Taxonomic And Phylogenetic Study Of Flatidae From China And Adjacent Areas (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea)

This dissertation is a comprehensive study of the flatids of China and adjacent areas, and deals with the taxonomic research history, morphology, taxonomy, geographic distribution and phylogeny.There are 99 species in 36 genera and 10 tribes, including all the known Chinese 33 genera and 95 species of Flatidae represented in this dissertation. Five new genera and 37 new species are described, four genera and two species are newly recorded from China, and four new combinations, seven new statuses and two new synonyms are proposed. Keys to tribes, genera and species are given. The main morphological characters of all the examined species are illustrated. A checklist of Flatidae from China is presented.New genera: Herbiflata, gen. nov., Loricaflata, gen. nov., Sanda, gen. nov., Wattlea, gen. nov., Medlera, gen. nov..New species: Flata orientala, sp. nov., Flata pinga, sp. nov., Flata sinuata, sp. nov., Flata taiwa, sp. nov., Flata truncata, sp. nov., Flatomorpha adsuma, sp. nov., Flatomorpha stramina, sp. nov., Flatomorpha variegata, sp. nov., Flatomorpha viridisa, sp. nov., Flatomorpha zephiruma, sp. nov., Idume hippa, sp. nov., Herbiflata chromata, sp. nov., Herbiflata sacera, sp. nov., Herbiflata swizzla, sp. nov., Melicharia cypriuma, sp. nov., Geisha clarusa, sp. nov., Geisha fletcheri, sp. nov., Geisha obtusa, sp. nov., Geisha puella, sp. nov., Geisha sticka, sp. nov., Neosalurnis yalini, sp. nov., Loricaflata acanthi, sp. nov., Loricaflata macrosa, sp. nov., Loricaflata nigramacula, sp. nov., Loricaflata polyspinis, sp. nov., Sanda jianfengensis, sp. nov., Wattlea distincta, sp. nov., Wattlea wana, sp. nov., Zecheuna curva, sp. nov., Cerfennia crucia, sp. nov., Cerfennia glauca, sp. nov., Cerfennia melathora, sp. nov., Atracis ophthalma, sp. nov., Atracis planaria, sp. nov., Atracis serpensa, sp. nov., Atracis sphaera, sp. nov., Atracis ungula, sp. nov..New record genera to China: Flatomorpha Melichar, n. rec., Idume St(a|¨)l, n. rec., Phantia Fieber, n. rec., Cerfennia St(a|¨)l, n. rec..New record species to China: Mimophantia stictica (Melichar), n. rec., Phantia cylindricornis Melichar, n. rec.. New combinations: Herbiflata xizangensis (Chou & Lu), n. comb., Loricaflata lignaria (Walker), n. comb., Medlera basimacula (Wang & Chou), n. comb., Medlera medgensis (Chou & Lu), n. comb..Status revised: Atracis fimbria (Walker), stat. rev., Atracis formosana Jacobi, stat. rev., Atracis koshunensis Kato, stat. rev., Atracis kotoshonis Matsumura, stat. rev., Atracis mucida Jacobi, stat. rev., Atracis pruinosa (Walker), stat. rev., Atracis hainanensis Distant, stat. rev..New synonyms: Microflata sinensis Fennah, 1956, syn. n., is a junior synonym of Mimophantia carinata Jacobi, 1915. Staliana Medler, 1988, syn. n., is a junior synonym of Atracis St(a|¨)l, 1866.The ultrastructure of flatids are studied comprehensively for the first time. In this dissertation, the ultrastructures of the antennae, mouthparts and tegminal wax pores of flatids are illustrated. The antennal sensilla usually are positioned on segment II. There are mainly three kinds of sensilla: sensillum trichodea, sensory plaque organ and sensillum placoclea. The shapes and the numbers of sensory plaque organs are different between taxa and can be used in the taxonomy of the higher levels such as tribes. The sensillum placoclea has the stable position and quantity, each antenna having only one sensillum placoclea positioned near the socket where the flagellum is inserted. The apex of the rostrum is bipartite, usually with many sensilla. A cross-section through the subapex of the mandibles and maxillae shows little difference in the shape and the size of the food canal and the salivary canal among different genera. The structures of the wax pores on the tegmen are quite different among genera and species. This is a useful character which can be used in the taxonomy of genera and species.A phylogenetic analyses of the family Flatidae was conducted on the morphological and CO1 data under two reconstruction paradigms: maximum parsimony and bayesian inference. The ingroup includes 29 flatid genera from the Oriental Region. The results are as below:1. The family Flatidae is supported as a monophyletic group.2. A new subfamily should be erected for the genus Mimophantia.3. The subfamily Flatoidinae should be downgraded to a tribe.4. The tribe Flatini should be redefined.5. The tribes Lawanini, Phyllyphantini and Scarpantini have strong relationships with each other and are not supported as separate tribes in these four analyses.