Two new species of Platypona DeLong (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Iassinae: Gyponini) from Peru and key to the species of the genus.

Two new species of the previously monotypic genus Platypona DeLong, 1982 from Peru are described and illustrated: P. furcata sp. nov. (Cusco Department) and P. inca sp. nov. (Pasco Department). These two species can be distinguished from each other, as well as from the type-species, P. sinverda DeLong, 1982, mainly by features of the style and aedeagus. A key to the three known species of Platypona is provided.

A new genus and new bromelicolous species of Cicadellini (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from Southeastern Brazil.

A new genus, Cavichiana, is described for a new species of Cicadellini, C. bromelicola, from Southeastern Brazil (states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo). The new genus can be distinguished from other genera of the Cicadellini by the following combination of features: (1) head deltoid, strongly produced anteriorly; (2) ocelli located distinctly anterad of anterior eye angles; (3) aedeagus tubular, elongate, its apex with a conspicuous crown of spines; (4) paraphyses with both stalk and rami elongate, rami slender and each with basidorsal dentiform projection. The new species has a distinctive color pattern. The dorsum is dark brown to black with contrasting blue to white spots. The anterior half of the fore wings has a large, circular transcommissural yellow macula bordered by a blue to white border, the anterior portion of this macula covering the scutellum. Specimens of the new species were found on leaves of bromeliads in areas of restinga (sand dune vegetation) of the Atlantic Forest of Southeastern Brazil. Other cases of association between hemipterans and bromeliads are listed and briefly discussed.

A new species of Alapona DeLong (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Gyponini) from Amazonas State, Northern Brazil.

Gyponini is the largest tribe of Iassinae, comprising 1,080 species in 53 genera (Freytag & Sharkey 2002, Engel & Takiya 2012). The tribe is restricted to the New World, with 75% of genera endemic to the Neotropical and 8% endemic to the Nearctic Region (Nielson & Knight 2000). Alapona DeLong (1980) is a poorly known Neotropical genus, previously known from a single species from Peru, A. elabora DeLong, 1980, described based on a single specimen. In this paper, a new species, Alapona modesta sp. nov., is described based on a single male specimen collected in Northern Brazil, which is deposited in the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Manaus, Brazil. Considering that approximately 32% of the genera of the tribe are monotypic, we consider this a valid contribution. For the analysis of the genital structures, the abdomen was removed and placed in hot 10% KOH, following Oman (1949). Genitalia were washed for 5-10 minutes in hot water and placed on a concave slide with glycerin for examination and preparation of photographs. After being photographed, the genitalia were stored in a small vial with glycerin and pinned below the specimen. Photographs were taken with a camera attached to a Leica stereomicroscope, using the image stacking software CombineZP. The morphological terminology follows mainly Dietrich (2005), except for the head sclerites (Hamilton 1981, Mejdalani 1998). The terms for the leg chaetotaxy follow Rakitov (1997). All characteristics known to vary among gyponine genera are given in the revised diagnosis for Alapona. However, because specimens of the type-species were not available for study, features assumed to be diagnostic for the genus but not yet verified to occur in the type-species are marked with an asterisk (*). Characters of the external morphology considered taxonomically important are included in the species description.

Descriptions of two new Brazilian Subrasaca species and redescriptions of S. flavolineata (Signoret, 1855) and S. curvovittata (Stål, 1862) comb. nov. (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini).

The species of Subrasaca Young, 1977 with longitudinal dark brown to black stripes on the forewings are reviewed. Two new taxa are described and illustrated: S. constricta sp. nov. (from the State of Bahia, NE. Brazil, new record for the genus) and S. bimaculata sp. nov. (from the states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo, SE. Brazil and the State of Paraná, S. Brazil). Two other species from SE. Brazil are treated: S. flavolineata (Signoret, 1855) is redescribed and Tettigonia curvovittata Stål, 1862, previously considered a junior synonym of S. flavolineata, is recognized as a valid Subrasaca species (new combination) and also redescribed. In addition to the external morphology, color pattern, and male genitalia, this paper includes the first detailed description and illustrations of the female genitalia of a Subrasaca species.

