María F. Rossi Batiz

Diversity of planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) in rice associated with weeds in Argentina

An assemblage of Fulgoromorpha in a rice agroecosystem from La Plata city was studied for the first time in Argentina, considering those species associated with rice and the surrounding weeds, their seasonality, sex ratios and parasitoidism. Samples were obtained from 2006 to 2010 in a rice field and in the surrounding weeds. Fourteen species from three families of Fulgoromorpha were associated with rice, most of them native species. The delphacids Chionomus haywardi, Toya propinqua and Delphacodes kuscheli were the most abundant on rice. Population peaks occurred after flooding of rice and before anthesis. The native C. haywardi was more abundant in rice than in weeds, while the opposite was confirmed for T. propinqua, a well-known cosmopolitan grass specialist. The difference of abundances of D. kuscheli in rice and weeds was not significant. Our results highlight the dominance of C. haywardi during all sampling years in the rice agroecosystem as well as the role of surrounding weeds as an alternative microhabitat for planthoppers instead of rice. The strepsipteran Elenchus tenuicornis was the only recorded parasitoid and showed no preference for any of the insect hosts.

Description of the immature stages of Saccharosydne subandina Remes Lenicov & Rossi Batiz (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

The genus Saccharosydne Kirkaldy 1907 includes eight species, two of which are pests of sugarcane in tropical America and rice in Asia. Saccharosydne subandina Remes Lenicov & Rossi Batiz described from Argentina feeds on pampas grass, garlic and rye in agricultural subandean areas of different provinces. This study provides information on the immature stages of S. subandina, including a key for their separation, based on laboratory reared specimens and field observations. El género Saccharosydne Kirkaldy 1907 incluye 8 especies, dos de ellas conocidas como pestes de la caña de azúcar en América tropical y del arroz en Asia. Saccharosydne subandina Remes Lenicov & Rossi Batiz fue la primer especie descripta para Argentina como la más frecuente sobre cortadera, ajo y centeno en áreas agrícolas subandinas de diferentes provincias. Este estudio aporta información sobre del desarrollo postembrionario de S. subandina, incluyendo una clave para la separación de los estadíos ninfales, sobre la base de especímenes criados en laboratorio y observaciones en el campo.The genus Saccharosydne Kirkaldy 1907 includes eight species, two of which are pests of sugarcane in tropical America and rice in Asia. Saccharosydne subandina Remes Lenicov & Rossi Batiz described from Argentina feeds on pampas grass, garlic and rye in agricultural subandean areas of different provinces. This study provides information on the immature stages of S. subandina, including a key for their separation, based on laboratory reared specimens and field observations. El genero Saccharosydne Kirkaldy 1907 incluye 8 especies, dos de ellas conocidas como pestes de la cana de azucar en America tropical y del arroz en Asia. Saccharosydne subandina Remes Lenicov & Rossi Batiz fue la primer especie descripta para Argentina como la mas frecuente sobre cortadera, ajo y centeno en areas agricolas subandinas de diferentes provincias. Este estudio aporta informacion sobre del desarrollo postembrionario de S. subandina, incluyendo una clave para la separacion de los estadios ninfales, sobre la base de especimene...