Genus Syndelphax Fennah, 1963

[Back to Higher classification of Delphacidae]

Family Delphacidae Leach, 1815

Subfamily Delphacinae Leach, 1815

Tribe Delphacini Leach, 1815

Genus Syndelphax Fennah, 1963

Type species (in original combination): Delphax matanitu Kirkaldy 1907, a junior synonym of Delphax disonymos Kirkaldy 1907.

Distribution

Widespread in tropical regions.

Recognized species

There are 8 species described species in this genus. Additional species belonging to this genus are currently misplaced in the polyphyletic genus Delphacodes.

New World

Syndelphax alexanderi (Metcalf, 1923) – USA: AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, IL, KS, KY, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, TN, VA
= Liburnia alexanderi Metcalf 1923: 209;
  = Delphacodes alexanderi (Metcalf, 1923); comb. by Frison, 1927: 153.
= Syndelphax alexanderi (Metcalf, 1923); comb. by Kennedy et al. 2012: 404.
= Delphacodes uhleri Muir & Giffard, 1924: 28; syn. by Kennedy et al. 2012: 404-405.

Syndelphax dissipatus (Muir, 1926) – Brazil, Ecuador (Galapagos)to Chionomus by Weglarz & Bartlett 2020

Syndelphax dolosa (Muir, 1926) – Brazil (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco)
= Delphacodes dolosa Muir, 1926.
= Syndelphax dolosa (Muir, 1926); comb. by Gonzon and Bartlett, 2008: 252.

Syndelphax fallax (Muir, 1926) – USA: TX, NM?; Jamaica, Paraguay, Brazil (Para)
= Delphacodes fallax Muir, 1926.
= Syndelphax fallax (Muir, 1926); comb. by Gonzon and Bartlett, 2008: 252.

Syndelphax floridae (Muir & Giffard, 1924) – USA: FL, LA*; Belize, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Mexico (Tamaulipas)
= Delphacodes floridae Muir and Giffard, 1924.
= Syndelphax floridae Muir and Giffard, 1924; comb. by Kennedy et al. 2012: 404-405.

*The Louisiana record is a specimen collected by Igor Sokolov (viz. here [researchgate]), November 2017 from Barataria Bay in the the Distichlis spicata-community (salt marsh; i.e. at the highest point and in the most diverse plant community of the marsh).

Syndelphax floridae puertoricensis (Caldwell, 1951) – Puerto Rico
= Delphacodes floridae puertoricensis (Caldwell in Caldwell & Martorell, 1951)
= Syndelphax floridae puertoricensis (Caldwell, 1951); comb. by Kennedy et al. 2012: 404-405.

Syndelphax fulvidorsum (Metcalf, 1923) – USA: FL, GA, MO, NC, SC, TX; Bahamas (Rum Cay, Exuma Cays); Belize, Bermuda, Cuba, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico ((Jalisco, Morelos, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas), Panama, Puerto Rico
= Liburnia fulvidorsum Metcalf, 1923: 210.
= Delphacodes fulvidorsum (Metcalf, 1923); comb. by Frison, 1927: 153.
= Syndelphax fulvidorsum (Metcalf, 1923); comb. by Kennedy et al. 2012: 404-405.

Syndelphax humilis (Van Duzee, 1907) –  USA: FL; Argentina, Bahamas (Eleuthera, San Salvador); Belize, Brazil (Pernambuco, Santa Catarina), Cayman Islands (Cayman Brac), Cuba, Ecuador, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Mexico (Veracruz), Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico
= Liburnia humilis Van Duzee, 1907.
= Megamelus humulis (sic) (Van Duzee, 1907); comb. by Crawford, 1914: 608, 629.
= Delphacodes erectus (Crawford, 1914); comb. by Muir, 1918: 427.
= Megamelus erectus Crawford, 1914; syn. by Muir and Giffard, 1924: 32.
= Delphacodes humilis (Van Duzee, 1907); comb. by Wolcott, 1923: 274.
= Syndelphax humilis (Van Duzee, 1907); comb. by Kennedy et al. 2012: 404-405.

Syndelphax nigripennis (Crawford, 1915 – USA: TX; Cuba, Jamaica, Martinique, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico.
= Megamelus erectus nigripennis Crawford, 1914.
= Delphacodes erectus nigripennis (Crawford, 1914); comb. by Muir, 1918: 427.
= Delphacodes nigripennis (Crawford, 1914); comb. by Muir and Giffard, 1924: 31.
= Syndelphax nigripennis (Crawford, 1914); comb. by Kennedy et al. 2012: 404-405.

