| This research examined the phylogeny of the tribes of the leafhopper subfamily Typhlocybinae using both morphological, 73 binary and multistate characters, and molecular, 16S rDNA and Histone (H3), evidence. Seventy-five taxa were included in the morphological study, and 48 were included in the molecular analysis. The combined, total evidence, analysis used 48 taxa common to both sets of data. Results of the total evidence analyses suggested four tribes with the following topology: Alebrini + (Empoascini + Typhlocybini) + (Dikraneurini including subtribe Erythroneurina). This topology does not completely resemble any of the last century's major typhlocybine works, but comes closest to Dr. Young's 1952 reclassification of the Western Hemisphere Typhlocybinae.;Based on the results of these analyses, a revised classification is proposed which synonymizes tribes Forcipatini Hamilton 1998 and Erythroneurini Young 1952 as Dikraneurini McAtee 1926, Jorumini McAtee 1926 and Helionini Haupt 1929 as Empoascini Distant 1908, and Zyginellini Dworakowska 1977 as Typhlocybini Distant 1908. A key is provided to distinguish the tribes, and each is described with notes on distribution and evolutionary relationships, a list of the included genera (current to February. 2007), and illustrations of key morphological characters. |
