Family Delphacidae

Subfamily Delphacinae

Tribe Delphacini

Distribution: Two nominative species are found in the United States (Florida) and Central America.

Type species (in original combination): Meristopsis rhamphis Kennedy et al. 2012

Recognized species

Meristopsis rhamphis Kennedy et al. 2012 - USA: Florida

Meristopsis melanosteptos Kennedy et al. 2012 - USA: Florida; Belize, Guatemala

Hosts: None reported.

Economic Importance: Limited.

Recognition

Uniform brown, often glossy; frons often darkened at fastiguim.  Both species with unusual genitalia, especially the hook-tipped aedagus of M. rhamphis and the pronounced dorsal spine of M. melanosteptos.  Genus similar in overall appearance to Nilaparvata, Euides, Pareuidella; but differing from all these by the simple parameres.

Meristopsis rhamphis

Meristopsis melanosteptos

Collecting:  Most specimens were collected at lights.

Molecular resources:  None!

References

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.