Syndelphax pseudoseminiger (Muir & Giffard, 1924) – USA: Florida, Georgia, Louisiana (recently adventive to California, near Los Angeles)
= Sogata pseudoseminigra Muir and Giffard, 1924: 15.
= Liburnia pseudoseminigra (Muir and Giffard, 1924); comb. by Metcalf 1943: 367-368.
= Syndelphax pseudoseminiger (Muir and Giffard, 1924); comb. by Kennedy et al. 2012: 404-405.

Old World

Syndelphax agametor Fennah, 1975: 110-111 – Sri Lanka

Syndelphax capellanus (Jacobi, 1917) – Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa (Eastern Cape Province)
= Delphax capellana Jacobi, 1917: 530, original combination
= Syndelphax capellana (Jacobi, 1917)l comb. by Fennah (1964: 143)
= Syndelphax nigricaudata (Muir, 1926) synonym of Syndelphax capellana (Jacobi, 1917) according to Fennah (1964): 143
= Sogata nigricaudata Muir, 1926: 33, original combination
= Liburnia nigricaudata (Muir, 1926), comb. by Metcalf 1943: 365.
= Opiconsiva nigricaudata (Muir, 1926)

Syndelphax disonymos (Kirkaldy, 1907) – Vietnam, Fiji, New Caledonia, Sri Lanka, Australia, West Africa, Taiwan, China (Guangdong), Nansei-shoto (Ryukyu Islands); Cayman Island (Grand Caymen; Fennah, 1971; possibly in error).
= Delphax disonymos Kirkaldy, 1907: 156.
= Delphacodes disonymos (Kirkaldy, 1907), comb. by Muir, 1920: 139.
= Syndelphax disonymos (Kirkaldy, 1907); comb. by Fennah, 1963: 15-16.
= Delphax matanitu Kirkaldy, 1907: 155-156: syn. by Muir 1920: 139; Fennah, 1975: 109.
= Delphacodes matanitu (Kirkaldy, 1907); comb. by Muir, 1917: 333.
= Syndelphax matanitu (Kirkaldy, 1907); comb. by Fennah, 1963: 16.

Syndelphax euonymus (Fennah, 1965) – Australia: Queensland; Sri Lanka
= Toya euonymus Fennah, 1965; original combination.
= Syndelphax euonymus (Fennah, 1965); comb. by Fennah (1975: 109)

Syndelphax euroclydon Fennah, 1975 – Sri Lanka

Economic importance

Unclear, but of interest.

Syndelphax pseudoseminiger (as Liburnia pseudoseminigra) has been reported as a pest of St. Augustine Grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze) in Florida (see Cherry et al. 2006), and recently California.

Plant Associations

Apparently none reported (probably grasses).

Syndelphax pseudoseminiger (as Liburnia pseudoseminigra) : St. Augustine Grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze) in Florida (see Cherry et al. 2006).

Syndelphax floridae- collected by Igor Sokolov (viz. here [researchgate]), November 2017 from Barataria Bay in the the Distichlis spicata-community (salt marsh; i.e. at the highest point and in the most diverse plant community of the marsh).

Recognition

Syndelphax can be a challenge to identify species.  Species of Syndelphax are usually yellow to straw-colored.  Brachypters are very common and males often have contrasting dark tegmina (rarely females also).  Females can not be identified to species except by association with a male, or through a process of elimination based on a detailed understanding of the local fauna.  Females are strikingly similar to Toya, Metadelphax, Harmalia, and some Delphacodes (and maybe Rhombotoya) and generic placement of females in the absence of males can be doubtful.  Macropters are common and are often found at lights.

Features of Syndelphax was discussed relative to Metadelphax and Toya by Gonzon and Bartlett (2008).  All of these genera are pale-colored, with the dorsocaudal margins of the pygofer (the ‘anal angle’, Metcalf, 1949) expanded, and have processes on segment 10 that are closely approximated.  Metadelphax and Syndelphax both have the armature of the genital diaphragm taller than wide (tending to be narrowly spoon-shaped in Syndelphax).  In Metadelphax the expanded pygofer is inflected medially at the apex, whereas in Syndelphax it is not.

Species of Syndelphax seem to most clearly differ in the form of the aedeagus.

