Diversity and Abundance of Leafhoppers in Jatropha curcas L., Mazatepec, Morelos, Mexico

The leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) is a group of insects of phytosanitary importance. Their damage varies from physiological alterations and necrosis, produced by their feeding habits and oviposition, all the way to intense infections caused by viruses and other pathogens they transmit. The objective of this work was to evaluate the diversity and abundance of leafhopper species in a commercial pinion pine plantation (Jatropha curcas L.) at Morelos, Mexico. Three-hundred seventy-two cicadellids were captured, in 10 genera. Of these, the most abundant were Draeculacephala (41.4%), Oncometopia (18.0%), and Dikrella (15.6%). The largest number of individuals (132) was collected in the middle stratum of the pinion trees. The values of Shannon-Weaver diversity indices (H' = 0.60 bits/individual) and Simpson (D-si= 0.33 bits/individual) revealed low population diversity and moderate to low dominance among the genera collected. The greatest richness of genera was found in October and of number of specimens in November. These results enhance the faunal information of the cicadellids and the knowledge of the arboreal strata in which they regularly take refuge. But, above all, the presence of genera with great potential to damage various species of plants of agricultural interest was identified.