Genus Rotundifronta Beamer, 1950

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Family Delphacidae Leach, 1815

Subfamily Delphacinae Leach, 1815

Tribe Delphacini Leach, 1815

Genus Rotundifronta Beamer, 1950.

Synonyms

None.

Type species: Rotundifronta lutea Beamer, 1950

Distribution

USA: Southern Florida

Only one species is in this genus – Rotundifronta lutea Beamer, 1950 – USA: Florida (near Homestead, 14 Mar 1947).

Types: Holotype, allotype, paratypes, 17 mi. s. Homestead, Fla., March 14, 1947.

Types in Snow Entomological Collection.

Plant associations

Beamer notes ” collected from salt grass on the northern tip of the Florida Keys”.

Economic Importance

Limited.  The single species in this genus is rarely encountered.

Recognition

Rotundifronta lutea has a unique appearance.  This species has, to the best of my knowledge, not been encountered since it was originally found by Beamer.

Comments and description from Beamer (1950) (editorial comments and changes in square brackets; some uncorrected OCR errors may be present)

“Related to Crimorphus, Metropis, Jassidaeus and Macrotomella but easily separated from these by the front being as wide as long and almost circular in shape. Two median longitudinal carinae of front widely separated and faint; crown as wide as long, rounded on apex. Pronotum faintly tricarinate, carinae straight and not reaching hind margin.
Genotype Rotundifronta lutea n. sp.

[species description] Rotundifronta lutea n. sp.
Brachypterous form:
This is a small, luteus-colored delphacid collected from salt grass on the northern tip of the Florida Keys. Length [male] 2 mm.; [female] 2.6 mm.
Structure: Clypeus protruding in front of clypellus, widest on apical third, broadly and roundly excavated on apex; elytra almost rectangular, semihyaline, veins raised, apices truncate, outer corners rounded, median longitudinal carina on dorsum of abdomen.
Color: General color more or less luteus, some specimens darker or lighter.
Genitalia: In lateral view: pygofer of male almost rectangular, narrowed on caudal border; anal segment with a pair of strong, slightly curving processes from upper caudal corner; aedeagus widest at base, gradually curving ventrally, sides almost parallel to rounded apex, outer third of right side with four retrorse teeth; line angling to middle third of dorsal margin with 6-7 retrorse teeth. In caudal view: styles avicephaliform, beaks turned in; aedeagal brace very slightly raised dorsally over broad median, flat portion.
…
Macropterus form:
Like the brachypterous form except with flight wings extending one third their length beyond abdomen and color much darker often quite brown.”

Molecular resources

none.

Select references

Bartlett, C. R., L. B. O’Brien and S. W. Wilson. 2014. A review of the planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) of the United States. Memoirs of the American Entomological Society 50: 1-287.

Beamer, R. H. 1950. Five new genera of delphacine fulgorids (Homoptera – Fulgoridae – Delphacinae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 23(4): 128-133.

Kennedy A.C., C.R. Bartlett and S. W. Wilson. 2012. An annotated checklist of the delphacid planthoppers (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) of Florida with the description of three new species and the new genus, Meristopsis. Florida Entomologist 95(2): 395-421.

Leach, W. E. 1815a. Entomology. The Edinburg encyclopedia; conducted by David Brewster 9: 57-172. (family Delphacidae here).