Syndelphax alexanderi

Syndelphax alexanderi

Syndelphax alexanderi from Metcalf 1949 (as Delphacodes)

Syndelphax dolosa – Holotype

Syndelphax fallax – holotype

Syndelphax floridae – male

Syndelphax floridae – female

Syndelphax floridae puertoricensis from Caldwell & Martorell 1951 (as Delphacodes)

Syndelphax fulvidorsum

Syndelphax fulvidorsum (female)

Syndelphax fulvidorsum from Caldwell and Martorell 1951 and Metcalf 1949

Syndelphax humilis (females and males are similar in color in this species)

Syndelphax humilis

Syndelphax disonymos

Online resources

Most are outdated because of recent changes in taxonomy (i.e., transfer of some species from Delphacides to Syndelphax).  Syndelphax at…

Bugguide (as of this writing, all North American Syndelphax still in Delphacodes; link to genus list)
EOL.
Discover Life.
FLOW.
Wikipedia (in German, not much info)
Insects of Australia (2 species)

BOLD. (to subfamily, at this time 22 Sept 2107 genus is not explicitly included)

Images

Syndelphax alexanderi on Bugguide

Syndelphax fulvidorsum on Bugguide

Syndelphax pseudoseminiger on Bugguide

Molecular resources

At this time (22 Sept 2017) Genbank and Bold do not have molecular data for this genus (but they probably have some species listed under Delphacodes – Genbank does have fulvidorsum and alexanderi).

Selected References

Attié M., T. Bourgoin, J. Veslot and A. Soulier-Perkins. 2008. Patterns of trophic relationships between planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) and their host plants on the Mascarene Islands. Journal of Natural History 42(23-24): 1591-1638.

Bartlett, C. R. and G. Kunz. 2015. A new genus and species of delphacid planthopper (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae) from Central America with a preliminary regional species list. Zootaxa 3946(4): 510–518. [Erratum. Zootaxa 3963(4): 598-600.]

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. 1946b. A new species of delphacine fulgorid with notes on four other species (Homoptera-Fulgoridae-Delphacinae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 19: 82 87.

Beamer, R. H. 1947. Some new species of Delphacodes (continued) with two old ones (Homoptera: Fulgoridae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 20(2): 58-71 [redescription of fallax with Texas record].

Caldwell, J. S. 1950b. Three new Antillean Fulgoroidea with distributional notes on a few others (Homoptera). American Museum Novitates 1460: 1-4.

Caldwell, J. S. and L. F. Martorell. 1951[dated 1950]. Review of the Auchenorynchous [sic] Homoptera of Puerto Rico. Part II. The Fulgoroidea except Kinnaridae. Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico 34(2): 133-269.

Campodonico, J. F. 2017. New distributional records of Delphacidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) from Chile. Arquivos Entomolóxicos 17: 119-128.

Cherry, R. H., P. Stansly, R. Nagata and S. Halbert. 2006. Liburnia pseudoseminigra (Delphacidae: Homoptera), a new and unusual pest of St. Augustine grass. Florida Entomologist 89(4): 459-461.

Crawford, D. L. 1914a. A contribution toward a monograph of the homopterous insects of the family Delphacidae of North and South America. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 46:557-640, plus 6 plates.

DuBose, W. P. 1960. The genus Delphacodes Fieber in North Carolina (Homoptera: Delphacidae). Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 76: 36 63.

Fennah, R. G. 1950. Fulgoroidea of Fiji. Bulletin Bernice P. Bishop Museum 202: 1-122.

Fennah, R. G. 1956. Homoptera: Fulgoroidea. Insects Micronesia 6(3): 39-211.

Fennah, R. G. 1959. Delphacidae from the Lesser Antilles (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 8: 245-265.

Fennah, R. G. 1963. New Genera of Delphacidae (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London (B) 32: 15-16.

Fennah, R. G. 1964. Delphacidae from Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 116: 131-150.

Fennah, R. G. 1965. Delphacidae from Australia and New Zealand (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 17(1): 1-59.  (see p. 48).

Fennah, R. G. 1967. Fulgoridae of the Galápagos Archipelago. Proceedings of the California Academy of Science, fourth series 35(4): 53-102. [S. dissipatus reported]

Fennah, R. G. 1969. Fulgoroidea (Homoptera) from New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands. Pacific Insects Monography 21: 1-116.

Fennah, R. G. 1971. Homoptera: Fulgoroidea Supplement. Insects Micronesia 6(8): 563-609.

Fennah, R. G. 1971. Fulgoroidea from the Cayman Islands and adjacent Areas. Journal of Natural History 5: 299-342.

Fennah, R. G. 1975. Homoptera: Delphacidae from Ceylon. Entomologica Scandinavica (Supplement) 4: 79-136.

Frison, T. H. 1927. A list of the insect types in the collections of the Illinois State Natural History Survey and the University of Illinois. Bulletin of the Illinois State Natural History Survey 16: 137-309.

Giri, M. K. and P. H. Freytag. 1983b. Some delphacid planthoppers of Kentucky. Transactions of the Kentucky Academy of Science 44: 161-163.

