Rhombotettix Rhombotettix Skejo, Yong, Bogic & Kasalo, subgen. nov.

Skejo, Josip, Yong, Sheyla, Bogic, Domagoj & Kasalo, Niko, 2023, Caribbean pygmy jumping leaves (Tetrigidae, Cladonotinae, Choriphyllini), Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 70 (1), pp. 129-141 : 129

Subgenus Rhombotettix Rhombotettix Skejo, Yong, Bogic & Kasalo, subgen. nov.

Type species.

Cicada rhombea Felton, 1765 = Phyllotettix (Rhombotettix) rhombeus .

Etymology.

Rhombotettix is a noun of masculine gender made up of combining Latinised Ancient Greek words for rhombus (ῥόμβος, rhombos) and grasshopper (τέττιξ, tettix). This name was selected because of its prosody in the combination with the specific epitheton of the type species, " Rhombotettix rhombeus ".

Composition and distribution

(Figs 1 , 2 ). The subgenus Rhombotettix Rhombotettix subgen. nov. includes only two species, P. plagiatus (Walker, 1871) comb. nov. and P. rhombeus (Felton, 1765) and they are both endemic to Jamaica.

Diagnosis

(Figs 1 , 3 ). In lateral view, the posterior margin of the pronotal crest is obliquely projected and undulated (in the nominotypical subgenus, excised or convex); the pronotum caudally reaching behind the hind knees (not reaching the hind knees in the nominotypical subgenus).

Figures

Figure 1. Diversity of the Caribbean Pygmy Jumping Leaves, tribe Choriphyllini, genera Choriphyllum and Phyllotettix. All the specimens with available photographs are shown, representing the first variability assessment for the species of these genera. The scale bar represents 5 millimetres.

Figure 2. Biogeography of the Caribbean Jumping Leaves (Cladonotinae, Choriphyllini). Biogeographic data of the tribe Choriphyllini is scarce. The distribution map of the six species belonging to this leaf-like tribe has the distribution of three species missing, as no localities are known.

Figure 3. Annotated schematic pictorial key to genera and species of Choriphyllini. Specimens are not to scale; for size comparison see Fig. 1. The red line shows the position of the highest point of the pronotal crest. The blue arrow points to the anterior margin of the pronotum; the green arrow points to the posterior pronotal tip; and the purple arrow points to the caudal margin of the pronotal crest. Shown are silhouettes of the type specimens of each species. For C. sagrai, shown is the silhouette of Serville's (1838) drawing of the holotype. The capital sinus is marked in red and pointed out in grey.