Obedas proboscideus Jacobi, 1910

Obedas proboscideus is a small, unusual planthopper with coriaceous wings and a uniquely shaped head. The genus was originally described from East Africa; observations of this species near Pretoria either represent a range expansion or a second, undescribed member of the genus. It appears to be very rare.

Obedas is closely related to the genera Durium and  Bananellodes. All three of these genera have the tegmina coriaceous with 4 main longitudinal veins and minimal crossveins, and with the claval suture present; Obedas can be distinguished by the form of the head in combination with the fourth vein bifurcating before the apex of the clavus.

Original description: Jacobi A. 1910 - 12 Hemiptera. 7 Homoptera. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der schwedischen Zoologischen Expedition nach dem Kilimandjaro, dem Meru und den umgebenden Massaissteppen Deutsch-Ostafrikas 1905-1906. Schwedische Akademie der Wissenschaften 1910: 97-136.
https://flow.hemiptera-databases.org/flow/?page=explorer&db=flow&lang=en&card=publication&id=793

Original description of genus and species translated from German:
Body compressed dorsoventrally. Head long, wedge-shaped, edges of vertex raised, cutting; frons with three continuous keels, clypeus at the base with weak lateral carinae. Pronotum posteriorly cut out at a flat angle, with strip-shaped lateral carinae, separated from the shoulder lobes by two weak carinae. Mesonotum with three distinct carinae. Front and middle legs slightly widened, hind legs with three spines. Tegmina leathery, the apical part shortened, with simple, strongly raised longitudinal veins and clear clavus suture. Wings semi-vestigial, narrow, without anal lobes.

Light brown. The upper side is washed out with brown spots, the underside, especially the legs, is speckled with black and brown. Veins of the tegmina spotted black in places, often one to three irregular dark transverse bands. Wings hyaline. Vertex 2.5 times as long as wide between the edges, equal to the tip moderately narrowed, the surface very deepened; in profile the head is gently curved; frons and clypeus significantly wider than at the upturned base with a flat surface: eyes shortened at the back; Ocelli missing; clypeus with sharp central carina, labrum humped. Pronotum elliptical in the middle, elongated, depressed next to the central carina. Lateral carinae of the mesonotum are united at the very front, the surface enclosed by them is almost flat. Tegmina slightly arched, almost the same width, the costal edge slightly indented in the middle, the stalk of the clavus veins extends to the tip of the clavus. Total length 5-6 mm. Kilimandjaro: Kibonoto, cultural zone; Meru, rainforest, 3,000 m., Sept., Nov., Jan.

Supplementary description and key in Synave H. 1957 - Issidae (Homoptera-Fulgoroidea). Exploration du Parc National Upemba. Mission G. F. de Witte (1946-49) 43: 1-78.
https://cd.chm-cbd.net/archives_rdc/archives/publications/exploration-parc-national-de-lupemba/mission-g-f-de-witte/1957-fascicule-43-issidae-homoptera-fulgoroidea-meenoplidae-homoptera/fascicule43-synave-1957_complet.pdf

Observations on iNaturalist:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&taxon_id=1464539

Posted on 10 de fevereiro de 2024, 11:36 AM by psyllidhipster