María Inés Catalano

Diversity of leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in experimental rice lots and associated weeds in Buenos Aires province, Argentina

We identified the species of Cicadellidae associated with rice fields from an agricultural experimental station of La Plata city, Argentina, and explored the diversity pattern of the leafhopper assemblage. Insects were obtained from rice and surrounding weeds between 2006 and 2010. Syncharina argentina (Berg) and Agalliana ensigera Oman were the most abundant species in rice and weeds, respectively. Diversity (H′), heterogeneity (D) and evenness (J) indices were estimated. There was a significant effect of crop cycle (2006 to 2010) and host plant (rice and weeds) on H′ and D, with the interaction between them being not significant. Evenness was similar in rice lots and weeds, but differed between crop cycles. The pattern of abundance of species within rice lots and weeds followed the logarithmic model. Possible explanations for this pattern are discussed. The importance of the presence of some species as vectors of plant pathogens is highlighted.

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.

Egg parasitoids of the leafhopper Rhabdotalebra flava Catalano (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) on Handroanthus in Argentina

The aim of this study is to report egg parasitoids associated to Rhabdotalebra flava Catalano (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), in Tucuman province, Argentina. During the summer, Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart. ex DC.) Mattos (Bignoniaceae) leaves with eggs of Rhabdotalebra flava were collected. Two species of parasitoids, Anagrus atomus (L.) (Mymaridae) and Epoligosita mexicana (Viggiani) (Trichogrammatidae) were identified as new host-parasitoid associations

New replacement name for Tricella Catalano & Dietrich, 2017 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae)

We recently established the leafhopper genus Tricella with the type species Tricella antonellae from Ecuador (Catalano & Dietrich 2017). Unfortunately, Tricella n.gen is junior homonym of Tricella Daniels, 1975 (Diptera). Therefore, we propose a new replacement name Carpaneura nom. nov. for Tricella Catalano & Dietrich, 2017 as required by Article 60 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. The genus is named in honor of the first authors husband, Pablo Carpane. The name combines his family name with the suffix of the type genus of the tribe and is treated as a feminine noun. Replacement of the junior homonym also requires the following new combination for the originally designated type species: Carpaneura antonellae (Catalano & Dietrich), comb. nov.

Review of the genus Relaba (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae: Alebrini) and description of two new species from Argentina.

The genus Relaba is reviewed, and two new species, R. forcipula n. sp. and R. globata n. sp. are added. Detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations of the new species, and a key to males of known species are provided.

First report on the leafhopper genus Balera Young (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae, Alebrini) from Argentina, and description of a new species

Abstract The genus Balera Young is reported for first time to Argentina and a new species is described, Balera floripara sp. n. Detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations of the new species and a key to males of known species are provided. Habralebra amoena is also recorded for the first time from Argentina.