A SYSTEMATIC STUDY ON THE GENUS PLACIDUS DISTANT (HOMOPTERA: CICADELLIDAE)

Abstract Nine species of the leafhopper genus Placidus Distant have been found in the world up to now, of which 4 new species are described from South China in this paper: P. dentatus , sp. nov. from Sichuan Province, P. striolatus , sp. nov. and P. nigrocupuliferous , sp. nov. from Yunnan Province, and P. flosifrontus , sp. nov. from Hunan Province. A key to all the 9 species of this genus is proposed. The type specimens are deposited in the Entomological Museum, Northwest Sci-Tech University of Agriculture and Forestry, Yangling, Shaanxi, except the type specimens of P. dentatus and P. striolatus spp. nov. kept in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing (IZAS).