Taxonomy and biogeography of the new guinean cicadettini (Hemiptera, Tibicinidae)

Abstract

The cicada species of the tribe Cicadettini occurring on New Guinea and some nearby islands belong to four genera: Auta Distant (3 species), Pauropsalta Goding & Froggatt (1 species). Toxopeusella Kirkaldy (3 species), and Nigripsaltria n. gen. (4 species). The genus Pauropsalta occurs in Australia and with P. eyrei. in New Guinea, the other three genera are restricted to the Papuan-Moluccan region. The Papuan genera are here revised, two species (Auta insignis Distant and Toxopeusella moluccana Kirkaldy) are redescribed and eight species (Auta daymanensis, A. tapinensis, Nigripsaltria carinata, N. dali, N. mouldsi, N. tagulaensis, Toxopeusella montana, and T. fakfakensis) are described as new. A key to the males of all species is provided. Toxopeusella browni Boulard, T. cheesmanae Boulard, and T. smarti Boulard are brought into the synonymy of T. moluccana. Most of the species are endemic to New Guinea, but Toxopeusella moluccana has a wider distribution in Maluku, the Bismarck archipelago and the Solomon islands. Nigripsaltria tagulaensis is endemic to Tagula island of the Louisiade archipelago. A phylogenetic analysis supports the monophyly of each of the three genera. Biogeographic data show that, within New Guinea, Cicadettini are most speciose in the Papuan peninsula. A comparison of biogeographic patterns with the results of an areacladistic analysis based on phylogenetic and biogeographic data of the cicada taxa Chlorocystini. Cosmopsaltriaria, and Prasiini suggests that the New Guinean Cicadettini dispersed quite recently, possibly during one of the Pleistocene glacial periods, from Australia to New Guinea.