Mitogenomic Analysis and Phylogenetic Implications for the Deltocephaline Tribe Chiasmini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae).

The grassland leafhopper tribe Chiasmini (Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) presently comprises 324 described species worldwide, with the highest species diversity occurring in the Nearctic region but a greater diversity of genera occurring in the Old World. In China, this tribe comprises 39 described species in 11 genera, but the fauna remains understudied. The complete mitogenomes of three species of this tribe have been sequenced previously. In order to better understand the phylogenetic position of Chiasmini within the subfamily Deltocephalinae and to investigate relationships among Chiasmini genera and species, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitogenomes of 13 species belonging to seven genera from China. Comparison of the newly sequenced mitogenomes reveals a closed circular double-stranded structure containing 37 genes with a total length of 14,805 to 16,269 bp and a variable number of non-coding A + T-rich regions. The gene size, gene order, gene arrangement, base composition, codon usage, and secondary structure of tRNAs of the newly sequenced mitogenomes of these 13 species are highly conserved in Chiasmini. The ATN codon is commonly used as the start codon in protein-coding genes (PCGs), except for ND5 in Doratura sp. and ATP6 in Nephotettix nigropictus, which use the rare GTG start codon. Most protein-coding genes have TAA or TAG as the stop codon, but some genes have an incomplete T stop codon. Except for the tRNA for serine (trnS1(AGN)), the secondary structure of the other 21 tRNAs is a typical cloverleaf structure. In addition to the primary type of G-U mismatch, five other types of tRNA mismatches were observed: A-A, A-C, A-G, U-C, and U-U. Chiasmini mitochondrial genomes exhibit gene overlaps with three relatively stable regions: the overlapping sequence between trnW and trnC is AAGTCTTA, the overlapping sequence between ATP8 and ATP6 is generally ATGATTA, and the overlapping sequence between ND4 and ND4L is generally TTATCAT. The largest non-coding region is the control region, which exhibits significant length and compositional variation among species. Some Chiasmini have tandem repeat structures within their control regions. Unlike some other deltocephaline leafhoppers, the sequenced Chiasmini lack mitochondrial gene rearrangements. Phylogenetic analyses of different combinations of protein-coding and ribosomal genes using maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods under different models, using either amino acid or nucleotide sequences, are generally consistent and also agree with results of prior analyses of nuclear and partial mitochondrial gene sequence data, indicating that complete mitochondrial genomes are phylogenetically informative at different levels of divergence within Chiasmini and among leafhoppers in general. Apart from Athysanini and Opsiini, most of the deltocephaline tribes are recovered as monophyletic. The results of ML and BI analyses show that Chiasmini is a monophyletic group with seven monophyletic genera arranged as follows: ((Zahniserius + (Gurawa + (Doratura + Aconurella))) + (Leofa + (Exitianus + Nephotettix))).

Morphological and ultrastructural studies of the internal reproductive systems of two deltocephaline leafhoppers, Nephotettixcincticeps and Deltocephalusvulgaris (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae).

Insects have highly variable reproductive systems, reflecting a diversity of reproductive strategies and adaptations. Such variation has been widely used to classify and estimate phylogenetic relationships. Here, the morphology and ultrastructure of the internal reproductive systems of two leafhopper species are described and illustrated, using both light and transmission electron microscopy, and representing two tribes of Deltocephalinae: in Chiasmini, Nephotettixcincticeps (Uhler, 1896), and in Deltocephalini, Deltocephalusvulgaris (Dash & Viraktamath, 1998). Tables comparing the morphology of male and female internal reproductive structures of these studied species are provided and indicate that the main differences are in the relative shapes, sizes, and colors of these structures. The overall structure and organization, including details of the ultrastructure, of these two leafhopper species' male and female internal reproductive systems are very similar to those of previously studied leafhoppers. The main differences observed among species include the number of testicular follicles, the relative position of seminal vesicles and the degree of development of the accessory glands in the male, the number of ovaries, and the shape and color of the vagina and spermatheca in the female.

New taxa in the leafhopper tribe Deltocephalini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from China.

Pseudomaiestas gen. nov. with Pseudomaiestas dietrichi sp. nov. (type species, China: Yunnan Prov.), and Maiestas anhuiensis sp. nov. (China: Anhui Prov.) are described and illustrated. A checklist to the known genera and species of Deltocephalini from China is given together with a generic key. The tribe now holds 14 genera and 59 species in total from China. The genera Alobaldia Emeljanov, Amblysellus Sleesman, Ctenurella Vilbaste, Graminella DeLong, Matsumuratettix Metcalf, Peitouellus Vilbaste, Polyamia DeLong, Recilia Edwards, Wyushinamia Zhang & Duan, and Pseudomaiestas Xu, Shah & Duan gen. nov. contain 1 species. Similarly, Yuanamia Zhang & Duan includes 2 species, Paramesodes Ishihara contains 6 species, Deltocephalus Burmeister has 7 species, and Maiestas Distant is recorded with 34 species respectively. A separate key for the Chinese Maiestas species is also given.

