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The planthopper superfamily Fulgoroidea (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) currently includes more than 14 000 described species in about 21 extant families. Despite multiple studies attempted, based on morphological characters or DNA sequence data, the phylogeny of this superfamily remains unsatisfactorily resolved. Here we reconstruct the phylogenetic relationship among the families of this superfamily based on the whole mitogenome sequences from 113 species representing 17 planthopper families and three families as outgroups, in which 41 species of Fulgoroidea were sequenced for this study. The phylogenetic trees were reconstructed based on three different datasets, both by maximum likelihood (ML, IQtree) and Bayesian inference (BI, MrBayes, and PhyloBayes). The tree topologies of ML and BI analyses were quite similar with only a few differences in some clades. The phylogenetic results showed that Cixiidae and Delphacidae were placed as sister-taxa at the base of this superfamily; the clade Fulgoridae + Dictyopharidae appeared younger than the Meenoplidae + Kinnaridae one, Derbidae and Achilidae were more recently derived than Fulgoridae + Dictyopharidae without depicting a monophyletic unit, and Tropiduchidae and Acanaloniidae appeared as sister-taxa. The divergence-time estimation analysis shows that most planthoppers underwent relatively rapid radiation during the Jurassic and Cretaceous. Divergence time between Cixiidae and Delphacidae can be traced back to the Middle Jurassic; Meenoplidae, Fulgoridae, and Issidae originated in the Lower Cretaceous; Lophopidae and Eurybrachidae can be traced to the Upper Cretaceous. This paper reconstructs the cladogram of Fulgoroidea based on more comprehensive mitogenome sequences so far, which could provide new clues for a better understanding of the evolution of this superfamily. However, the taxa sampling appears insufficient to address controversial groups in Fulgoroidea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolutionary success of sap-feeding hemipteran insects in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha was enabled by nutritional contributions from their heritable endosymbiotic bacteria. However, the symbiont diversity, functions, and evolutionary origins in this large insect group have not been broadly characterized using genomic tools. In particular, the origins and relationships among ancient betaproteobacterial symbionts Vidania (in Fulgoromorpha) and Nasuia / Zinderia (in Cicadomorpha) are uncertain. Here, we characterized the genomes of Vidania and Sulcia from three Pyrops planthoppers (family Fulgoridae) to understand their metabolic functions and evolutionary histories. We find that, like in previously characterized planthoppers, these symbionts share nutritional responsibilities, with Vidania providing seven out of ten essential amino acids. Sulcia lineages across the Auchenorrhyncha have a highly conserved genome but with multiple independent rearrangements occurring in an early ancestor of Cicadomorpha or Fulgoromorpha and in a few succeeding lineages. Genomic synteny was also observed within each of the betaproteobacterial symbiont genera Nasuia , Zinderia, and Vidania , but not across them, which challenges the expectation of a shared ancestry for these symbionts. The further comparison of other biological traits strongly suggests an independent origin of Vidania early in the planthopper evolution and possibly of Nasuia and Zinderia in their respective host lineages. This hypothesis further links the potential acquisition of novel nutritional endosymbiont lineages with the emergence of auchenorrhynchan superfamilies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metcalfa pruinosa (Say, 1830) was recorded for the first time in Poland, in the city of Warsaw. This Nearctic species of the Flatidae family was introduced into Europe in the late 1970s and has expanded its range ever since. We provide data on the first record as well as briefly characterize the insect in terms of its diagnostic features, biology and potential harm to agriculture and the environment.

