Phylogenetic Classification of the Genus Dalbulus (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), and Notes on the Phylogeny of the Macrostelini

Abstract

Eleven species of Dalbulus were collected from maize (Zea mays L. [L.]), teosinte (Zea species), and gamagrass (Tripsacum species) from Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Colombia. These leafhoppers were D. elimatus (Ball), D. gelbus DeLong, D. guevarai DeLong, D. guzmani DeLong and Nault, D. longulus DeLong, D. maidis (DeLong and Wolcott), D. quinquenotatus DeLong and Nault, D. tripsacoides DeLong and Nault, plus three new species, D. chiapensis Triplehorn and Nault, D. gramalotes Triplehorn and Nault, and D. charlesi Triplehorn and Nault, which are described herein. D. acus DeLong is moved into Baldulus and the monotypic Dalbulus, subgenus Alebranus Linnavuori, is elevated to generic status. A key to species, description of species, diagnosis of characters, distributions and host records of species, and a proposed phylogeny are presented. Host selection and geographical and altitudinal distributions of species are discussed in light of evolutionary relationships. A partial phylogeny of the tribe Macrostelini is presented and discussed.