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The Japanese maple leafhopper Japananus hyalinus is an invasive, phloem feeding true bug species of maples (Acer sp.). Originally native to eastern Asia, J. hyalinus has rapidly spread to North America, Europe and Australia with the international trade of ornamental maples. Since 1961, when it was detected for the first time in Austria, the Japanese maple leafhopper has expanded to neighboring central European countries. In 2024, it was detected for the first time in Greece infesting field maples (Acer campestre) planted in urban areas of two closely related tows namely, Diavata and Nea Magnisia (Central Macedonia, Greece). Species identification was based both on morphological traits and molecular (mtDNA) markers. Given the fact that J. hyalinus has been occasionally observed infesting grapevines, and considering the capacity of closely-related leafhopper species to transmit phytoplasmas, it is evident that further research is warranted to assess the exact potential impact of this species on Greek viticulture.

A new leafhopper genus Chandra and species Chandra dehradunensis gen. nov., sp. nov. are described, illustrated from India and placed in the subtribe Paraboloponina (Cidadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Drabescini). This genus is closely associated with the genus Parabolopona Webb but differs in shape of the head, placement of antennae, male genitalia and molecular analysis using Histone H3 and COI genes confirmed the difference. The taxonomic and phylogenetic position of Chandra is discussed using morphological characters and preliminary molecular evidence of the new genus and related genus Parabolopona.

ABSTRACT Arapona DeLong, 1979 and Platypona DeLong, 1982 are small Neotropical genera with four and three species, respectively. Both genera are firstly recorded from Brazil and their female genitalia are described in detail for the first time providing previously unknown characters at the generic level. Platypona urucu sp. nov. is described from the state of Amazonas, Brazil. The new species is easily recognized in having the style short and approximately straight, with a truncated apex, the apodemal processes of aedeagus lacking a basidorsal projection, and the aedeagal shaft wide and strongly flattened laterally on basal half. Updated keys to males are provided for both genera, along with a descriptive discussion of the female genitalia within the tribe Gyponini.

Tea green leafhopper [ ( ) Matsuda] is one of the most devastating pests of tea plants ( ), greatly impacting tea yield and quality. A thorough understanding of the interactions between the tea green leafhopper and the tea plant would facilitate a better pest management. To gain more insights into the molecular and biochemical mechanisms behind their interactions, a combined analysis of the global transcriptome and metabolome reconfiguration of the tea plant challenged with tea green leafhoppers was performed for the first time, complemented with phytohormone analysis. Non-targeted metabolomics analysis by ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF MS), together with quantifications by ultra-performance liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-QqQ MS), revealed a marked accumulation of various flavonoid compounds and glycosidically bound volatiles but a great reduction in the level of amino acids and glutathione upon leaf herbivory. RNA-Seq data analysis showed a clear modulation of processes related to plant defense. Genes pertaining to the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids and flavonoids, plant-pathogen interactions, and the biosynthesis of cuticle wax were significantly up-regulated. In particular, the transcript level for a homolog involved in cuticular wax alkane formation was most drastically elevated and an increase in C29 alkane levels in tea leaf waxes was observed. The tea green leafhopper attack triggered a significant increase in salicylic acid (SA) and a minor increase in jasmonic acid (JA) in infested tea leaves. Moreover, transcription factors (TFs) constitute a large portion of differentially expressed genes, with several TFs families likely involved in SA and JA signaling being significantly induced by tea green leafhopper feeding. This study presents a valuable resource for uncovering insect-induced genes and metabolites, which can potentially be used to enhance insect resistance in tea plants.

Two new species of the bamboo-feeding leafhopper genus Buloria Distant, 1908 (Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae, Mukariini), B. acuta Sun, Li, Chen & Yang, sp. nov . and B. falcata Sun, Li, Chen & Yang, sp. nov . from Yunnan Province, China, are described and illustrated. A checklist of all known species of Buloria is provided, along with an identification key.

Intensification of land use reduces biodiversity but may also shift the trait composition of communities. Understanding how land use affects single traits and community trait composition, helps to understand why some species are more affected by land use than others. Trait‐based analyses are common for plants, but rare for arthropods. We collected literature‐based traits for nearly 1000 insect and spider species to test how land‐use intensity (including mowing, fertilization, and grazing) across 124 grasslands in three regions of Germany affects community‐weighted mean traits across taxa and in single taxa. We additionally measured morphometric traits for more than 150 Heteroptera species and tested whether the weighted mean morphometric traits change with increasing land‐use intensity. Community average body size decreased and community average dispersal ability increased from low to high land‐use intensity. Furthermore, the relative abundance of herbivores and of specialists among herbivores decreased and the relative abundance of species using the herb layer increased with increasing land‐use intensity. Community‐weighted means of the morphometric traits in Heteroptera also changed from low to high land‐use intensity toward longer and thinner shapes as well as longer appendices (legs, wings, and antenna). While changes in traits with increasing mowing and fertilization intensity were consistent with the combined land‐use intensity, community average traits did often not change or with opposite direction under increasing grazing intensity. We conclude that high land‐use intensity acts as an environmental filter selecting for on average smaller, more mobile, and less specialized species across taxa. Although trait collection across multiple arthropod taxa is laborious and needs clear trait definitions, it is essential for understanding the functional consequences of biodiversity loss due to land‐use intensification.

