The Meenoplidae are a small family of 23 genera (161 species) found in the Old World tropics. The Meenoplidae are related to the Kinnaridae, and may be paraphyletic with respect to the Kinnaridae (Bourgoin 1993, 1997), although this idea has not been recently explored. Superficially (to me), Meenoplidae resembles derbid in the Cedusiini or Cenchreini. Metcalf (1945) provided features for the family as follows: All species are moderately small, with the body strongly compressed and the tegmina tectiform. The head has the vertex and frons (usually) broad and the lateral carinae strongly elevated. The antennae are generally short and simple. The last segment of the labium is elongate. The median ocellus is generally present. The thorax is usually large, with the carinae indistinct or wanting. The tegulae are large, the pronotum is short, broader than the head, and the mesonotum is broader than the pronotum. The tegmina are always macropterous and normally are held vertically in repose. The venation is in general cixiid-like, with the basal costal area more or less expanded. Subcosta and radius are typically united for more than half their lengths. Radius and media are usually simple, but cubitus is complex, generally with supernumerary veins. One or both claval veins are typically granulate. The abdomen is compressed, with the sixth, seventh and eighth tergites bearing wax-secreting pores. The male genitalia superficially resemble the genitalia in many derbids, with the genital plates large and complex. The female genitalia are incomplete, the ovipositor being absent or greatly reduced.
Muir (1927, 1930) classified Meenoplidae into 2 subfamilies, the nominotypical one and Nisiinae (‘described’ by Kirkaldy 1907: 163 in the Derbidae – actually just listed), and provided a key to genera (modified from 1925a) known at the time. Metcalf (1945) utilized Muir’s (1930) classification, although he placed Nisiinae Kirkaldy, 1907 as a senior synonym of Kermesiinae Kirkaldy, 1906, probably on the basis of Haupt (1926: 197), who who recognized Kermesiinae and Meenoplinae as subfamilies of Derbidae. Emeljanov (1984, English version 1985) revised the higher classification, described Nisamia and Eponisiella, and presented a key to genus. Subsequently (Bourgoin 1993) presented a preliminary phylogeny of Kinnaridae and Meenoplidae that provided evidence that Meenoplidae are derived within the Kinnaridae. Bourgoin (1997) revised the Meenoplidae of New Caledonia and provided additional phylogenetic evidence, along with Bourgoin & Deiss (1994) who examined female wax plates in a phylogenetic context. Subsequent quantitative phylogenetic analyses has not been completed, although additional taxa (including troglobitic species), and faunal reviews, have been published by Tsaur et al. 1986, Dlabola 1986, Wilson 1988, 2010; Hoch & Asche 1988, 1993; Tsaur 1989, Hoch 1990, 1993, 1996; Bonfils & Attié 1998; Hoch et al. 1999, 2012, 2014; Rahman et al. 2014. Additionally, Chen (1992) studied the wax secretory plates in Taiwanese Meenoplidae.
The classification used here is on Emeljanov, 1984, or as placed by subsequent authors in original descriptions. All taxa placed to formally subfamily – tribes are implicit.
Distribution of Meenoplidae from FLOW (17 Apr. 2018)
Phylogeny of Kinnaridae and Meenoplidae from Bourgoin (1993)
Forewing venation in Meenoplidae from Bourgoin 1997
Meenoplidae forewing detail (claval veins granulate) from New South Wales Government Department of Primary Industries Biosecurity Collections, Key to Families of Fulgoroidea.
Wings of Meenoplidae from Emeljanov 1994
Wings of Meenoplidae from Emeljanov 1994
Family Meenoplidae Fieber, 1872
Meenoplinae Fieber 1872
Meenoplini Fieber 1872
Anigrus Stål, 1866 (= Inxwala Distant, 1907 by Muir 1925; = Paranisia Matsumura, 1914 by Muir 1930; = Paranigrus Bergroth, 1920 by Muir 1930)
Distantiana Bourgoin, 1997
Meenoplus Fieber, 1866
Metanigrus Tsaur & Yang, 1986
Anigrus sp. (image from BOLD from Canadian National Collection).
Kermesiinae Kirkaldy 1906: 427 (= Nisiinae Kirkaldy 1907: 164 syn. by Em. 1984)
Kermesiini Kirkaldy 1906
Afronisia Wilson, 1988
Anorhinosia Bourgoin, 1997
Caledonisia Bourgoin, 1997
Eponisia Matsumura, 1914
Eponisiella Emeljanov, 1984
Fennahsia Bourgoin, 1997
Glyptodonisia Bourgoin, 1997
Insulisia Bonfils & Attié, 1998
Kermesia Melichar, 1903
Koghisia Bourgoin, 1997
Muirsinia Bourgoin, 1997
Nisamia Emeljanov, 1984
Nisia Melichar, 1903
Phaconeura Kirkaldy, 1906
Robigalia Distant, 1916
Suva Kirkaldy, 1906
Suvanisia Bourgoin, 1997
Tyweponisia Bourgoin, 1997
Nisia australiensis (from New South Wales Government Department of Primary Industries Biosecurity Collections, Key to Families of Fulgoroidea; Nick Monaghan, http://lifeunseen.com/index1.php]).
Nisia nervosa (image from BOLD from Canadian National Collection).
Phaconeura hackeri (from New South Wales Government Department of Primary Industries Biosecurity Collections, Key to Families of Fulgoroidea).
References
[Should include all works that investigate higher systematics or describe genera; literature for species-level descriptions not yet included]
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Bonfils, J. and M. Attié. 1998. Description et éléments d’écologie d’un nouvel Hémiptères de La Réunion: Insulisia borbonica n. gen, n. sp. (Fulgoromorpha, Meenoplidae). Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France 103: 479-482.
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Bourgoin, T. 1997. The Meenoplidae (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha) of New Caledonia, with a revision of the genus Eponisia Matsumura, 1914, and new morphological data on forewing venation and wax plate areas. Memoires du Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle 171: 197-249 [250?].
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