New data on polymorphism of the meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae) from the island of São Miguel (Azores)

The meadow spittlebug, Philaenus spumarius (L.) (Hemiptera, Aphrophoridae) is a widespread insect species in the Holarctic region, exhibiting a dorsal colour balanced polymorphism. In the Azores the species is known from high elevations in Terceira and São Miguel islands. A sample of 235 individuals from Pico da Vara and Graminhais protected areas (São Miguel, Azores) (between 645 and 935 m a.s.l.), collected in 2000 and 2017, showed a remarkable high frequency of the melanic morphs flavicollis (FLA) and quadrimaculatus (QUA). In addition, a high frequency of melanics was observed in males. We explore the hypotheses for the origin of Azorean colonization and for the high proportion of melanism in the Azorean populations. The fieldwork performed in 2000 was funded by Direcção Regional dos Recursos Florestais through the Project ‘Reservas Florestais dos Açores: Cartografia e Inventariação dos Artrópodes Endémicos dos Açores’ (PROJ. 17.01—080203). The fieldwork performed in 2017 was partly funded by the project the project FCT—UID/BIA/ 00329/CE3C-GBA. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion