Leafhopper food plants in a Neotropical forest in Panama (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae).

Abstract

The leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) are a group of insects that suck sap from vascular plants. The host plants of most species of Cicadellidae are unknown, but some species are known to have a wide range of food plants, while others are host plant specific. The aim of this study was to record the food and host plants for leafhoppers in a Neotropical rainforest. The study area was located in the lowland forests of Panama Province (Central Panama) in two National Parks. Sampling was done in the undergrowth, canopy and emergent strata to collect the cicadellids feeding on the trees, shrubs, seedlings, and vines there. We collected 118 cicadellid adult representing 24 species, 21 genera, and six subfamilies, which fed on 49 species of plants, belonging to 31 families. The subfamily with the largest number of species was the Cicadellinae with 11, while the plant family with the most species was the Fabaceae with five species, and the favorite plant was Anacardium excelsum, which hosted six cicadellid species and 10 individuals. According to estimates by Shannon Weiner, leafhopper communities are more diverse on trees than on shrubs, vines, or grasses.