Rhotanini

  up/back to Derbidae

Rhotana semiopalina (click on image to enlarge it)
Author: Cheong Loong Fah (Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore)

The Rhotanini are a group of small Derbidae which are characterized by their broad forewings which have a basal median cell which does not surpass the first third of the forewing. The group is found in the humid tropics of southern Asia, eastern Australia and the Pacific Islands. A small number of species of the genus Muiralevu also occur in western Africa.

Key to the genera of Rhotanini

Adapted with modifications from: B. Zelazny and M.D. Webb (2011) Revision of the planthopper tribe Rhotanini (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Derbidae), Zootaxa, 2023, 55-68

(click on an image to enlarge it)

1		a: Forewings with 5 costal cells b: Forewings with 4 costal cells ▼ ▼   2     8
2		a: Forewings with base of Cu1 merging with base of Ms1 for a short section; Ms1 unbranched; no small triangular or trapezoid cell at base of Ms1 b: Forewings with Ms1 branched and its base connected to base of Cu1 by a crossvein; a crossvein also often connects the base of Ms1 with M, forming a small triangular or trapezoid cell ▼ ▼ Sumangala   3
3		a: Forewings with costal cells gradually decreasing in length towards the apex (and often broad). If abruptly decreasing in length then 1st median sector (Ms1) branched in its apical half, or hindwings only about ½ as wide as forewing. b: Forewings with costal cells narrow and abruptly decreasing in length towards apex. Ms1 branched in its basal half and hindwings nearly as broad as forewings. ▼ ▼ Alara   4
4		a: Facial carinae separated. b: Facial carinae contiguous, at least near their bases. ▼ ▼   5     6
5		a: Forewings white, powdered. b: Forewings not powdered, or only with some patches powdered. ▼ ▼ Dichotropis Rhotana (part)
6		a: Width of basal costal cell of forewing as wide or wider as ¼ of width of whole forewing. b: Basal costal cell of forewing not that broad. ▼ ▼ Rhotanella   7
7		a: Forewings powdered, usually less than 4 mm in length; basal median cell usually narrow, more than 2 x longer than wide; M leaves Sc+R usually at or before the first third of basal median cell. b: Forewings unpowdered, or only with some patches powdered, usually more than 4 mm in length; basal median cell usually broad, less than 2 x longer than wide, M leaves Sc+R often distad of first third of basal median cell. ▼ ▼ Levu Rhotana (part)
8		a: Forewings with bases of Ms1b and Cu1 usually merging or nearly merging for a short section, then separating again forming a characteristic triangular cell (rarely other venations); body often with red colour or marks. b: Forewings with bases of Ms1b and Cu1 never merging; usually a small trapezoid cell at base of Ms1 (in Saccharodite this cell is triangular if present); body without red marks. ▼ ▼ Saccharodite Muiralevu