Descriptions of three new Brazilian Subrasaca species, redescription of S. nigriventris (Signoret, 1855) and a key to males of the genus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini).

Three new species of the Neotropical sharpshooter genus Subrasaca Young, 1977 from Southeastern and Southern Brazil are described and illustrated: S. diminuta sp. nov. (State of São Paulo and State of Paraná), S. rubra sp. nov. (State of Minas Gerais and State of São Paulo), and S. rachelae sp. nov. (State of Espirito Santo). Subrasaca nigriventris (Signoret, 1855) is reinterpreted, redescribed and illustrated based on specimens from Southeastern Brazil (State of Rio de Janeiro). In addition to the external morphology, color pattern, and male genitalia, this paper includes detailed descriptions and illustrations of the female genitalia. A key to males of all known Subrasaca species is provided.

A new species and key to species of the agriculturally important sharpshooter genus Sonesimia Young (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini).

The new sharpshooter species Sonesimia nessimiani is described from Bolivia based on specimens collected on sugar cane. An identification key to males and females of all known species of the genus is given. In addition to the external morphology, color pattern, and male genitalia, female genital structures are also described and illustrated. Notes comparing the new species with the remaining six Sonesimia species are provided.

Eight new Brazilian species of Fonsecaiulus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini), new records of species, and key to males of the genus.

Eight new Brazilian species of the South American sharpshooter genus Fonsecaiulus Young, 1977 are described and illustrated. Three new species are from Minas Gerais State (F. youngi sp. nov., F. spinosus sp. nov., and F. unciformis sp. nov.), two from Paraná State (F. chelatus sp. nov. and F. takiyae sp. nov.), one from Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul states (F. truncatus sp. nov.), one from Maranhão State (F. longiramus sp. nov.), and one is recorded only from "Brazil" (F. alvarengai sp. nov.). The species descriptions are focused on the male and female terminalia. With the addition of these new taxa, Fonsecaiulus now comprises 17 species; a dichotomic key to males of all these species is provided. New distribution records are given for the following species: F. cognatus (Schmidt, 1928)-Paraná State, F. rectangularis Felix et al., 2015-Bahia State, and F. sanguineovittata (Signoret, 1855)-Paraguay, Canindeyú Department. Notes on the morphology and distribution of the genus are added.

A new species of Erythrogonia Melichar, 1926 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini) from the Mantiqueira mountain range, southeastern Brazil, associated with olive orchards.

A new species of the diverse Neotropical sharpshooter genus Erythrogonia Melichar, 1926 is described and illustrated from the Mantiqueira mountain range, municipality of Maria da F, state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. The new taxon is associated with olive orchards and has been implicated as a vector of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al., 1987, which causes a disease known in Brazil as olive leaf scorch syndrome. Erythrogonia sinvali sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other 90 known species of the genus by the following combination of features: (1) crown black without conspicuous contrasting spots; (2) frons with large yellow median spot; (3) pronotum black with large yellow area covering most of disk; (4) forewing dark red, without contrasting spots or stripes, costal margin narrowly black, apical portion dark brown; (5) aedeagus elongate, curved dorsally, with pair of spiniform apical processes; (6) paraphyses greatly reduced; (7) basal portion of male anal tube with pair of spiniform curved processes; (8) posterior margin of female abdominal sternite VII broadly emarginate and with broad central lobe; (9) female sternite VIII with sclerotized areas, including a transverse bar located at bases of ovipositor valvulae I, followed by a pair of elongate sclerites and a posterior bilobed sclerite. Both males and females of the new species are described in detail. A putative group of five species within Erythrogonia is preliminarily proposed, including the new taxon, E. separata Melichar, 1926, E. dorsalis (Signoret, 1853), E. calva (Taschenberg, 1884), and E. melichari Schmidt, 1928. Among these species, the male terminalia of E. sinvali sp. nov. are more similar to those of E. separata.

Are publications on zoological taxonomy under attack?

