Abstract:

This is a part of the cooperative project-studies on biological control of Tamarix insect pests between the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture, People's Republic of China and the Agricultural Research Service, Department of Agriculture, United States.Totally, 362 leaf-hoppers on Tamarisk and other plants were collected in Northw estern China from 1992 to 1994.Among them 4 species are new to science.The type specimens are deposited in the Insect Collections of Anhui Agricultural University.The new species are diagnosed as follows.1.Idiocerus kuohi Cai, sp. nov. (Fig. 1)Similar to I.ulmus Fang, but differs from the latter in the smaller size, the brownblack face and the form of aedeagus.♂: Length 3.0mm, incl. tegm. 5.0mm.Holotype ♂ (8059), Xinjiang, 15km NE Aksu, 11515km, 9 July 1992, Wang Ren & C.J. DeLoach, sweeping Elaeagnus angustifolia.2.Circulifer xinjiangensis Cai, sp. nov. (Fig. 2)Externally as C. obscurinervis Lindberg, but differs in the smaller size and the structure of aedeagus.♂: Length 2.0 mm, incl. tegm. 2.9 mm.Holotype ♂, Xinjiang, 84km SE Kashi, by Lake Potomogeton, 12364 km, 12 July 1992, Wang Ren & C.J. DeLoach, sweeping Halogeton giomeratus (Bieb.).3.Megalopsius tamaricius Cai, sp. nov. (Fig. 3)This new species can be distinguished from the know n species of the genus by its larger size and the male genitalia.Length ♂: 4.6 ~ 5.1mm, ♀5.0 ~ 6.1mm; Length incl. tegm ♂: 5.6 ~ 6.1mm, ♀6.3 ~ 6.5mm.Holotype ♂(7691), Xinjiang, 40km SW Aqal, 11684km, 10 July 1992, Wang Ren & C.J.DeLoach, sweeping Tamarix ramossisima.Paratypes 12 ♂♂ (7671, 7672, 7677-7681, 7683-7685, 7688) 6 ♀♀(7673-7676, 7689, 7690), same as holotype; 2 ♂♂(7668, 7669) 1 ♀(7667), same as holotype, 125km W. Koria (Kurie), 11081km, 9 July 1992, sweeping T. alongata, very few flow er; 1 ♂(7697) 2 ♀♀(7695, 7696), sweeping T. hispida var. hispida, old flowers; 1 ♂(7699), sweeping T. hispida var.karelini; and 2 ♂♂(7705, 7706) 1 ♀(7707), sweeping T.smyrnensis, flowering, same as the former; 1 ♀(7713), same as holotype, Qira (Cele) Desert Res. Sta., 12945 km, 13 July 1992, sweeping T. chinensis, flowering; 1 ♂(7715), same as the fomer, Turpan, Turpan Sand Dune Fix. Sta.Bot. Garden, 17 July 1992, sweeping T. arceuthoides, flowers; 2♂♂ (7718, 7719) 1 ♀(7717), Inner Mongolia, 14 km SE Wuyuan, by canal, 36790km, 16 July 1993, C.J. DeLoach, 20 sweeps T.austromongolia; 1 ♀(7736), Gansu, 33km S. Anxi, Anxi Natural Area, 40597km, 30 July 1993, C.J. DeLoach, 20 sweeps yellow seeding T. leptostachya; 3 ♀♀(7748-7750) 1♂ (7751), same as the former, 25km NW Dunhuang, 40820km, 1 Aug. 1993, T. karelinii; 2 ♂♂(7724, 7726) 2 ♀♀(7725, 7727), Ningxia, just N. Yinchuan at Pagoda, 38502km, 23 July 1993, C. J. DeLoach, 20 sweeps Tamarix sp.4.Tamaricella fuscula Cai, sp. nov. (Fig. 4)This new species is related to T. complicata Dworakowska, but can be separated from the latter by its larger size and the form of aedeagus.Length ♂: 1.5 ~ 1.7mm, ♀1.7 ~ 1.9mm; length incl. tegm ♂ : 2.1 ~ 2.8mm, ♀2.3 ~ 2.8mm.Holotype ♂(8015), Gansu, Minqin Botanical Garden, DCRI 39684km, 28 July 1993, C.J. DeLoach, 20 sweeps Tamarix gracilis.Paratypes 1 ♂(7961), same as holotype, 33km S. Anxi, Anxi Natural Area, 40597km, 30 July 1993, T. hispida; 1 ♂(7987), Xinjiang, Turpan Botanical Garden, 6 Aug.1993, 41843km, T. arcenthoides; 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀ (7920), Inner Mongolia, 43km S. Baotou, 37797km, 21 July 1993, T. austromongolica.

Key words: Homoptera, Cicadellidae, New species, Tamarisk