In nature, insects face immense predation pressure, where visual cues play a vital role in predators locating them. To counter this threat, insects employ a variety of nano- and microstructures on their cuticular layer to manipulate and interact with light, enhancing antireflective properties and providing camouflage or reducing detectability by predators. Leafhoppers have a unique extracuticular coating called brochosome, yet its antireflective functions and protein composition remain unclear. Our study demonstrates strong antireflective properties of brochosomes, effectively reducing reflectance on the cuticle surface, especially in the ultraviolet spectrum, to improve evasion from visual predators. Furthermore, we identify four novel structural proteins of the brochosome (BSM) for the first time. Inhibiting their synthesis by RNAi alters brochosome morphology, impacting the optical properties of the cuticle surface. Evolutionary origin analysis of BSM suggests that brochosomes likely originated from a process involving duplication–divergence. Our study reveals that leafhoppers employ a unique camouflage strategy by secreting brochosomes as antireflection nanocoatings, enabling them to evade natural predators and contributing to their evolutionary success. Animals have evolved various strategies to hide from or escape predators, one of which is camouflage. This adaptation helps animals blend into their surroundings using specific colors or patterns. However, many predators possess multispectral vision, enabling them to detect different wavelengths of light, which can make camouflage based on visible light ineffective. Insects face substantial predation pressure from visual predators such as birds, reptiles and other arthropods. Many insects dwell in environments with low light reflectivity, such as leaves, tree bark, or soil, and any light reflection from their bodies could increase their visibility. In response to these selective pressures, many insects have evolved specialized antireflective structures in their cuticle, wings and eyes. For example, leafhoppers have a unique coating on their cuticle known as the brochosome. Brochosomes are hollow, honeycomb-like spheres with a diameter ranging from 0.2 to 0.6 micrometers. They are produced in the excretory system called the Malpighian tubules and are secreted through the hindgut, where they are applied as a coating to the new cuticle after molting. Brochosomes consist of lipids and proteins, but their exact composition and role remain unclear. Some researchers believe that brochosomes may serve as a protective barrier or antireflective layer. To investigate the camouflage role of brochosomes, Wu et al. used a combination of imaging and gene and protein analyses to study the brochosome coverage and UV reflectance in 5 to 25-day-old male and female leafhoppers of the Cicadellidae family. The results indicated that older individuals had fewer brochosomes than younger ones. The experiments also revealed that brochosomes significantly reduced the reflection of ultraviolet light from the surface of leafhoppers by around 30% and diminished the reflectance of visible and infrared light. Next, Wu et al. conducted predation experiments using jumping spiders known to prey on leafhoppers by analyzing the time of the first attack and the feeding behavior of the spider. The findings showed that jumping spiders preferred to attack older individuals with less brochosome coverage. This suggests that brochosomes are particularly beneficial for younger leafhoppers. Gene and protein analyses identified four structural brochosome proteins. Experimentally blocking these proteins induced changes to the morphology of the brochosomes and modified the characteristics of the leafhoppers’ cuticle, including an increased diameter and structural deformation of the honeycomb architecture, alongside elevated UV reflectance. Phylogenetic analysis of the corresponding genes revealed that these proteins likely evolved through gene duplication events followed by a gradual accumulation of genetic modifications. The study of Wu et al. demonstrates that brochosomes serve as an antireflective camouflage coating in leafhoppers to evade visual predators. The unique structure and composition of the lipids and proteins making up the brochosomes appear to be responsible for the antireflective properties of this coating. Further studies will advance our understanding of insect antipredator adaptations and evolutionary mechanisms underlying ecological niche specialization. Furthermore, they may provide biomimetic insights relevant for developing advanced camouflage technologies by emulating biological nanostructures such as brochosomes.

Cotton leafhopper, Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is a major sucking insect pest of cotton in India. Indiscriminate use of pesticides has led to the development of resistance to most of the recommended pesticide groups. Though there are multiple mechanisms and principles of insecticide resistance development in insects, the gut bacterial-mediated degradation of insecticides is relatively less explored. In the present study, the gut bacteria of field-collected, insecticide-resistant population of A. biguttula biguttula were compared with a laboratory-reared susceptible population. Among the five culturable gut bacteria from the imidacloprid-resistant population, only Enterococcus silesiacus CLHG1a exhibited growth in the agar medium amended with 50 and 100 ppm of imidacloprid. The imidacloprid degrading capacity of E. silesiacus CLHG1a was further confirmed by HPLC analysis. E. silesiacus and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CLHG2 showed higher esterolytic activity (0.348 and 0.309 μmoles/min/mg respectively). The esterase zymogram on native PAGE revealed a single major band. This study provides clear evidence that the bacterium E. silesiacus isolated from the gut of A. biguttula biguttula has the ability to degrade imidacloprid and may have played a role in the detoxification of pesticides.

Evacanthinae (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae) is a moderately small cosmopolitan subfamily of leafhoppers. The fauna of Guatemala and Mexico remains poorly documented, and few members of this subfamily have been recorded from dense forest habitats. Here, three species of Evacanthinae in the genus Pentoffia : P. petenensis Pinedo-Escatel, sp. nov . from Petén (Guatemala), P. tlaxomulco Pinedo-Escatel, sp. nov ., and P. manantlanensis Pinedo-Escatel & Blanco-Rodríguez, sp. nov . from Jalisco (Mexico), are described based on recently collected material. The discovery of P. petenensis represents the first record of the genus in Central America feeding on Tectona grandis (Lamiaceae). Detailed illustrations of external and internal morphological features are provided, together with a diagnosis to distinguish all new species from other Neotropical congeners. An updated dichotomous key to all known species of the genus, an annotated species list, distributional notes, and a distribution map are also provided.