved, slightly narrowed distally with large gonopore on apical or apical ventral surface. Hind margin of female seventh sternite produced in middle with median concavity. Dorsal sculpturing of first valvula concatenate, marginal ( Figs 24–25 ); dorsal toothed area of second valvula prominent, occupying more than half apical length ( Figs 26–27 ).

Remarks. The genera Tambila Distant , Uzelina Melichar and Vulturnus Kirkaldy resemble each other in having a spatulate head and marginally rimmed vertex with five to six transverse carinae. In the genera Tambila and Vulturnus the aedeagal shaft is either with laterally lamellate or with serrated lateral margin near apexwith a small gonopore compared to tubular aedeagal shaft throughout its length with a large gonopore in Tambila ( Fig. 36 ). Shobharani et al. (2018) gave a key to differentiate the genera occurring in the Indian subcontinent.

Figures

FIGURES 23–36. Species of Tambila. 23–27, female genitalia of T. majuscula from Meppadi, female sternite VII (23), valvula I (24–25) and valvula II (26–27). 28–32, apex of female abdomen, ventral view: 28, T. badia, lectotype; 29, T. conspersa, lectotype; 30, T. fletcheri, lectotype; 31, T. greeni, lectotype; 32. T. vittatifrons, lectotype. 33–36, T. opulenta lectotype male genitalia synonymized with T. greeni: 33, style, dorsal view; 34, 35, aedeagus, lateral view; 36, aedeagus, ventral view.

FIGURES 37–45. Penthimiini: 37, Penthimia sp., head and thorax, lateral view. 38–45, Tambila majuscula: 38, head and thorax profile; 39, face; 40, head and thorax, dorsal view; 41, forefemur; 42, forewing; 43–44, metabasitarsus, ventral view showing variation in the number of platellae; 45, male pygofer, lateral view.