Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5820 No. 1: 27 May 2026
Type: Monograph
Published: 2026-05-27
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5820.1.1
Page range: 1-60
Abstract views: 24
PDF downloaded: 0

Taxonomy of the tribe Rhotanini (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Derbidae) from China

Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of the Ministry of Education; Entomological Museum; College of Plant Protection; Northwest A&F University; Yangling; Shaanxi 712100; China
Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of the Ministry of Education; Entomological Museum; College of Plant Protection; Northwest A&F University; Yangling; Shaanxi 712100; China; Shangluo Characteristic Industry & Leisure Agriculture Guidance Center; Shangluo; Shaanxi 726000; China
Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of the Ministry of Education; Entomological Museum; College of Plant Protection; Northwest A&F University; Yangling; Shaanxi 712100; China
Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of the Ministry of Education; Entomological Museum; College of Plant Protection; Northwest A&F University; Yangling; Shaanxi 712100; China
Hemiptera planthopper key morphology venation

Abstract

The planthopper tribe Rhotanini (Derbidae), comprising approximately 300 species worldwide, is predominantly distributed in humid tropical regions. Although the tribe is also well represented in China, only 24 species have been previously reported from the country. This study presents a comprehensive review of the Chinese Rhotanini fauna.

In the present study, a checklist for the species of each genus within the tribe is provided. Identification keys to species are also provided for all multi-species genera recorded in China. Fifteen new species, Alara fuscimacula Chen & Zhang, A. wangi Chen & Zhang, Rhotana bimaculata Chen & Zhang, R. grisea Chen & Zhang, R. nubilimacula Chen & Zhang, R. paratruncata Chen & Zhang, R. qinlingensis Chen & Zhang, R. ruficlypea Chen & Zhang, R. shuimoa Chen & Zhang, R. wuyiensis Chen & Zhang, Saccharodite bannaensis Chen & Zhang, S. jianfenglingensis Chen & Zhang, S. luteoides Chen & Zhang, S. nigrolineata Chen & Zhang, and S. qixianlingensis Chen & Zhang spp. nov., are described. In addition, Dichotropis Muir and 12 species: Dichotropis amboinensis Muir, Muiralevu parva Zelazny, Rhotana aperta Zelazny, R. jacobsoni Zelazny, R. spenceri Zelazny, R. tridentata Zelazny, R. trimaculata Distant, Saccharodite affinis Zelazny, S. basipunctulata (Melichar), S. imperiali Zelazny, S. indochinensis Zelazny, and Sumangala furcata Zelazny, are reported as new records for China. Illustrations are provided for all the new species and Chinese new records.

References

  1. Bierman, C.J.H. (1910) Homopteren aus Niederländisch Ost-Indien. Notes from the Leyden Museum, 33, 1–68.
  2. Bourgoin, T. (1987) A new interpretation of the homologies of the Hemiptera male genitalia, illustrated by the Tettigometridae (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha). Proceedings of the 6th Auchenorrhyncha Meeting, turin, Italy, 113–120.
  3. Bourgoin, T., Wang, R.R., Asche, M., Hoch, H., Soulier-Perkins, A., Stroiński, A., Yap, S. & Szwedo, J. (2015) From micropterism to hyperpterism: recognition strategy and standardized homology-driven terminology of the fore wing venation patterns in planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha). Zoomorphology, 134 (1), 63–77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-014-0243-6
  4. Chou, I., Lu, J.S., Huang, J. & Wang, S.Z. (1985) Economic Insect Fauna of China. Fasc. 36. Homoptera Fulgoroidea. Science Press, Beijing, 152 pp., 20 pls.
  5. Distant, W.L. (1906) The Fauna of British India Including Ceylon and Burma, Rhynchota, Vol. III. Taylor & Francis, U.K.
  6. Distant, W.L. (1911) Description of new genera and species of oriental Homoptera. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 8th Ser., 8, 639–649. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222931108693072
  7. Fennah, R.G. (1956) Fulgoroidea from Southern China. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 28 (13), 441–527.
  8. Fennah, R.G. (1969) Fulgoroidea (Homoptera) from New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands. Pacific Insects Monograph, 21, 1–116.
  9. Fennah, R.G. (1970) Fulgoroidea (Homoptera) from Rennell and Bellona islands. The Natural History of Rennell Island, British Solomon Islands, 6 (64), 43–85.
  10. Kirkaldy, G.W. (1907) Homoptères de la famille des Fulgoroideae vivant sur la canne a sucre. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique, 51, 123–127.
  11. Matsumura, S. (1914) Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Fulgoriden Japans. Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici, 12, 261–305.
  12. Matsumura, S. (1940) Homopterous insects collected at Kotosho (Botel, Tabago), Formosa, by Mr. Tadao Kano. Insecta Matsumurana, 12, 34–51.
  13. Melichar, L. (1914) Neue Fulgoriden von den Philippinen: II. Philippine Journal of Science, Section D, 9, 433–439.
  14. Metcalf, Z.P. (1946) Homoptera - Fulgoroidea and Jassoidea of Guam. In: Insects of Guam II. Bulletin of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, 189, 105–148.
  15. Metcalf, Z.P. (1954) Some Homoptera from the Caroline Islands. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society, 70 (1), 1–19.
  16. Muir, F. (1913) On some new species of leaf-hoppers. Part II. Derbidae. Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association, Division of Entomology, Bulletin, No. 12, 28–90.
  17. Muir, F. (1914) On some Derbidae from Formosa and Japan. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society, 3, 42–52. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.24593
  18. Stål, C. (1858) Hemipterologiska bidrag. Öfversigt af Kongelige Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar, Stockholm, 15 (9–10), 433–454.
  19. Walker, F. (1857) Catalogue of the homopterous insects collected at Sarawak, Borneo, by Mr. A.R. Wallace, with description of new species. Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Zoology, I, 141–175. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1857.tb00966.x
  20. Wang, M.Q. & Wang, Y.L. (2024) Three new species in the genus Saccharodite Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Derbidae) from China. Entomotaxonomia, 46 (4), 289–303.
  21. Wang, Y.L., Chou, I. & Yuan, F. (1993) On a newly recorded genus and a new species of Derbidae (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea) from China. Entomotaxonomia, 15 (3), 178–180.
  22. Yang, C.T. & Wu, R.H. (1994) Derbidae of Taiwan (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). Zhengchung Press, Taiwan, 230 pp.
  23. Zelazny, B. (1981) The Philippines species of Rhotanini (Homoptera: Derbidae) and their distribution outside the Philippines. Pacific Insects, 23, 213–285.
  24. Zelazny, B. & Webb, M.D. (2011) Revision of the planthopper tribe Rhotanini (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Derbidae). Zootaxa, 3071, 1–307. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3071.1.1

How to Cite

Chen, W., Wang, M., Wang, Y. & Zhang, Y. (2026) Taxonomy of the tribe Rhotanini (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Derbidae) from China. Zootaxa, 5820 (1), 1–60. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5820.1.1