Biological studies of Agalliana ensigera (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), a leafhopper associated with several crop diseases in South America

CATALANO, MARÍA; CONCI, LUIS; GROSSO, TOMÁS PÉREZ; VIRLA, EDUARDO G.

APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY

JAPAN SOC APPL ENTOMOL ZOOL

Año: 2017 vol. 52 p. 581 - 588

0003-6862

Agalliana ensigera Oman (Cicadellidae:Megophthalminae) occurs frequently in several crops andhas been involved in the epidemiology, or at least mentioned,as a vector of several diseases. Its biology was unknownand its nymphs had not yet been described. Here, we provideinformation on behavioral and biological parametersincluding descriptions of its immature stages. A. ensigerawas able to complete its entire life cycle on alfalfa. Eggswere laid individually beneath the epidermis, in the steminternodes, in either mature or young tissues. Females hada pre-ovipositional period of around 5 days, and the averageduration of the egg stage was 11 days. The nymphal periodranged 14?31 days, with an average of 22 days. A periodof high mortality was recognized from emergence to day10. Adult longevity averaged 16.5 days, but some individualssurvived up to 96 days. The sex ratio was about 1.2:1females to males. Females lived longer than males. Data onbehavior and new distributional records and host plants arealso provided.