Review of the leafhopper tribe Deltocephalini Dallas, 1870 (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae) in Pakistan with description of a new species of Paramesodes.

A review of the leafhopper tribe Deltocephalini in Pakistan is provided, including comprehensive illustrated keys to all genera and species, along with their diagnosis and distribution. A new species of Paramesodes is described, P.dirensissp. nov., which was discovered in the Upper Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A detailed description of this new species is provided together with photographs for visual reference. This tribe now has three genera and 13 species from Pakistan. The genus Deltocephalus Burmeister includes two species, and Maiestas Distant has nine species; Paramesodes Ishihara is now represented with two species.

A new species in the grassland leafhopper genus Stirellus Osborn amp; Ball (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Stenometopiini) from Pakistan.

A new leafhopper species Stirellus pakistanicus Shah Duan sp. n. is described from Attock region of the Punjab province of Pakistan. Habitus photos and illustrations of male genitalia of the new species are provided. An updated checklist and a distribution map of the known species of Stirellus from Pakistan are also given.

Taxonomic review of the grassland leafhopper genus Maiestas Distant (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Deltocephalini) from Pakistan with description of a new species and two new records.

The grassland leafhopper genus Maiestas Distant is reviewed from Pakistan with the description and illustrations of one new species, Maiestas sinuata Shah Duan sp. n., and two new records, i.e., Maiestas maculata n. rec. and Maiestas trispinosa n. rec. A checklist of the known species of Maiestas from Pakistan is also given together with a key for their separation (males).

Checklist and keys to Deltocephalinae leafhoppers (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae) from Pakistan.

Keys to all levels of the subfamily Deltocephalinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) of Pakistan are provided based on published records and original data from recent research. Checklists to the genera and species of Deltocephalinae are also given. A total of 49 genera with more than 100 species are now known from Pakistan. Two new synonyms are proposed, i.e., Cicadulinastriata Ahmed, 1986 a junior synonym of Cicadulinachinai Ghauri, 1965, syn. nov. and Macrostelesparafalcatus Naveed & Zhang, 2018 a new junior synonym of Macrostelesindrina (Pruthi, 1930), syn. nov.

A review of the leafhopper genus Pseudosubhimalus Ghauri (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with description of a new species from Pakistan.

A new species of the leafhopper genus Pseudosubhimalus Ghauri (Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Cicadulini), Pseudosubhimalus pakistanicus sp. n., is described from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. Figures for habitus and genitalic characters are given for this new species and newly recorded species from Pakistan. A key to all the known species of the genus Pseudosubhimalus is provided.

Taxonomic review of the leafhopper genus Stirellus Osborn amp; Ball (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Stenometopiini) from Pakistan with description of a new species.

The leafhopper genus Stirellus Osborn Ball is revised from Pakistan with the description and illustrations of a new species Stirellus mankiensis Shah Duan sp. n. and a new record Stirellus tolla n. rec. to Pakistan. A checklist and key for the known species of Stirellus from Pakistan are also given in the present study.

Review of the leafhopper genus Stirellus Osborn amp; Ball, 1902 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with description of two new species from Pakistan.

The genus Stirellus Osborn Ball is revised for Pakistan. Four species are included, of which two are new. S. kumratensis sp. nov. and S. neoconvexus sp. nov. are described and illustrated. A key to all species of this genus from Pakistan is provided.

A new species and four new records of Stirellus Osborn amp; Ball (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Stenometopiini) from Pakistan with a revised key to species.

The leafhopper genus Stirellus is reviewed from Pakistan with the description and illustrations of a new species Stirellus pakhtunensis Shah Duan sp. n. and four new records Stirellus capitatus n. rec., Stirellus indrus n. rec., Stirellus rotundus n. rec., Stirellus rubrolineatus n. rec. A checklist and key for the known species of Stirellus from Pakistan are also given.

Taxonomic review of the leafhopper genus Grammacephalus Haupt (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Scaphoideini) with description of a new species from Pakistan.

The leafhopper genus Grammacephalus Haupt is revised with the description and illustrations of a new species Grammacephalus punjabensis Shah Duan sp. n. from Pakistan. A checklist of the species of Grammacephalus and key to distinguish known species in the genus are also given in the present study.