REVSYS: Revisionary Synthesis of the Holarctic Leafhopper Genus Erythroneura Fitch (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae)

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

The leafhopper genus Erythroneura comprises 600 species worldwide, 487 of which occur in North America. These insects are a major component of forest biodiversity and are also important pests of horticultural crops, particularly grapevine. The tremendous diversity of this genus has previously hindered attempts to develop a comprehensive classification and identification guide for Erythroneura species. The availability of several new labor-saving tools has now rendered such a project feasible in terms of the time required and cost. The specific goals of this 3-year project are: (1) compile a digital image archive containing illustrations of all Erythroneura species and link it to an already completed database of scientific names; (2) enter georeferenced collection records for ca. 40,000 museum specimens of the genus, one record for each unique collecting event/species combination, into the database; (3) compile a matrix of anatomical features for Erythroneura species and analyze these data to estimate the evolutionary relationships among species; (4) create interactive tools for identifying species over the Web; (5) publish a color atlas and identification guide for species. By incorporating various labor-saving tools, this project will serve as a model for comprehensive and efficient classification of hyperdiverse groups of organisms. The project will also facilitate study of the evolution of host-plant associations in plant-feeding insects and the extent to which specialization on particular plants has facilitated evolutionary diversification in this group. Broader impacts of the project include: (1) upgrading the infrastructure of the Illinois Natural History Survey to improve the efficiency of revisionary studies and the accessibility of the products of such studies to the scientific community and general public; (2) training of a post-doctoral fellow from a developing country, studying a diverse but poorly known insect group, in the use of advanced tools and methods in systematic monography; (3) improvements in methods for identifying and tracking the spread of agricultural pests and invasive species.