Taxonomy is essential to biological sciences and the priority field in face of the biodiversity crisis. The industry of scientific publications has made extensive promotion and display of bibliometric indexes, resulting in side effects such as the Journal Impact Factor™ (JIF) mania. Inadequacies of the widely used indexes to assess taxonomic publications are among the impediments for the progress of this field. Based on an unusually high proportion of self-citations, the mega-journal Zootaxa, focused on zoological taxonomy, was suppressed from the Journal Citation Reports (JCR, Clarivate™). A prompt reaction from the scientific community against this decision took place exposing myths and misuses of bibliometrics. Our goal is to shed light on the impact of misuse of bibliometrics to the production in taxonomy. We explored JCR's metrics for 2010-2018 of 123 zoological journals publishing taxonomic studies. Zootaxa, with around 15 000 citations, received 311% more citations than the second most cited journal, and shows higher levels of self-citations than similar journals. We consider Zootaxa's scope and the fact that it is a mega-journal are insufficient to explain its high level of self-citation. Instead, this result is related to the 'Zootaxa phenomenon', a sociological bias that includes visibility and potentially harmful misconceptions that portray the journal as the only one that publishes taxonomic studies. Menaces to taxonomy come from many sources and the low bibliometric indexes, including JIF, are only one factor among a range of threats. Instead of being focused on statistically illiterate journal metrics endorsing the villainy of policies imposed by profit-motivated companies, taxonomists should be engaged with renewed strength in actions directly connected to the promotion and practice of this science without regard for citation analysis.

Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in a Corn Field.

Leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) are phytophagous insects that transmit diseases and cause damage to this crop. Thus, the main goal of this study was to verify the spatiotemporal behavior of the leafhoppers Tapajosa ocellata (Osborn, 1926), Dechacona missionum (Berg, 1879), and Dalbulus maidis (DeLong, 1923) in a corn field in Igarapé-Açu, northeastern Pará, northern Brazil. An area of 1.0 ha was used for the development of the study. A mango agroecosystem, a pasture, and secondary forest fragment are adjacent to the experimental area. The sampling of leafhoppers occurred during the 2015 and 2016 harvests. For sampling, 10 random plants per plot were analyzed, totaling 1000 plants per sample. In order to verify the occurrence of leafhoppers, all aerial parts of the plants were analyzed visually. The spatiotemporal behavior of leafhoppers and influence of adjacent areas and phenological stages of corn were verified through geostatistics. From the composition of semivariograms, interpolation maps were constructed by kriging. The results showed that, in 2015, there was a higher incidence of D. maidis compared to the following year. In 2016, 352 individuals of T. ocellata and 66 of D. missionum were observed. Regarding the spatial distribution, it was found that the smallest area of influence of T. ocellata, D. missionum, and D. maidis was 0.09, 0.08, and 0.05 ha, respectively. The spatial distribution of leafhoppers showed an aggregate behavior concentrated close to adjacent areas with a predominance of grasses. Population fluctuation demonstrated that the highest incidence of leafhoppers occurs in the vegetative stages of corn.

Two new species of the sharpshooter genus Paratubana (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini) from alpine fields of Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil.

Two new species of Paratubana Young, 1977 are described and illustrated from Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil, based on specimens collected in alpine fields (above 1,800 m) of the Serra dos rgos mountain range. Paratubana auromarginata sp. nov. (Pico da Calednia) can be recognized by the paraphyses with the apex bifurcate, forming an outer subquadrate projection and inner spiniform process, whereas in P. takiyae sp. nov. (Parque Nacional da Serra dos rgos) the paraphyses have a pair of strong spiniform processes directed dorsally and crossing each other. The two new species are apparently closely related to each other and both use Eryngium L. (Apiaceae) as host plants. A key to males of the ten known species of the genus is added, as well as two maps of their known distribution.

Two new species of Balacha (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae) from Brazil with comments on their phylogenetic position and biogeography.