Sap-feeding hemipteran insects live in associations with diverse heritable symbiotic microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) that provide essential nutrients deficient in their hosts’ diets. These symbionts typically reside in highly specialized organs called bacteriomes (with bacterial symbionts) or mycetomes (with fungal symbionts). The organization of these organs varies between insect clades that are ancestrally associated with different microbes. As these symbioses evolve and additional microorganisms complement or replace the ancient associates, the organization of the symbiont-containing tissue becomes even more variable. Planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) are ancestrally associated with bacterial symbionts Sulcia and Vidania, but in many of the planthopper lineages, these symbionts are now accompanied or have been replaced by other heritable bacteria (e.g., Sodalis, Arsenophonus, Purcelliella) or fungi. We know the identity of many of these microbes, but the symbiont distribution within the host tissues and the bacteriome organization have not been systematically studied using modern microscopy techniques. Here, we combine light, fluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy with phylogenomic data to compare symbiont tissue distributions and the bacteriome organization across planthoppers representing 15 families. We identify and describe seven primary types of symbiont localization and seven types of the organization of the bacteriome. We show that Sulcia and Vidania, when present, usually occupy distinct bacteriomes distributed within the body cavity. The more recently acquired gammaproteobacterial and fungal symbionts generally occupy separate groups of cells organized into distinct bacteriomes or mycetomes, distinct from those with Sulcia and Vidania. They can also be localized in the cytoplasm of fat body cells. Alphaproteobacterial symbionts colonize a wider range of host body habitats: Asaia-like symbionts often colonize the host gut lumen, whereas Wolbachia and Rickettsia are usually scattered across insect tissues and cell types, including cells containing other symbionts, bacteriome sheath, fat body cells, gut epithelium, as well as hemolymph. However, there are exceptions, including Gammaproteobacteria that share bacteriome with Vidania, or Alphaproteobacteria that colonize Sulcia cells. We discuss how planthopper symbiont localization correlates with their acquisition and replacement patterns and the symbionts’ likely functions. We also discuss the evolutionary consequences, constraints, and significance of these findings.

The tropiduchid monotypic genus Laberia Stål, 1866, endemic to Madagascar, is placed in a new tribe of its own Laberiini trib. nov. The tribe is placed in the subfamily Elicinae, and can be distinguished from other representatives of the subfamily by the unique combination of morphological characters of the head, tegmina, legs and genital structures. The genus Laberia and its only species Laberia palliata Stål, 1866 are redescribed, chresonymy is presented and nomenclatorial questions are clarified. Distributional data from Madagascar and doubtful presence of the taxon in Mauritius are discussed. Taxonomic content of Elicinae is briefly discussed.

Cytokinin activity was determined in roots, crowns, ears of six varieties of the barley in the tobacco Wisconsin 38 callus tissue test. Analysis was made in early stage of ears. The order increasing values of the total cytokinin activity (the total activity of compounds fitting their mobility with zeatin, zeatin ribosid and their more polar derivatives) were for most part of varieties: younger roots < older roots < crowns < ears. Dependences between the cytokinin activity and fresh weight of analysed material were not found.

The article presents a concise report on the experience gained in the last three years in the scope of network provision of bibliographic databases by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) and full-text humanities and medical databases by EBSCO Publishing. The authors emphasise the importance and impact of the programme and the databases, co-financed by the State Committee for Scientific Research, on the initiation and continuation of organisational activities and efficient database access management. The paper contains a short review of the information resources presently available, including the titles of bibliographic and full-text databases, the scope of licences, subscription periods, and the volumes of archival resources. It provides statistics illustrating the distribution and extent of the bibliographic database usage by the scientific community, including, active institutional and individual, users and discusses the hardware and software used to provide the network database access services, the availability conditions, as well as the rules of license renewal and co-financing by the interested institutions. The report also deals with the access conditions and access abilities to the electronic versions of humanities, economics and medical databases offered by EBSCO Publishing. It is vital to show the structure of the service, the scope of subjects available in the databases, title estimation and the access to html, as well as image source types. Moreover, the report focuses on the modes of access to single database and to several of them simultaneously, as well as on multi-aspect searching with the use of the author and subject indexes and keywords.

A new species of Eumyndus Synave, 1956, a genus endemic to Madagascar, is here described as Eumyndus jeanjacquei sp. nov. The new species was collected from the palm Vonitra fibrosa (C.H.Wright) Becc., 1911. Molecular data are provided for the new species from the barcoding region (5' half) of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, 18S rRNA gene and D9-D10 expansion region of the 28S rRNA gene and support placement of the new species in Eumyndus. A new synonymy is proposed based on examination of type material: E. metcalfi Synave, 1956 equals E. kraussi Synave, 1956, new synonym.

