Sexual communication in animals often involves duetting characterized by a coordinated reciprocal exchange of acoustic signals. We used playback experiments to study the role of timing of a female reply in the species-specific duet structure in the leafhopper Aphrodes makarovi (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). In leafhoppers, mate recognition and location is mediated exclusively by species- and sex-sp...

Material collected during a biodiversity expedition in some protected areas of Ecuador, located in the provinces of Cotopaxi, Pichincha and Napo, resulted in ten new species and three first records. The new taxa are: Cylloepus bartolozzii sp. nov., Cylloepus cesari sp. nov., Cylloepus fabianorum sp. nov., Cylloepus francescae sp. nov., Cylloepus mazzai sp. nov., Cylloepus terzanii sp. nov., Cyl...

Andes-to-Amazon river connectivity controls numerous natural and human systems in the greater Amazon. However, it is being rapidly altered by a wave of new hydropower development, the impacts of which have been previously underestimated. We document 142 dams existing or under construction and 160 proposed dams for rivers draining the Andean headwaters of the Amazon. Existing dams have fragmente...

Various densities of adult potato leafhoppers were established on 'Essex' soybean at plant growth stage V2 in caged field plots. Cages were removed two weeks later, and plots remained uncaged for the rest of the growing season. Direct counts of nymphal leafhoppers on plants shortly after cage removal confirmed that a gradient of infestation levels was attained. In both years of the study, highe...

A new genus and species of the leafhopper tribe Vartini are described.  Afrovarta angelae gen. & sp. nov. are described based on specimens from Ghana, Cameroon, and Gabon.

We initiated a collaborative biotechnological effort to develop an RNA interference (RNAi) strategy to target and control sharpshooter vectors of Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of Pierce’s disease. We have constructed cDNAs corresponding to specific genes of the glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), Homalodisca vitripennis, and for two genes, actin and SAR1, have generated dsRNAs in vitro. W...

Experiments were conducted to determine whether the beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus (Baker) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), transmits the purple top phytoplasma to potato, Solanum tuberosum L.; beets, Beta vulgaris L.; and selected weed hosts. The beet leafhopper-transmitted virescence agent (BLTVA) phytoplasma was identified as the causal agent of the potato purple top disease outbreaks that r...

Sugarcane white leaf disease is caused by plant pathogenic phytoplasmas that are transmitted to the plant by the leafhopper Matsumuratettix hiroglyphicus (Matsumura). To determine whether there are other insect vectors that transmit this disease pathogen, leafhopper species in sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum L., fields in northeastern Thailand were monitored by using light traps. Sixty-nine le...

The aster yellows phytoplasma (AYp) is transmitted by the aster leafhopper, Macrosteles quadrilineatus Forbes, in a persistent and propagative manner. To study AYp replication and examine the variability of AYp titer in individual aster leafhoppers, we developed a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay to measure AYp concentration in insect DNA extracts. Absolute quantification ...

Phytoplasmas are cell-wall-less members of the bacterial class Mollicutes that are obligate parasites of plants and insect vectors. Phytoplasmas cause hundreds of plant diseases, several of which have worldwide agricultural significance (17). The plant host range of some phytoplasma strains may be very wide. This is the case for X-disease phytoplasma (Xp). Although X-disease is an economic dise...