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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #308908
Title: Immatures of the New World Treehopper Tribe Amastrini (Hemiptera: Membracidae: Smiliinae) with a key to genera

Author
item McKamey, Stuart - Stu
item WALLNER, A. - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item PORTER, M. - University Of Maryland

Submitted to: ZooKeys
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/19/2015
Publication Date: 9/30/2015
Citation: Mckamey, S.H., Wallner, A., Porter, M.J. 2015. Immatures of the New World Treehopper Tribe Amastrini (Hemiptera: Membracidae: Smiliinae) with a key to genera. ZooKeys. 524:65-87.

Interpretive Summary: Leafhoppers and treehoppers cause millions of dollars of damage to agricutural crops each year, and over represent over 1,000 inteceptions at US border every year. Many are intercepted in immature stages, hindering their identification. There are scant vague descriptions of, and no identification keys for treehopper nymphs of the Western Hemisphere. This paper is the first installment providing detailed descriptions of treehopper immatures. It will aid researchers and governmental agencies such as APHIS and Homeland Security that are responsible for border interceptions of potential pests.

Technical Abstract: The immatures stages of 9 of the 11 genera (Amastris Stål, Bajulata Ball, Erosne Stål, Harmonides Kirkaldy, Idioderma Van Duzee, Lallemandia Funkhouser, Neotynelia Creão-Duarte & Sakakibara, Tynelia Stål, and Vanduzea Goding) of the tribe Amastrini are described for the first time long with brief diagnoses of Membracidae and the subfamily Smiliinae. A key to genera and notes on biology are provided. Multiple species of most genera are illustrated. Based on its distinct nymphal morphology, Vanduzea laeta nolina Ball is elevated to specific rank as Vanduzea nolina, new status, and Bajulata, despite the superficial similarity of its adults to those of Vanduzea, is confirmed as warranting generic rank based on its unique nymphal morphology