Family Flatidae

Subfamily Flatoidinae Melichar, 1901

Tribe Flatoidini Melichar, 1901

Genus Pseudoflatoides Metcalf, 1938.

Type species (in original combination): Flata (Phalaenomorpha) tortrix Guérin-Méneville, 1856.

Synonyms: none.

Distribution: Mostly Caribbean (reported in error from U.S.). 

Recognized species

There are 4 species currently assigned to this genus:

1 Pseudoflatoides alba Caldwell, 1951 (In Caldwell & Martorell, 1951) – Puerto Rico

2 Pseudoflatoides fasciculosa (Melichar, 1902) - Cuba

      = Flatoides fasciculosus Melichar, 1902: 205.

      = Pseudoflatoides fasciculosus (Melichar, 1902); comb. by Metcalf & Bruner: 108.

   Pseudoflatoides fasciculosa fasciata Metcalf & Bruner, 1948 – Cuba

   Pseudoflatoides fasciculosa griscescens (Melichar, 1923) - Cuba

      = Flatoides griseus Melichar 1902 (nec Fowler 1900) (unavailable)

      = Flatoides griscescens Melichar, 1923; new name for unavailable F. griseus Mel. by Melichar 1923: 114.

      = Pseudoflatoides fasciculosus griseus (Melichar 1902) (nec Fowler 1900); comb. by Metcalf & Bruner, 1948: 109.

      = Pseudoflatoides fasciculosa griscescens (Melichar, 1923); comb. by Metcalf 1957: 539.

     Pseudoflatoides fasciculosa griseus (Melichar, 1902) [nec Flatoides grisea Fowler 1900] [unavailable; see P. f. griscescens]
   Pseudoflatoides fasciculosa maculosa Metcalf & Bruner, 1948 - Cuba

   Pseudoflatoides fasciculosa vittata Metcalf & Bruner, 1948 - Cuba

3 Pseudoflatoides lichenoides Metcalf & Bruner, 1948 - Cuba

4 Pseudoflatoides tortrix (Guérin-Méneville, 1856) – Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico (U.S. reported in error)

      = Flata (Phalaenomorpha) tortrix Guérin-Méneville, 1856: 181.

      = Flatoides tortrix (Guérin-Méneville, 1856); comb. by Uhler, 1884: 237.

      = Pseudoflatoides tortrix (Guérin-Méneville, 1856); comb. by Metcalf, 1938: 401.
    Pseudoflatoides tortrix flava Metcalf & Bruner, 1948 - Cuba
    Pseudoflatoides tortrix habanensis Metcalf & Bruner, 1948 - Cuba
    Pseudoflatoides tortrix insularis (Melichar, 1902) – Cuba, West Indies (U.S. reported in error)

     = Flatoides insularis Melichar, 1902: 209.

     = Pseudoflatoides tortrix insularis (Melichar, 1902); comb. by Metcalf & Bruner 1938: 111.

List compiled primarily from FLOW (Bourgoin 2013), also Metcalf (1957) and unpublished list by Lois O'Brien.

Economic Importance:

Limited. Species are uncommon.

Known host plants: 

None listed in Metcalf & Bruner (1948) or Wilson et al. (1994)

Plant names from USDA PLANTS or Tropicos.

Recognition:

The Flatoidinae can be recognized by the wings being held in a shallowly - tentlike fashioned ("horozontally"), instead of parallel to the body.

A key to genus is provided in Metcalf & Bruner (1948), who also considers most forms of this genus (but no key is given to species).

The genus can be recognized by the head distinctly longer than broad (i.e., projecting in front of the eyes), "obtusely triangularly produced".  Subcostal vein and costal margin undulate, tegmina not narrowed distally.  the head is also produced in Flatarissa Metcalf & Bruner, but that genus is restricted to Cuba.

Pseudoflatoides tortrix (Photo by Kimberley Shropshire, Dept. of Entomology, University of Delaware)

Pseudoflatoides albus Caldwell from Caldwell & Martorell (1951)

Pseudoflatoides fasciculosus (Melichar, 1902) from Metcalf and Bruner (1948)

Pseudoflatoides lichenoides Metcalf & Bruner, 1948 from Metcalf and Bruner (1948)

Pseudoflatoides tortrix (Guérin-Méneville, 1856) from Metcalf and Bruner (1948)

Websites: Pseudoflatoidesis not present on Bugguide but is present on Discover Life here.

Collecting

Pseudoflatoides is uncommonly encountered, but may be found by beating, inspection or occasionally at lights.

Molecular resources: Data for Pseudoflatoides sp. is available on Genbank, but no data is available on Barcode of Life.

Selected references:

Bourgoin Th. 2013. FLOW (Fulgoromorpha Lists on The Web): a world knowledge base dedicated to Fulgoromorpha.  Version 8, updated 18.ii.2013.  http://hemiptera-databases.org/flow/

Caldwell, J. S. and L. F. Martorell. 1951 [dated1950]. Review of the Auchenorynchous [sic] Homoptera of Puerto Rico. Part II. The Fulgoroidea except Kinnaridae. Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico 34(2): 133-269.

Guérin-Méneville, F. E. 1856. Segunda, Seccion. Homopterous. in Crustaceos,aragnides, e insectos. In: Ramon de la Sagra D. 1856 - Historia fisica politica y natural de la Isla de Cuba. Segunda Parte Historia Natural, 7. p. 178-182.

Melichar, L. 1901. Monographie der Acanaloniiden und Flatiden (Homoptera). Annalen des k.k Naturhistorischen Hofmuseums. Wien 16: 178-258.

Melichar, L. 1902. Monographie der Acanaloniiden und Flatiden (Homoptera) (Fortsetzung). Annalen des k.k Naturhistorischen Hofmuseums. Wien 17: 1-253.

Metcalf, Z.P. 1938. The Fulgorina of Barro Colorado and other parts of Panama. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College 83(5): 277-423.

Metcalf, Z. P. 1957. General Catalogue of the Homoptera. Fascicle IV, Fulgoroidea, Part 13, Flatidae and Hypochthonellidae. North Carolina State College, Raleigh, North Carolina. Pp. 1-565.

Metcalf, Z. P. and S. C. Bruner. 1948. Cuban Flatidae with new species from adjacent regions. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 41: 63-118.

Spinola, M. 1839. Essai sur les Fulgorelles, sous-tribu de la tribu des Cicadaires, ordre des Rhyngotes. (Suite). Annales de la Société Entomologique de France. Paris 8: 339-454.

Wilson, S. W., C. Mitter, R. F. Denno, and M. R. Wilson. 1994. Evolutionary patterns of host plant use by delphacid planthoppers and their relatives. In: R. F. Denno and T. J. Perfect, (eds.). Planthoppers: Their Ecology and Management. Chapman and Hall, New York. Pp. 7-45 & Appendix.