[Back to Higher classification of Delphacidae]
Contents
Family Delphacidae Leach, 1815
Subfamily Delphacinae Leach, 1815
Tribe Delphacini Leach, 1815
Genus Synpteron Muir, 1926: 7.
Type species: Synpteron brazilensis Muir, 1926: 7.
Distribution
Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
Recognized Species
This genus is recorded only from a single species.
Synpteron brazilensis Muir, 1926 – Known from a single, parasitized, specimen (Rio de Janeiro, March 1924). This species has not been reported since it was originally described.
Economic importance
Limited.
Plant associations
None
Recognition
Essentially nothing is known of the only species in this genus, which is only known from the parasitized holotype of the type species. Muir (1926) placed the genus in the Alohini Muir 1915: 269, a placement it retained in Metcalf 1943: 108, but the concept of Alohini was deemed polyphyletic and subsumed within Asche’s (1985) concept of Delphacini, where it as since been placed.
Muir, 1926 described the genus as follows (any errors in the text are my mistyping)
“Width of vertex about four times the length, apex slightly broader than base, base very slightly emarginated, the median carinae of frons projecting in middle of apex, no carina in middle; base of frons about twice the width of apex, sides slightly arcuate, median carina simple; no median carina on clypeus. Lateral carinae obscure; antennae reaching slightly beyond base of clypeus, first segment a little longer than wide, second segment considerably longer than first. Pronotum short, hind margin arcuately emarginated no median carina, the lateral carinae joining together in middle. Parallel to hind margin of vertex and eyes, not reaching hind margin. Mesonotum tricarinate. Abdomen considerably compressed, not reaching to middle of tegmina. Legs fairly short; hind basitarsus shorter than other two [segments] together, spur longer than basitarsus, fairly wide, thick cultrate, very slightly concave on inner surface, with distinct teeth on hind margin. Tegmina compressed, apical cells long, nodal line about middle, costa sinuate, the tegmina beyond the nodal line compressed together when at rest; Sc and R forking fairly near to base.”
As noted in Asche and Emeljanov (2016), some authors have suggested that the calcar of Synpteron hrazilensis is “alohinoid” (described in that same paper (p. 1211) as “post-tibial spur slender, terete in cross-section, posterior margin with separated coneshaped teeth”; however, they later (P. 1230) remark that “The examination of the (parasitized) male holotype of Synpteron brazilensis Muir (Bishop Museum, type number 4969) has revealed the presence of a “normally” dentate (not “alohinoid”) post-tibial spur”.
These comments on Synpteron are essentially the only remarks on the genus since before the Metcalf catalog (Metcalf 1943: 108), excepting the key in Fennah, 1959: 250.
From Muir, 1926.
Synpteron brazilensis Muir, 1926 (From Muir 1926)
Thanks to James Boon from the Bishop Museum for the following photos
Synpteron brazilensis Muir, 1926 (Holotype) Thanks to James Boon from the Bishop Museum.
Synpteron brazilensis Muir, 1926 (Holotype) Thanks to James Boon from the Bishop Museum.
Online resources
3i.
EOL.
Discover Life.
FLOW.
Kunzweb Gallery.
American Insects.
BOLD.
Molecular resources
None.
Selected references
Asche, M. 1985. Zur Phylogenie der Delphacidae Leach, 1815 (Homoptera: Cicadina: Fulgoromorpha). Marburger Entomologische Publikationen 2(1): 1-398 AND 2(2): 399-910.
Asche, M. and A. F. Emeljanov. 2016. Review of the Neotropical genus Sparnia Stål (Hemiptera, Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae). Entomologicheskoe Obozrenie 95(4): 860–888 [In Russian; English Translation Entomological Review 96(9): 1209–1233]. [comparative notes]
Fennah, R. G. 1959. Delphacidae from the Lesser Antilles (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 8 (6): 245–265.
Leach, W. E. 1815a. Entomology. The Edinburg encyclopedia; conducted by David Brewster 9: 57-172. (family Delphacidae here).
Metcalf, Z. P. 1943. General Catalogue of the Hemiptera. Fascicle IV, Fulgoroidea, Part 3, Araeopidae (Delphacidae). Smith College, Northhampton, Massachusetts. 552 pp. (Synpteron on P. 108).
Muir, F.A.G. 1915b-e. A contribution towards the taxonomy of the Delphacidae. Canadian Entomologist 47: 208-212, 261-270, 296-302, 317-320.
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.
