Abstract:
The leafhopper fauna contributed in present work contains both Palaearctic
elements e.g. from Iran and Afghanistan and Oriental elements e.g. from India, together
with a desert fauna that extends from Pakistan, Tharparkar to W. Africa. All elements can
be recognized in the present work together with several cosmopolitan genera and species.
All the collected specimens were carefully studied and compared with the types present
in the Natural History Museum, London, Zoological Museum University of Karachi and
pertinent literature.
Present work constitutes five subfamilies: Deltocephalinae, Typhlocybinae,
Megophthalminae, Cicadellinae and Idiocerinae. A total of 92 genera and 201 species of
Cicadellidae are updated from the region including 3 new species, 32 new records 19
synonymies and 4 new combinations: Deltocephalinae with 31 genera, 57 species, 2 new
species, 28 new records, 16 new synonyms and 4 new combinations; Megophthalminae
with 5 genera, 10 species, 4 new records; Typhlocybinae with 51 genera, 126 species and
1 new synonym; Cicadellinae with 1 genus and 2 species and Idiocerinae with 5 genera, 6
species, 1 new species and 2 new synonyms. From Tandojam in total 30 genera and 44
species of leafhoppers are studied. Notes are provided for the new species previously
described from Pakistan and for other genera and species from the region that are
recorded here. Forty nine species are figured and imaged; Images of some type specimens
from BMNH are given. Key to the subfamilies, tribes, genera and species are also
provided.
The checklist is provided for all five subfamilies; all are updated only with
verified species from literature and present collection. Distribution table of
Deltocephalinae is divided into 6 groups: Cosmopolitan (Old and New World), S.
Palaearctic and Old World tropics, S. Palaearctic and Pakistan, Endemic to Pakistan,
Oriental and Oriental & Pacific. The measurements in millimetre is provided for all
figured specimens. Reassessment of the past work as presented here seems appropriate
and will provide a good framework for future taxonomic work.
