Treehopper taxonomy changes

update

all the guide pages under Ceresa have been updated to reflect the current species placement according to the fragmented classification, whereby our Ceresa s.l. got scattered among as many as four genera (Hadrophallus, Spissistilus, Stictocephala, Tortistilus).
now BG searches for combinations used in recent publications will lead to proper pages [make sure to check the 'guide' checkbox]

… v belov, 15 December, 2013 - 1:56pm

Thanks!

Glad to hear this worked out well. Take care

… Kyle Kittelberger, 15 December, 2013 - 2:16pm

thanks

the synonymy is mostly reflected on guide pages, and with membracid taxonomy in flux we have reasons not to make some changes pending a more thorough and definitive taxonomic overhaul that is expected to involve redefining several supraspecific taxa.
[i'm not an expert by any means, though, but will ask Dr Hamilton to chime in]

… v belov, 12 December, 2013 - 9:43am

Andy responded immediately:

"Barcode data does indeed support the synonymy of Acutalis brunnea = A. tartarea; but not the separation of Stictocephala and Spissistilus from Ceresa (Stictocephala is paraphyletic with respect to Ceresa and Spissistilus).
"There are lots more changes coming to Membracid genera, none of which will please the conservatively minded; least of all those who had a part in making the too-fine divisions of genera.
"But first, I have to get folks used to such changes. I have several MSS in the works for simpler changes in leafhoppers and spittlebugs; once these are accepted, then I can tackle the more serious changes to treehoppers."

… v belov, 12 December, 2013 - 10:31am

That's fine

Just wanted to give the heads up. I believe that Matt Wallace and Mark Rothschild are at the head of this change in membracid taxonomy, as they have published some papers on this

… Kyle Kittelberger, 12 December, 2013 - 9:46am

great

are you in touch with Matt Wallace and Mark Rothschild? could you please list the recent papers affecting the membracid taxonomy? we will include them in the BG ref section.
also, for any such papers not available online, could you ask the authors to share digitized copies so we can update the guide pages to reflect the relevant info and site the sources of the new data properly?

… v belov, 12 December, 2013 - 10:00am

Yes

I am in touch with them. I think the papers should be available online, but this I believe is the main paper citing the new taxonomy:
http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2012/f/zt03423p026.pdf

… Kyle Kittelberger, 12 December, 2013 - 10:05am

thanks again --i made an entry

(1)
...and will digest the info for the guide pages

… v belov, 12 December, 2013 - 10:28am

Thanks

I understand that Andy thinks differently than Matt and Mark do in terms of treehopper taxonomy. I didn't want to stir anything up here

… Kyle Kittelberger, 12 December, 2013 - 10:38am

no problem

one cannot possibly raise an issue like this and stir nothing: non est regia ad taxonomiam via...

[could you please click 'edit' and select 'Taxonomy Proposals' from the Forum dropdown list to move this thread where it belongs? and thanks again for your great job in the hopper section!]

… v belov, 12 December, 2013 - 10:59am

Done

And thanks!

… Kyle Kittelberger, 12 December, 2013 - 11:04am

perfect

love the Deitz & Wallace paper --terrific job putting together the checklist, summarizing the records, and analyzing the biogeography! most helpful for the Guide, will quote it profusely.
among other things, i'm very impressed by the faunal richness of the northeastern states, as compared to the southeast: close to 120 spp. in NY, 80 in CT, 90 in MD vs 66 in FL and 25-27 in AL, MS, LA each! talk about tropical groups...

… v belov, 12 December, 2013 - 11:10am

Awesome!

Glad to hear that

… Kyle Kittelberger, 12 December, 2013 - 11:12am