A new early miocene fossil genus from dominican amber extends the Eastern Asia distribution of paricanini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Tropiduchidae) to the neotropics

Abstract

A new extinct genus and species, Seeteascanopia arcabucana gen. et sp. nov. are described from early Miocene Dominican amber. Its placement in the planthopper family Tropiduchidae, tribe Paricanini is discussed. It represents the second described New World fossil of Tropiduchidae for which a review of all fossil taxa is provided. The family is regarded as a Laurasian lineage and, in absence of a phylogenetical framework, both a Palaeocene and a more recent Oligocene dispersion scenario are discussed for the tribe to reach Hispaniola. These two possible scenarios are also suggested for another early Miocene Dominican fossil amber of Tropiduchidae of the tribe Neommatissini that exhibits a similar bipolar distribution.