Monobazus dissimilis (Distant)

VIRAKTAMATH, C. A., WEBB, M. D. & YESHWANTH, H. M., 2025, Review of the Monobazus-group leafhopper genera (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from the Indian subcontinent with description of five new genera and twenty-eight new species, Zootaxa 5567 (1), pp. 1-105 : 30

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5567.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:AF6254F6-CE26-41FE-BB85-A3FFD16FAA39
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B75F43-F054-FF81-FF48-77C133C52797
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Monobazus dissimilis (Distant)
status

Treatment

Monobazus dissimilis (Distant) View in CoL

Figs 4G–J View FIGURES 4 , 9 View FIGURES 9 JK, 35A–G, 57R–T

Xestocephalus dissimilis Distant, 1918:55 View in CoL , India

Deltocephalus fuscovarius Distant, 1918: 83–84 View in CoL , Sri Lanka, synonymized by Khatri & Webb, 2010: 7.

Monobazus dissimilis (Distant) View in CoL : Khatri & Webb 2010: 4, 7, Plate 1d, figs 4a–o

Monobazus distinctus (Distant) View in CoL : Li, Dai & Xing 2011: 138–139, figs 5–130 1–8, misidentified.

Material examined. INDIA: 1♀ syntype of Xestocephalus dissimilis Distant , “Chikkaballapura./ S. India. T.V. C. [T.V.Campbell]” “110/ 8, 13 [on underside of specimen mount]” “S. India./ E.A. Butler./ 1915-60” ( BMNH); several specimens collected from Andhra Pradesh: Guvvaluchervu, Hyderabad, Rudrur (Nizamabad), Srisailum, Thimmanapalem; Delhi: New Delhi; Karnataka:Arabhavi, Bidar, Bandipur, Castle Rock, Chikkaballapur, Chincholi, Dharwad, Doddaballapur, Gulburga, Hagari, Hubli, Kollegal, Magadi, Mudigere, Ranebennur, Raichur, Shimoga, Thirthahalli, ullal, Vijaypur, Vittla, Yelburga; Kerala: Kottayam, Calicut: Gujarat: Waghai; Maharashtra: Dhond; Meghalaya: Ri-Bhoi; Pondicherry: Mahé; Madhya Pradesh: Indore, Nehru Nagar; Rajasthan: Bikaner, Mandore, Udaipur; Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore, Tarapuram, Thandigudi; West Bengal: Calcutta, Kalyani; Telangana: Hyderbad ( UASB) NEPAL: Lothar ( CNC). SRI LANKA: 2♀, syntypes of Deltocephalus fuscovarius Distant, Trincomali / Ceylon. Ix.1910 ” “Ceylon./ T.V. Fletcher./ 1909-80” ( BMNH); 1♂, Peradeniya, i.1911; 2♂, 3♀, Colombo, 1.iii.1953 ( BMNH). THAILAND (new record): 1♂, Cholburi, vii.1986, sugaracane; 1♂, Cholburi, 30.vii. 1962; 1♂, Chiangmai, doi Pa Kia, ix.1987 ( BMNH). PAKISTAN: Pakistan: 21♂, 4♀, Sindh Prov., Tando Jam, 7.xi.[20]07 ( BMNH).

Remarks. This widespread species was described from an unspecified number of specimens (syntypic) with the following data: “South India, Chikkaballapura (T.V. Campbell)”. Its junior synonym, Deltocephalus fuscovarius was described from an unspecified number of specimens (syntypic) with the following data: “ Ceylon: Trincomali (Bainbrigge Fletcher)”. This species can be distinguished by the brown patch on the crown each side of midline ( Figs 4G–J View FIGURES 4 ) and by the dorsobasal aedeagal processes ( Figs 35E–G View FIGURES 35 ). In external appearance M. dissimilis is similar to the female lectotype of B. umbratus from Myanmar but the latter species has entirely different male genitalia. This species is only provisionally placed in Monobazus as it differs from all other congeners by the dorsal rather than ventral origin of the basal aedeagal processes. In this respect it is similar to M. datianensis Xing, Dai & Li, 2008 ( Scaphoidella ) comb. nov., from Hainan Is., China. Specimens of M. dissimilis were collected during the months of January, February and June to December and host plants include grasses, Sorghum, cotton and brinjal.