An appraisal of the cicadas of the genus Abricta Stål and allied genera (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadidae)

Abstract

The cicada genus Abricta Stal currently contains a heterogeneous group of species which is considered best divided into four genera. Abricta sensu str. includes only A. brunnea (Fabricius) and A. ferruginosa (Stal) which are confined to Mauritius and neighbouring islands. The monotypic genus Chrysolasia n.gen., is proposed for a single Guatemalan species, A. guatemalena (Distant). Another monotypic genus, Aleeta n.gen., is proposed for the species A. curvicosta (Germar) from eastern Australia. Fourteen Australian species are placed in Tryella n.gen.: castanea Distant, noctua Distant, rubra Goding & Froggatt, stalkeri Distant, willsi Distant, adela n.sp., burnsi n.sp., crassa n.sp., graminea n.sp., infuscata n.sp., kauma n.sp., lachlani n.sp., occidens n.sp. and ochra n.sp. The five remaining species currently placed in Abricta (borealis Goding & Froggatt, burgessi Distant, cincta Fabricius and occidentalis Goding & Froggatt from Australia plus pusilla Fabricius of unknown locality) do not belong to Abricta or closely allied genera. Cladistic analyses place C. guatemalena basally on all trees. The Mauritian genus Abricta sensu str., and the genera, Abroma Stal and Monomatapa Distant, form a sister group to all Australian species. There is strong evidence suggesting that Abricta and Abroma are synonymous. Keys to genera and species and maps of distribution are provided.