The sharpshooter genus Balacha Melichar, 1926 has seven recognized species and is distributed in southern South America (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay). Here, two new Brazilian species of this genus are described and illustrated, one (B. ancora sp. nov.) from Serra do Caraça and Serra do Cipó (Minas Gerais State) and another (B. nigroflava sp. nov.) from Ponta Grossa (Paraná State) and Passo Fundo (Rio Grande do Sul State). Based on 67 morphological characters, we carried out a parsimony analysis to estimate the phylogenetic position of the two new species. Using implied weighting in TNT, a single topology within Balacha was obtained with k values that varied from 1.599 to 7.412. In this topology, the two new taxa appeared within the clade of black Balacha species. A biogeographical analysis (S-DIVA) suggested that the ancestral area of distribution of Balacha was the Atlantic Forest domain. Balacha species were so far known to have only Eryngium (Apiaceae) species as host plants. Here we report a new host plant for the genus: B. ancora sp. nov. specimens were collected on Actinocephalus polyanthus (Eriocaulaceae). Balacha similis and B. rubripennis are newly recorded from Argentina and specimens of the latter have a very distinct color pattern from the typical Brazilian specimens. Finally, a key to species and maps showing the known distribution of the genus are given (several state records of species are also provided).

Phylogenetic analysis of the South American sharpshooter genus Scopogonalia Young, 1977 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), with implications for conservation.

Scopogonalia is a leafhopper genus with 17 described species, all of them from South America. In this work, a phylogenetic analysis of the genus was conducted based on 59 morphological and colour pattern characters of head, thorax, abdomen, male and female genitalia. Analyses with equal weights resulted in 12 equally most parsimonious trees (length = 137) including a monophyletic Scopogonalia in all of them. An implied weights (k = 15) analysis recovered two trees, one of them equal to the one obtained with a single round successive weighting procedure, which was chosen for discussion. The trees support the existence of three main clades, which are here called Early Green Clade, Late Green Clade, and Yellow-Brown Clade. The origin and diversification of each clade is discussed under available biogeographical knowledge of South America. Little variation was observed in the female genitalia, but their characters were useful to reinforce the monophyly of the Yellow-Brown Clade, which we associate to ecological adaptations. This clade supports a past connection of the Cerrado biome and savannah enclaves in Amazonia and Atlantic Forest. This conclusion highlights the necessity of conserving this open vegetation environment inside the most fragmented portion of the Atlantic Forest, in northeastern Brazil.

Portanini (Insecta, Hemiptera, Cicadellidae): morphology of female terminalia, first record of host plants, a new species of Portanus from Brazil, and taxonomic notes.

Portanus adenomari sp. nov. from the Brazilian states of Minas Gerais, Paraná, and Maranhão is described and illustrated. It can be easily distinguished by the aedeagus with a pair of apical, slender curved processes, crossing each other medially. The previously unknown females of Portanus restingalis Felix Mejdalani, 2016 and Metacephalus facetus (Kramer, 1961), as well as the female terminalia of Metacephalus sakakibarai Souza, Takiya Felix, 2017, are also described in detail. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the ovipositor valvulae of P. restingalis are given. Comparative notes on the morphology of the female terminalia in the tribe Portanini are provided. Specimens of P. restingalis were observed feeding and resting on Bromeliaceae leaves; this is the first record of host plants for the Portanini. Metacephalus marica (Felix Mejdalani, 2016) is regarded as a junior synonym of Metacephalus longicornis (Osborn, 1923).

The sharpshooter genus Aguana: taxonomic notes, two new species from Brazil, the female of A. imbricata, and updated key (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini).

The genus Aguana Melichar, 1926 previously included only two species from the Atlantic Forest of Southeastern Brazil. Here we provide a revised diagnosis for the genus and describe two new Brazilian species and the female of A. imbricata (Signoret, 1854). The new taxa are A. picinguaba sp. nov. (states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Santa Catarina) and A. spitzi sp. nov. (State of São Paulo). Aguana species are very similar to one another externally and can be distinguished mainly by features of the male terminalia (especially of the aedeagus) and female sternite VII. A key to males and females of the genus is added (except the female of A. russata Young, 1977).

Three new Brazilian species of the sharpshooter genus Amblyscarta Stål, 1869 and redescription of A. unifasciata (Fabricius, 1803) comb. nov. (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini).

