Morphology and distribution of the external labial sensilla in Fulgoromorpha (Insecta: Hemiptera)

The present paper describes the sensory structures on the apical segment of the labium in fifteen fulgoromorphan families (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha), using the scanning electron microscope. Thirteen morphologically distinct types of sensilla are identified: five types of multiporous sensilla, four types of uniporous sensilla and four types of nonporous sensilla. Three subapical sensory organ types are also recognized, formed from one to several sensilla, each characteristic of a family group. Sensilla chaetica (mechanoreceptive sensilla) fall into three categories dependent on length and are numerous and evenly distributed on the surface of the labium except where they occur on specialized sensory fields. The planthopper morphological ground plan is represented by two apical pair of sensory fields (dorsal and ventral) on which 11 dorsal pairs of sensilla (10 peg-like pairs + 1 specialized pair dome or cupola-like) and 2 ventral pairs of sensilla basiconica occur. Two main patterns (cixiid and issid) together with more specialized ones (derbid, lophopid, flatid and fulgorid) are reported. Disparity and diversity of the sensory structures are analyzed from a taxonomic and functional perspective. A gustatory function is provided for several chemoreceptive labial sensilla, as in the antennal flagellum sensilla in some other Hemiptera. This represents a more recently evolved function for the planthopper labium. Finally, further lines of study are suggested for future work on the phylogeny of the group based on the studied characters.