Revision of the genus Ficiana Ghauri and its relationship to other genera in Empoascini (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae)

Abstract The empoascine genus Ficiana Ghauri is reviewed based on specimens from China. One new Ficiana species, Ficiana aurantia sp. n. is described from Guangxi in south China. An identification key to all species in this genus is provided. The morphological characters of Ficiana and related genera in this tribe are discussed.


Introduction
The empoascine genus Ficiana was established by Ghauri (1963) based on specimens from Coimbatore (south India) (type species: Ficiana pruthii Ghauri, 1963). It is a small genus in Empoascini and easily identified by having a median sulcus on frons, vein CuA of hind wing unbranched, ventral pygofer appendage absent, and subgenital plates fused (Ghauri 1963). This genus is confined to the Oriental region and only one species (the type species) has been reported so far.
The generic characters of Ficiana need to be revised because no additional information had been added to this genus after its establishment. In this paper, a more detailed description based on specimens from China is provided. This is the first report of this genus in the Chinese fauna. In addition, a new species of Ficiana from Guangxi in south China is described, and the interpretation of morphology resemblance and reconsider the evolutionary relationship of this genus with related genera in the tribe Empoascini is discussed.

Material and methods
The specimens used in this study are deposited in the Entomological Museum, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China (NWAFU). Male genitalia dissections were carried out as described by Oman (1949) and Knight (1965). Line diagrams were drawn using Olympus PM-10AD microscope. Photographs were taken with an automontage QImaging Retiga 4000R digital camera (CCD) stereozoom microscope. The body measurements are from apex of vertex to tip of forewing. Terminology follows Zhang (1990) with the following exceptions: wing venation follows Dworakowska (1993), groups of setae on the subgenital plate follow Southern (1982), and leg chaetotaxy follows Rakitov (1998).
Remarks. The original illustrations of the type species made the male genital diagnosis of this genus hard to understand, especially the configuration of the aedeagus. Based on our additional new findings, it has a median sulcus of frons (Fig. 4); all apical veins in forewing arising from longitudinal m cell, vein CuA in hind wing unbranched (Figs. 8,9); ventral pygofer appendage absent (Figs 5, 10, 11); subgenital plates large and fused throughout almost in whole length (Fig. 18); and anal tube appendage present (Figs 5, 10, 13). All of these characters ensure the new species fit the definition of Ficiana Ghauri (1963) and it is described here. Ghauri (1963) noted the aedeagus was "with three pairs of elaborate appendages, as shown in the figure". However Color. General color of male orange. Crown with a brownish shallow depression beside coronal suture, sublaterally near eyes with a narrow blackish stripe on each side which is continuously extended to base of face, the stripes curved near base of vertex (Figs 1, 3, 4). Frontoclypeus with transverse linear stripes laterally, adjacent to the lateral frontoclypeal suture brown with two meniscate, brownish patches, anteclypeus black apically, lorum sordid brownish centrally (Fig. 4). Eyes dark (Figs 1-4). Ocelli circled with whitish creamy patch (Figs 1-4). Pronotum with black, sinuate transverse depression laterally, mid-posteriorly reddish-black, laterobasal angles studded with reddish patches (Figs 1, 3). Centre of scutellum with a quadrate creamy patch anteriorly (Figs 1, 3). Abdomen black (Figs 1, 2). Fore and hindwing subhyaline, vein distinct (Figs 1, 2). Legs greyish (Fig. 2).
Host plants. Unknown. Etymology. The specific epithet is an adjective derived from the Latin word "aurantium", referring to the orange body color of the new species.
Distribution. China (Guangxi). Dworakowska (1970) studied the phenomenon of the fusion of the male plates in Cicadellidae. Although Dworakowska supposed this feature is "not rare in Cicadellidae, and it probably cannot say anything about the relationship among the higher taxa". Dworakowska's research still provided some hint for the classification of Empoascini, for the fused plates for some taxa in Empoasca-complex seem rather unique and distinguished them from other genera in this tribe. Seven genera, including Ficiana Ghauri, Ishiharella Dworakowska, Dialecticopteryx Kirkaldy, Mahmoodia Dworakowska, Nimabanana Dworakowska, Kotwaria Dworakowska and Daluana Ramakrishnan share this feature. Furthermore, all of these genera show some similarities in crown proportions (short and rounded anteriorly, anterior and posterior margins subparallel, middle length distinctly shorter than width between eyes, shared pygofer characteristics (without ventral appendage), the venation of forewing (all apical veins arising from longitudinal m cell) and hind wing (vein CuA unbranched). It is likely that these genera constitute a distinct group (Ficiana group) in the process of evolutionary history and are more closely related than they are to other genera in the Empoasca-complex of the tribe. Ghauri (1963) suggested a resemblance with the genus Sujitettix Matsumura and Kybos Fieber; however, Sujitettix has been treated as a junior synonym of Apheliona Kirkaldy by Dworakowska (1970). The genus Ficiana is more similar to the six genera noted above. Among these genera, Ficiana seems more closely related to Dialecticopteryx Kirkaldy, Nimabanana Dworakowska, Kotwaria Dworakowska and Daluana Ramakrishnan in having a distinct coronal suture.

Discussion
A key to the genera of the Ficiana group in the tribe as follows: Key to genera of Ficiana group (males)