A review of the cuticular and sensory metatibial and metatarsal structures in cixiid planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) is proposed, depicting both their strong disparity and the great diversity of the patterns observed. Terminology and definitions for these structures are provided. The so-called lateral teeth of the metatibia in fact are particular styloconic sensory structures, called spiniform sensilla in Cixiidae. The apical metatibiotarsal teeth are non-sensory cuticular expansions, often bearing one or several chaetic sensilla ventrally, generally distributed in an internal and an external group of three teeth each, in some instances separated by a diastema; innermost and outermost teeth are generally larger. On the first tarsomere seven to eight teeth generally occur in one row, although two rows are observed in Brixidiini. A strong diversity of conformations and patterns is observed in the second metatarsomere. A specific subdorsal sensillum, of platellar type, may be present in the first metatarsomere teeth for a few taxa. It is generally present in the second metatarsomere, either as a narrow-based acutellar sensillum or as a broad-based platellar sensillum according to the taxon. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses of 54 species of cixiids from all described tribes of the family, supplemented by data from the literature, are used to provide a metatibiotarsal diagnosis for each of the tribes of Cixiidae. In the state of our knowledge of the sufficiently precise observations of metatibiotarsal structures in the Cixiidae which are available, and of the phylogeny of the group as a frame of reference for their interpretations, we note that the observed patterns are probably the result of multiple and independent convergences and evolutionary regressions. These occurred at all levels of cixiid classification. Although these patterns can be useful in the identification of taxa at a low taxonomic level, they would be less useful for phylogenetic approaches., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Transovarial transmission is the most reliable way of passing on essential nutrient-providing endosymbionts from mothers to offspring. However, not all endosymbiotic microbes follow the complex path through the female host tissues to oocytes on their own. Here, we demonstrate an unusual transmission strategy adopted by one of the endosymbionts of the planthopper Trypetimorpha occidentalis (Hemiptera: Tropiduchidae) from Bulgaria. In this species, an Acetobacteraceae endosymbiont is transmitted transovarially within deep invaginations of cellular membranes of an ancient endosymbiont Sulcia -strikingly resembling recently described plant virus transmission. However, in males, Acetobacteraceae colonizes the same bacteriocytes as Sulcia but remains unenveloped. Then, the unusual endobacterial localization of Acetobacteraceae observed in females appears to be a unique adaptation to maternal transmission. Further, the symbiont's genomic features, including encoding essential amino acid biosynthetic pathways and its similarity to a recently described psyllid symbiont, suggest a unique combination of the ability to horizontally transmit among species and confer nutritional benefits. The close association with Acetobacteraceae symbiont correlates with the so-far-unreported level of genomic erosion of ancient nutritional symbionts of this planthopper. In Sulcia , this is reflected in substantial changes in genomic organization, reported for the first time in the symbiont renowned for its genomic stability. In Vidania , substantial gene loss resulted in one of the smallest genomes known, at 108.6 kb. Thus, the symbionts of T. occidentalis display a combination of unusual adaptations and genomic features that expand our understanding of how insect-microbe symbioses may transmit and evolve.IMPORTANCEReliable transmission across host generations is a major challenge for bacteria that associate with insects, and independently established symbionts have addressed this challenge in different ways. The facultatively endobacterial localization of Acetobacteraceae symbiont, enveloped by cells of ancient nutritional endosymbiont Sulcia in females but not males of the planthopper Trypetimorpha occidentalis , appears to be a unique adaptation to maternal transmission. Acetobacteraceae 's genomic features indicate its unusual evolutionary history, and the genomic erosion experienced by ancient nutritional symbionts demonstrates the apparent consequences of such close association. Combined, this multi-partite symbiosis expands our understanding of the diversity of strategies that insect symbioses form and some of their evolutionary consequences., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The invasive ricaniid species Pochazia shantungensis (Chou & Lu, 1977), an Asiatic pest in China and Korea, is reported for the first time in Italy. This is the fourth confirmed record from Europe after Turkey, France, and Germany. The list of the host plants recorded in Europe is given. Illustrations of male and female genital structures (external and internal) are also presented.

A new monotypic genus of ricaniid planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Ricaniidae), Hagneia gen. nov., is described for Hagneia kallea sp. nov. (type species). Habitus, male and female external and internal genital structures of the new species are illustrated.