A dichotomous key and checklist for Mexican Athysanini leafhopper genera (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with a new species from the Oaxacan dry tropical forest

Abstract

Most Neotropical forest-dwelling leafhopper species are rare and exhibit limited distributions. The Mexican leafhopper fauna is known to be highly diverse and identification of genera and species is difficult because no attempts have been made to provide comprehensive identification tools for the fauna. Here, a dichotomous key to all genera recognized within Mexico of the diverse but little studied leafhopper tribe Athysanini is provided. Spinulana josefinae Pinedo-Escatel sp. n. is described and illustrated based on specimens collected in the dry tropical forest of Oaxacan mountains. A total of 46 genera and 146 species are now recognized in the checklist of Athysanini of Mexico. Notes on type repositories, distributional data and maps, and selected references are provided.

Keywords

• hemiptera
• auchenorrhyncha
• cicadellidae
• athysanini
• distribution
• checklist
• key
• new species
• mexico