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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #408978

Research Project: Systematics of Acari and Hemiptera: Plant Pests, Predators, and Disease Vectors

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: A new genus and four new species of Darnini (Hemiptera: Membracidae) from South America

Author
item McKamey, Stuart - Stu
item GONZALES-MOZO, L. - American Museum Of Natural History

Submitted to: Zootaxa
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/19/2023
Publication Date: 2/20/2024
Citation: Mckamey, S.H., Gonzales-Mozo, L. 2024. A new genus and four new species of Darnini (Hemiptera: Membracidae) from South America. Zootaxa. 5415(1):169-180. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5415.1.8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5415.1.8

Interpretive Summary: Leafhoppers and treehoppers cause millions of dollars of damage in crop loss every year. In order to communicate about known and potential agricultural pests, every species needs to have a name. Nevertheless, this is not the case for many species. In this paper, four new species in a new species group are described. Additionally, this unusual new species group will help elucidate the relationships of all treehoppers. This will be useful for research scientists, federal regulator agencies such as the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and state extension personnel.

Technical Abstract: The new genus Polyodontotrochus is described and illustrated with four new species: P. auriculatus (type species) from French Guiana, P. elevatus from Ecuador, P. extentapalaestrus from French Guiana, and P. inpa from Brazil, and the genus differs from all other membracids in having the inner sides of their metathoracic trochanters developed into apposed, flattened plates with many strongly sclerotized studlike cucullate setae distributed throughout. Their metathoracic tibiae have cucullate setal rows I and II incomplete, row III missing. A key to all species is provided.