New Upper Permian Homoptera from the Belmont Beds (Homoptera: Insecta)
Abstract
The five wings of Upper Permian Homoptera which arc described and figured here are all of particular interest. Four are of insects belonging to the Family Archescytinidae and the fifth is of a Cercopoid.
The wings of Archescytinids, which are the only Homoptera recorded from Lower Permian strata in Kansas, exhibit many primitive features. Thus, the fore and hind wings are similar in shape and venation, the venation has a simple basic pattern of arrangement and the clavus is small. Their occurrence, together with their probable derivatives, the Scytinopteridae, in Upper Permian beds in New South Wales is not unexpected, as both families are already known to occur in Upper Permian strata in Russia. A single wing (Austroscytina imperfecta Evans) formerly ascribed to this Family, only doubtfully belongs to it (Evans 1956).
The Cercopoid is ascribed to the Family Eoscarterellidae, and represents the first member of this Superfamily to be recorded from strata of Permian age. The types and single other specimen described are in the collection of the Australian Museum.
