Validity of Homalodisca and of H. vitripennis as the Name for Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae)

• Published in: Annals of the Entomological Society of America 2006-07, Vol.99 (4), p.648-655
• Main Authors: Takiya, Daniela M, McKamey, Stuart H, Cavichioli, Rodney R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: biological nomenclature; Cicadellidae; geographical distribution; glassy-winged sharpshooter; Hemiptera; Homalodisca; Homalodisca coagulata; Homalodisca vitripennis; insect morphology; insect taxonomy; insect vectors; lectotype; misidentification; Nerium oleander; new combination; new geographic records; Pierce's disease; plant pathogenic bacteria; Propetes; Propetes triquetra; Prunus; SYSTEMATICS; taxonomic revisions; taxonomic validity; type collections; type species; Vitaceae; Xylella fastidiosa
• ISSN: 0013-8746; 1938-2901; 0013-8746
• DOI: 10.1603/0013-8746(2006)99[648:VOHAOH]2.0.CO;2

A male of Tettigonia vitripennis Germar—deposited in the recently rediscovered Germar Hemiptera collection, in the Ivan Franko National University (Ukraine)—is designated as the lectotype and assumed to be erroneously labeled as from Brazil. Homalodisca vitripennis is considered a senior synonym of Tettigonia coagulata syn. nov. and therefore should be used as the scientific name for the glassy-winged sharpshooter, a major vector of the bacterial Pierce’s disease of grapes, phony peach disease, plum leaf scald, and oleander leaf scorch in southern United States and northern Mexico. The previously designated type species of Homalodisca Stål, Cicada triquetra F., was found to be mistaken by Stål for C. triangularis F., which is herein fixed as the new type species of this economically important genus. Propetes triquetra comb. nov., previously known only from an unknown locality in South America, is newly recorded from Brazil (Mato Grosso and Pará states).