Browsing by Author "Aguín-Pombo, Dora"
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- Discovery of Hishimonus diffractus Dai, Fletcher & Zhang, 2013 (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae) in Europe, with remarks on previously recorded species of the genusPublication . Bella, Salvatore; Aguín-Pombo, Dora; Aguiar, António M. F.; Kunz, Gernot; Miralles-Núnez, Adria; Foster, Stuart; Sánchez-García, Inigo; Wilson, Michael R.; D`Urso, VeraDuring recent surveys on leafhoppers in urban and agroecosystem areas in Europe the Oriental Hishimonus diffractus Dai, Fletcher & Zhang, 2013 (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae) has been found. This species, described from China and Thailand, is recorded here for the first time from Europe in the following countries: France, Portugal (Madeira), Spain, Gibraltar, United Kingdom, and Italy (Sicily). H. diffractus has been found associated with Jasminum and Olea (Oleaceae), Citrus (Rutaceae), Pittosporum (Pittosporaceae), Rubus (Rosaceae), Nerium (Apocynaceae) and Vitis (Vitaceae). Presence of the adults, morphological features, and some biological notes are provided to H. diffractus. Furthermore, Hishimonus hamatus Kuoh, 1976 is here reported for the first time in Spain and France. All Hishimonus species introduced in Europe are considered, and their economic importance discussed. Details on the first record and country in Europe, origin area, current distribution and host plants are given for each species.
- Endless forms most wonderful: four new cavernicolous planthopper species (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Cixiidae and Meenoplidae) from the Canary IslandsPublication . Hoch, Hannelore; López, Heriberto; Naranjo, Manuel; Aguín-Pombo, Dora; Oromí, Pedro; Aguin-Pombo, DoraThe Canary Islands harbour a rich and diverse fauna of obligate subterranean arthropods (i.e. troglobionts). Among the insect taxa which have repeatedly undergone the evolutionary switch from life on the surface to underground environments are the Fulgoromorpha, or planthoppers: Cixiidae and Meenoplidae. Previously, a total of 13 troglobitic planthopper species have been described from El Hierro, La Palma, Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Here we describe three new troglobitic cixiid species: Cixius palmirandussp. nov. from La Palma, Cixius theseussp. nov. from El Hierro and Tachycixius gomerobscurussp. nov. from La Gomera, and one new meenoplid species: Meenoplus skotinophilussp. nov. from El Hierro. Tachycixius gomerobscurussp. nov. is the first record of a subterranean adapted Fulgoromorpha on La Gomera. With now 17 documented species of strictly hypogean planthoppers, the Canary Islands hold the highest number of subterranean planthoppers of any region worldwide, representing ca. ¼ of all known species. We provide a key to all subterranean planthopper species known from the Canary Islands as well as information on their habitat, distribution, ecological classification and conservation status. As all highly specialized, narrow range troglobitic planthopper species must be regarded as vulnerable, if not endangered, climate change poses a major risk of extinction. We hypothesize on island colonization and subterranean speciation underlying taxonomic diversity and high endemicity. We conclude that the currently observed zoogeographic patterns imply the existence of an ancient fauna which is now extinct.
- New records of Oecanthus species (Orthoptera, Oecanthidae) in the Madeira archipelagoPublication . Silva, Hugo Miguel; Avivar-Lozano, Laura; Gomes, Gonçalo; Rhee, Howon; Dellinger, Thomas; Aguín-Pombo, Dora; Silva, Hugo Miguel; Dellinger, Thomas; Aguin-Pombo, DoraThe Madeira and Porto Santo Islands have both witnessed substantial habitat loss since their initial colonization. Despite their small size and the degradation of their natural habitats, they harbor a rich diversity of terrestrial invertebrates, including a significant number of endemic species. While research on Orthoptera fauna has predominantly focused on the largest island of Madeira, the smaller island of Porto Santo has remained relatively understudied. Fieldwork on both islands has led to the discovery of Oecanthus dulcisonans Gorochov, 1993 in the Madeira archipelago (Porto Santo and Madeira) for the first time. This species was described based on specimens collected in Tenerife and the Arabian Peninsula. However, its distribution, which includes parts of Africa, Western Asia, and some localities in Southern Europe, remains poorly understood. Oecanthus dulcisonans is morphologically very similar to Oecanthus pellucens (Scopoli, 1763), the only species of this genus previously recorded for the island of Madeira. Due to this resemblance, doubts have arisen regarding which of these two species is present in Madeira. By examining new material of O. pellucens, we have confirmed the presence of this species on Madeira as well. These new findings highlight the fact that, for these species, the Madeira archipelago represents the western limit of their distributional ranges in the Palearctic region.
- Taxonomy of the Cixiidae (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha) from the Madeira archipelagoPublication . Freitas, Énio; Aguín-Pombo, DoraNinety percent of the Cixiidae of the Macaronesian archipelagos are endemic. Each archipelago has its own endemics reaching a total of 31 taxa. The Madeira archipelago comprises five species: Cixius madeirensis China, 1938, C. verticalis Noualhier, 1897, C. chaoensis China, 1938, Hyalesthes madeires Remane & Hoch, 1986 and H. portonoves Remane & Hoch, 1986. Good knowledge concerning taxonomy, habitat information and distribution are essential for the conservation of the biodiversity of this rich archipelago. However, due to intraspecific variation and incomplete descriptions, misidentifications of Madeira cixiids have been common. In this work, the taxonomy of this family is reviewed and ecological data based on material collected over more than forty years are presented. A new species, Cixius wollastoni sp. nov., is described. A new combination, Tachycixius chaoensis (China, 1938) comb. nov., is proposed, and a new record, Pentastiridius leporinus (Linnaeus, 1761), is reported. Lectotypes are designated for Tachycixius chaoensis and C. verticalis. The genital structures of the latter species are depicted for the first time. All species are diagnosed, described, photographed and illustrated, and an identification key for the family is provided. Thanks to this new information, Madeira together with Tenerife are the two Macaronesian islands with the highest number of endemic species of cixids.
- True parthenogenesis and female-biased sex ratios in Cicadomorpha and Fulgoromorpha (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha)Publication . Aguín-Pombo, Dora; Kuznetsova, Valentina G.; Aguin-Pombo, DoraInsects are renowned for their remarkable diversity of reproductive modes. Among these, the largest non-holometabolous order, Hemiptera, stands out with one of the most diversified arrays of parthenogenesis modes observed among insects. Although there are extensive reviews on reproduction without fertilization in some hemipteran higher taxa, no such analysis has been conducted for the large suborders Fulgoromorpha (planthoppers) and Cicadomorpha (leafhoppers). In both groups, there are species that reproduce by true parthenogenesis, specifically thelytoky, and in Fulgoromorpha, there are species that reproduce by pseudogamy or, more specifically, sperm-dependent parthenogenesis. In this review paper, we give and discuss the only currently known examples of true parthenogenesis in Fulgoromorpha and Cicadomorpha, mainly from the planthopper family Delphacidae and the leafhopper family Cicadellidae. We analyze patterns of distribution, ecology, mating behavior, acoustic communication, and cytogenetic and genetic diversity of parthenoforms and discuss hypotheses about the origin of parthenogenesis in each case. We also highlight examples in which natural populations show a shift in sex ratio toward females and discuss possible causes of this phenomenon, primarily the influence of endosymbiotic bacteria capable of altering the reproductive strategies of the hosts. Our review is mainly based on studies in which the authors have participated.