Review of the planthopper genus Zophiuma Fennah (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Lophopidae) with first description of the male of Zophiuma pupillata Stål

Abstract

AbstractAn examination of the five described species of the New Guinean genus Zophiuma Fennah (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Lophopidae), has confirmed that Zophiuma guineae (Lallemand) is a new synonym of Zophiuma pupillata (Stål) and that Zophiuma lobulata Ghauri is a new synonym of Zophiuma butawengi (Heller). The third species of the genus, Zophiuma doreyensis Distant, is known only from the male holotype. The morphology of the male genitalia and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences were used to compare Z. pupillata and Z. butawengi. Both the male genitalia and the COI sequences showed clear cut differences between the two species with little intraspecific variation in comparison to interspecific variation. Sequence data demonstrated that males collected with the distinctively coloured Z. pupillata females are the males of that species. Male genitalia of Z. pupillata are described and illustrated for the first time and a key for the discrimination of the three species of the genus is provided.