Three new Brazilian species of the sharpshooter genus Amblyscarta Stål, 1869 are described and illustrated: A. elianeae sp. nov. (states of Paraná and Minas Gerais), A. souzalopesi sp. nov. (State of Rio de Janeiro), and A. pinna sp. nov. (State of Mato Grosso). The first two species are from the Atlantic Forest, whereas the third is from the Amazon Forest. Cicada unifasciata Fabricius, 1803 is redescribed and transferred to Amblyscarta based on specimens from Guyana and northern Brazil (Amazon Forest). This Fabrician species is the type of the monobasic genus Strictogonia Melichar, 1926, which is thus considered a junior synonym of Amblyscarta. A diagnosis of Amblyscarta is added, as well as brief notes on the phenology of A. elianeae. This paper provides the first detailed descriptions and illustrations of the female terminalia of Amblyscarta species.

A new species of the sharpshooter genus Balacha from an alpine field in southeastern Brazil (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini)

ABSTRACT The sharpshooter genus Balacha Melichar, 1926 includes nine species and is distributed in southeastern and southern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. All species of Balacha use only members of the genus Eryngium (Apiaceae) as host plants, except for a recently described species that is associated with Actinocephalus polyanthus (Eriocaulaceae). Here we describe and illustrate an additional species, B. caledonia sp. nov., from an alpine field in Nova Friburgo, state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil, which is also associated with Eryngium. Among the known species of the genus, the new taxon is morphologically most similar to B. caparao Takiya & Mejdalani, 2004, but can be easily distinguished by the shaft of the aedeagus, which has a dorsal lobe on the basal half and no ventroapical lobe, and the female sternite VII with the borders of the posterior emargination sinuous. Our studies indicate that the type locality of the new species and its surrounding Atlantic Forest area in Nova Friburgo harbor an interesting and diverse but still poorly known sharpshooter fauna, including the recently discovered Paratubana auromarginata Côrte et al., 2021 (also from Eryngium) and Cavichiana caelivittata Mejdalani et al., 2023 (from bromeliads).

Two new species of Polana (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Iassinae: Gyponini) and redescription of Polana (Striapona) desela.

Two new species of Polana DeLong, 1942 are described and illustrated, P. (Angusana) pilosa sp. nov. from Peru and P. (Declivella) maculosa sp. nov. from Brazil. Polana (Striapona) desela Delong, 1979 is redescribed; the female terminalia of this species are described and illustrated for the first time.

Juliaca Melichar, 1926 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini): description of a new species from Southeastern Brazil and redescriptions of J. sertigerula (Jacobi, 1905) and J. xanthogramma (Signoret, 1854) comb. nov.

A new species of the sharpshooter genus Juliaca Melichar, 1926, J. nigra sp. nov., from Southeastern Brazil (State of Espírito Santo) is described based on specimens collected on a coffee plantation. In addition, J. sertigerula (Jacobi, 1905), an Andean species, and Tettigonia xanthogramma Signoret, 1854, from Southeastern Brazil (states of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro), are redescribed. The former species was not adequately illustrated and the latter was not treated in the most recent monograph on the Cicadellini. The identity of T. xanthogramma is elucidated and it is transferred to Juliaca (J. xanthogramma comb. nov.).

Descriptions of seven new Acrogonia species from South America (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae: Proconiini).

Seven new species of the economically important sharpshooter genus Acrogonia Stål are described and illustrated: A. falcata sp. nov. (French Guiana and state of Amazonas, Brazil), A. felixi sp. nov. (department of Loreto, Peru), A. quintasi sp. nov. (state of Pará, Brazil), A. distincta sp. nov. (state of Amazonas, Brazil), A. dentata sp. nov. (department of San Martin in Peru, French Guiana, and states of Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Pará, and Rondônia in Brazil), A. luizi sp. nov. (province of Pastaza in Ecuador and state of Amazonas in Brazil), and A. lobulata sp. nov. (province of Orellana, Ecuador). In addition to the external morphology, color pattern, and male genitalia, detailed descriptions and illustrations of the female genitalia are provided for three of the new species (A. dentata, A. luizi, and A. lobulata). Females of the other four new species are unknown. Acrogonia includes now 39 species, being among the most species-rich genera of the Proconiini.