in Sri Lanka - Ministry of Environment

Provisional Checklist of the Leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in Sri LankaR. Gnaneswaran,Department of Zoology, University of Jaffna, JaffnaIntroductionLeafhoppers are small phytophagous insects with a worldwide distribution in almost all habitattypes. They belong to Family Cicadellidae, the largest family in the Suborder Auchenorrhynchaof the Order Hemiptera, which includes more than 22,000 described species in 40 subfamiliesand 98 tribes (Oman et al., 1990; Dietrich, 2005). Phytophagous feeding habit of the adultsand the nymphal stages of leafhoppers results in four types of plant injuries: loss of plant sapdue to feeding, contamination of plant with phytotoxins through injection of toxic saliva whilefeeding, enhancing fungus growth and transmission of disease causing microbes such as virusand phytoplasma. Among the 22,000 known species of leafhoppers, 170 have been reportedas vectors of plant pathogens of cultivated crops.TaxonomySince the description of 130 species by Melichar (1903) and 62 species belonging to 40 generaby Distant (1908, 1916 & 1918), the family Cicadellidae has not been extensively examined inSri Lanka for nearly 80 years. In 1994, Dworakowska has described 76 species of Sri Lankanleafhoppers including 7 genera and 22 species that are new to science, after examining thespecimens located in the Natural History Museum in London. Thereafter, Viraktamath andParvathi (2002) and Viraktamath (2007b) described three new genera and seven new species.This was followed by the description of a new subgenus and a new species by Viraktamath &Gnaneswaran (2009). Finally, Gnaneswaran, et al., (2007, 2008a and 2009) have added onegenus and 5 species with their host plant records, to the list of Sri Lankan leafhopper fauna.Of the 25 subfamilies of Cicadellidae found in the Indian sub-continent 17 are found in SriLanka. At present the leafhopper fauna of Sri Lanka consists of 257 species belonging to 120genera.DistributionLeafhoppers of Sri Lanka are distributed throughout the island and their distribution is mainlyrelated to the vegetation type. Many species recorded from Sri Lanka are known only frommuseum specimens and the information of their ecology and host plant association is notavailable (Melicher, 1903; Distant, 1908, 1916 & 1918). A recent study on leafhoppers in SriLanka by the author (from 2006-2008), revealed more information about species (including thediscovery of new species), their host plant associations and distribution patterns. For instance,Kamaza sadakorni Dworakowska, earlier recorded from Bangkok (Thailand) on Erythrinafusca and Manthal (Jammu and Kashmir, India) on Ficus sp, was found breeding extensivelyon wing bean in Kandy District (Gnaneswaran, et al., 2008). This study further indicated thatspecies richness and abundance of leafhoppers were higher in natural ecosystems comparedto managed ecosystems.431