Phylogeny and Dispersal of the Grassland Leafhopper Genus Diplocolenus (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)1

Abstract

Transects of grassland leafhoppers from Minnesota to Alaska unearthed 2 distinctive new species of Diplocolenus, aquilonius from Alaska and brevior from northern Alberta and British Columbia, and southern Yukon Territory. An illustrated synopsis of the 3 nearctic and 3 palearctic species known to the authors indicates that Diplocolenus (s. str.) originated in subclimax grass communities in northwestern America and 1 lineage later dispersed to Eurasia.