Endless forms most wonderful: Four new cavernicolous planthopper species (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Cixiidae and Meenoplidae) from the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands harbour a rich and diverse fauna of obligate subterranean arthropods (i.e. troglobionts). Among the insect taxa which have repeatedly undergone the evolutionary switch from life on the surface to underground environments are the Fulgoromorpha, or planthoppers: Cixiidae and Meenopl...
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Pensoft Publishers
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Subterranean Biology |
| Online Access: | https://subtbiol.pensoft.net/article/144111/download/pdf/ |
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| author | Hannelore Hoch Heriberto López Manuel Naranjo Dora Aguín-Pombo Pedro Oromí |
| author_facet | Hannelore Hoch Heriberto López Manuel Naranjo Dora Aguín-Pombo Pedro Oromí |
| author_sort | Hannelore Hoch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Canary Islands harbour a rich and diverse fauna of obligate subterranean arthropods (i.e. troglobionts). Among the insect taxa which have repeatedly undergone the evolutionary switch from life on the surface to underground environments are the Fulgoromorpha, or planthoppers: Cixiidae and Meenoplidae. Previously, a total of 13 troglobitic planthopper species have been described from El Hierro, La Palma, Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Here we describe three new troglobitic cixiid species: Cixius palmirandus sp. nov. from La Palma, Cixius theseus sp. nov. from El Hierro and Tachycixius gomerobscurus sp. nov. from La Gomera, and one new meenoplid species: Meenoplus skotinophilus sp. nov. from El Hierro. Tachycixius gomerobscurus sp. nov. is the first record of a subterranean adapted Fulgoromorpha on La Gomera. With now 17 documented species of strictly hypogean planthoppers, the Canary Islands hold the highest number of subterranean planthoppers of any region worldwide, representing ca. ¼ of all known species. We provide a key to all subterranean planthopper species known from the Canary Islands as well as information on their habitat, distribution, ecological classification and conservation status. As all highly specialized, narrow range troglobitic planthopper species must be regarded as vulnerable, if not endangered, climate change poses a major risk of extinction. We hypothesize on island colonization and subterranean speciation underlying taxonomic diversity and high endemicity. We conclude that the currently observed zoogeographic patterns imply the existence of an ancient fauna which is now extinct. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-85d0dbdfa013418aa751e33736639dfe |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1314-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Pensoft Publishers |
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| series | Subterranean Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-85d0dbdfa013418aa751e33736639dfe2025-08-20T03:42:29ZengPensoft PublishersSubterranean Biology1314-26152025-03-01516110110.3897/subtbiol.51.144111144111Endless forms most wonderful: Four new cavernicolous planthopper species (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Cixiidae and Meenoplidae) from the Canary IslandsHannelore Hoch0Heriberto López1Manuel Naranjo2Dora Aguín-Pombo3Pedro Oromí4Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity ScienceInstituto de Productos Naturales y AgrobiologíaSociedad Entomológica Canaria MelansisUniversity of MadeiraUniversidad de la LagunaThe Canary Islands harbour a rich and diverse fauna of obligate subterranean arthropods (i.e. troglobionts). Among the insect taxa which have repeatedly undergone the evolutionary switch from life on the surface to underground environments are the Fulgoromorpha, or planthoppers: Cixiidae and Meenoplidae. Previously, a total of 13 troglobitic planthopper species have been described from El Hierro, La Palma, Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Here we describe three new troglobitic cixiid species: Cixius palmirandus sp. nov. from La Palma, Cixius theseus sp. nov. from El Hierro and Tachycixius gomerobscurus sp. nov. from La Gomera, and one new meenoplid species: Meenoplus skotinophilus sp. nov. from El Hierro. Tachycixius gomerobscurus sp. nov. is the first record of a subterranean adapted Fulgoromorpha on La Gomera. With now 17 documented species of strictly hypogean planthoppers, the Canary Islands hold the highest number of subterranean planthoppers of any region worldwide, representing ca. ¼ of all known species. We provide a key to all subterranean planthopper species known from the Canary Islands as well as information on their habitat, distribution, ecological classification and conservation status. As all highly specialized, narrow range troglobitic planthopper species must be regarded as vulnerable, if not endangered, climate change poses a major risk of extinction. We hypothesize on island colonization and subterranean speciation underlying taxonomic diversity and high endemicity. We conclude that the currently observed zoogeographic patterns imply the existence of an ancient fauna which is now extinct.https://subtbiol.pensoft.net/article/144111/download/pdf/ |
| spellingShingle | Hannelore Hoch Heriberto López Manuel Naranjo Dora Aguín-Pombo Pedro Oromí Endless forms most wonderful: Four new cavernicolous planthopper species (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Cixiidae and Meenoplidae) from the Canary Islands Subterranean Biology |
| title | Endless forms most wonderful: Four new cavernicolous planthopper species (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Cixiidae and Meenoplidae) from the Canary Islands |
| title_full | Endless forms most wonderful: Four new cavernicolous planthopper species (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Cixiidae and Meenoplidae) from the Canary Islands |
| title_fullStr | Endless forms most wonderful: Four new cavernicolous planthopper species (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Cixiidae and Meenoplidae) from the Canary Islands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Endless forms most wonderful: Four new cavernicolous planthopper species (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Cixiidae and Meenoplidae) from the Canary Islands |
| title_short | Endless forms most wonderful: Four new cavernicolous planthopper species (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Cixiidae and Meenoplidae) from the Canary Islands |
| title_sort | endless forms most wonderful four new cavernicolous planthopper species hemiptera fulgoromorpha cixiidae and meenoplidae from the canary islands |
| url | https://subtbiol.pensoft.net/article/144111/download/pdf/ |
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