Abstract:

The leafhopper genus Errastunus contains grass-feeding leafhoppers in the deltocephaline tribe Paralimnini. The taxonomy of the genus in the Nearctic region has long been confused, with one to three distinct species recognized by different authors. Some populations have also been suggested to be adventive from Europe. Morphological and molecular data show that there are two distinct species in North America. These taxa are readily distinguishable morphologically although there is evidence of mitochondrial introgression between the species. The distribution of the two species based on historical material in collections suggests that Errastunus sobrinus (DeLong amp; Sleesman, 1929) is native to North America, while E. ocellaris (Fallén, 1806) includes both native and adventive populations. A lectotype is designated for E. sobrinus and Cicada ocellata Scopoli, 1763 is established as a nomen oblitum with Cicada ocellaris as a nomen protectum.

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