Gonzon, A. T. and C. R. Bartlett. 2008 (dated 2007). Systematics of Hadropygos n. g., Metadelphax Wagner and New World Toya Distant (Hemiptera: Delphacidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 133(3/4): 205-277.

Gonzon, A. T., Jr., C. R. Bartlett and J. L. Bowman. 2007 (dated 2006). Planthopper (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) diversity in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 132: 243-260.

Guo, Liang-Zhen and Ai-Ping Liang. 2005. Two new species and two new record species of Delphacidae (Hemiptera, Fulgoroidea) from China. Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 30(4): 784-790.

Hayashi, M. and S. Fujinuma. 2016. Part Fulgoromorpha. In: Entomological Society of Japan 2016 – Catalogue of the insects of Japan. Volume 4 Paraneoptera (Psocodea, Thysanoptera, Hemiptera), 4. Editorial Committee of Catalogue of the Insects of Japan. p. 323-355.

Jacobi, A. 1917. Voeltzkow’s Reise in Ostafrika. 3: 519-552. [530]

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.

Kirkaldy, G. W. 1907. Leafhoppers supplement (Hemiptera). Bulletin of the Experiment Station of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association, Entomological Series 3:1-186, plus 20 plates. [From Google Books]

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

Linsley, E. G. 1977. Insects of the Galápagos (Supplement). Occasional papers of the California Academy of Sciences. 125: 1-50. (see p. 17)

Metcalf, Z. P. 1923a. A key to the Fulgoridae of Eastern North America with descriptions of new species. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 38(3): 139-230, plus 32 plates.

Metcalf, Z. P. 1943. General Catalogue of the Hemiptera. Fascicle IV, Fulgoroidea, Part 3, Araeopidae (Delphacidae). Smith College, Northhampton, Massachusetts.

Metcalf, Z. P. 1949. The redescription of twenty-one species of Areopidae described in 1923. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 65(1): 48-60 plus, 4 plates.

Muir, F. A. G. 1917d. Homopterous notes. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 3: 311-338.

Muir, F. A. G. 1918a. Homopterous notes II. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 3:414-429.

Muir, F.A.G. 1920a. On some African Delphacidae (Homoptera). Bulletin of Entomological Research 10:139-144.

Muir, F.A.G. 1926b. Contributions to our knowledge of South American Fulgoroidea (Homoptera). Part I. The Family Delphacidae. Experiment Station of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association, Entomological Series, Bulletin 18:1-51, plates 1-5.

Muir, F.A.G. and W. M. Giffard. 1924a. Studies in North American Delphacidae. Bulletin of the Experiment Station of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association, Entomological series no. 15: 1-53.

Weglarz K. M. & C. R. Bartlett. 2020. A revision of the planthopper genus Chionomus Fennah (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae). Zootaxa 4811(1): 1-63.

Wilson, M. R. 2009. A checklist of Fiji Auchenorrhyncha (Hemiptera).Fiji Arthropods XII. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 102: 33-48.

Wilson, M. R. and D. J. Hilburn. 1991. Annotated list of the auchenorrhynchous Homoptera (Insecta) of Bermuda. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 84: 412 419.

Wilson, S. W. and J. E. McPherson. 1980a. Keys to the planthoppers, or Fulgoroidea, of Illinois (Homoptera). Transactions of the Illinois Academy of Science 73(2): 1-61.

Wilson, S. W. and J. E. McPherson. 1980b. The distribution of the Fulgoroidea of the eastern United States (Homoptera). Transactions of the Illinois Academy of Science 73(4): 7-20.

Wilson, S. W. and J. E. McPherson. 1980c. A list of the Fulgoroidea (Homoptera) of southern Illinois. Great Lakes Entomologist 13(1): 25-30.

Wilson, S. W. and A. G. Wheeler Jr. 2010. Planthopper (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) diversity of weeping lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula), an introduced host of little known, rarely collected native species. Entomologica Americana 116: 98–106.

Wilson, S. W., J. L. Smith and P. D. Calvert. 1993. Planthoppers of a Missouri tallgrass prairie (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 66: 75 80.

Wolcott, G. N. 1923b. “Insectae Portoricensis.” A preliminary annotated check-list of the insects of Porto Rico, with descriptions of some new species. Journal of the Department of Agriculture Porto Rico 7 (1):1-313.

Wolcott, G. N. 1950 [dated 1948]. The insects of Puerto Rico. Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico 32: 1-224.

Yang, C. T. 1989. Delphacidae of Taiwan II (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). NSC Special Publications 6: 1-334.