New planthoppers (Hemiptera: Cixiidae) from Madagascar support the establishment of a new genus, the revised status of Eumyndus perinetensis, and an updated molecular phylogeny of Malagasy Oecleini

Abstract

Recent survey efforts in Madagascar have focused on the tribe Oecleini in the planthopper family Cixiidae due to an interest in identifying vectors of palm lethal decline phytoplasmas. During these surveys, planthoppers were collected on palms in natural habitats that were determined to represent a new genus, Geminimyndus gen. nov. Herein, two new species are described, G. spinaparum sp. nov. and G. spinamagnus sp. nov.

Eumyndus perinetensis Synave is transferred to Geminimyndus gen. nov. as Geminimyndus perinetensis, comb. nov. Supplemental molecular data for the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, histone 3, 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA are provided to support the establishment of the new genus and the transfer of E. perinetensis to the new genus.