ABSTRACT The sharpshooter genus Cavichiana Mejdalani et al., 2014 included so far only two species of about 6-8 mm in length: C. bromelicola Mejdalani et al., 2014 (type species) and C. alpina Quintas et al., 2020. Both are bromeliad specialists from southeastern and southern Brazil. Here a third species, C. caelivittata sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on males and females from the Serra dos Órgãos massif in state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. The new bromeliad specialist can be readily distinguished from the previously known species by the dorsum with a pair of broad whitish-blue stripes, each one extending from antennal ledge over lateroposterior area of crown, lateral portion of pronotum, basal portion of clavus, and forming an elongate arc on corium up to outer margin of first apical cell; the aedeagus bears a dorsoapical digitiform lobe directed posterad. A key to the three species, based on the coloration and morphology of the aedeagus, is provided. In addition, the distribution of C. bromelicola is discussed; it is suggested that the trade of bromeliads as ornamental plants is causing the spread of this species to various urban and suburban areas of southeastern Brazil.

ABSTRACT Soosiulus belterrensis sp. nov. is described and illustrated from the Amazon Forest of the state of Pará, northern Brazil. Both the male and female terminalia are treated in detail, in addition to color features. With the addition of this new taxon, the diverse Neotropical genus Soosiulus Young, 1977 now comprises 28 species. The new species is the first one proposed for Soosiulus after the original generic description. It appears to be included in a complex with eleven other Soosiulus species, all of them sharing a very similar color pattern. Among the members of this putative complex, the aedeagus of S. belterrensis sp. nov. is most similar to those of S. hastatus Young, 1977 and S. ruber Young, 1977, due to the presence of a pair of conspicuous dorsoapical processes. However, in S. hastatus and S. ruber the aedeagus has also a retrorse ventroapical process originated from a lobe; both process and lobe are not present in the new species. In addition, the female sternite VII in S. hastatus and S. ruber is convex posteriorly, whereas it has a distinct median emargination in the new species.

ABSTRACT A new species of Hanshumba Young, 1977 is described and illustrated from the Mantiqueira mountain range (southeastern Brazil), municipalities of Wenceslau Braz (state of Minas Gerais) and São Bento do Sapucaí (state of São Paulo). The new taxon is associated with olive orchards and is considered a potential vector of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. This bacterium causes a serious disease known in Brazil as olive leaf desiccation syndrome. Hanshumba mariae sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other five known species of the genus by the following combination of features: (1) apical third of ventral margin of male pygofer with small inner process bearing setae; (2) male abdominal segment X (anal tube) without processes; (3) style with apex narrow, obtuse, not foot-shaped; (4) aedeagus with distinct dorsal lobe along basal two-thirds and with apical portion expanded, bearing dorsal projection; (5) paraphyses with distal pair of rami forceps-like, their basal halves divergent from each other, distal halves approximately parallel, apices acute; (6) female sternite VII with posterior margin shallowly emarginate, bearing slight median lobe; and (7) valvula II of ovipositor with approximately 15 low teeth. Both males and females of the new species are described in detail. A key to the six known species of the genus is provided.

Taxonomy is essential to biological sciences and the priority field to be supported in face of the biodiversity crisis. The industry of scientific publications has made extensive use of bibliometric indexes, resulting in distortions to institutions, organizations, and researchers, such as the side effect known as Journal Impact Factor (JIF) mania. Inadequacies of the most widely used bibliometric indexes from giant companies Clarivate™ (InCites™) and RELX™ Elsevier B.V. (Scopus®) to assessment of the relevance of taxonomic publications were considered as one of the impediments for the progress of this field. Recently, Clarivate suppressed the mega-journal Zootaxa, focused on taxonomy, from Journal Citation Reports (JCR), a database with 12,000 periodicals. Zootaxa suppression, together with other 32 journals, was based on an unusual high proportion of self-citations. Suppressed journals would thus not receive a value of JIF for 2020. A prompt reaction from the scientific community against the suppression of Zootaxa took place and, accordingly, Clarivate announced its reinstatement. This situation exposed many persistent myths and misuses of bibliometric indexes. The goal of this study is to shed light on the impacts of bibliometric indexes to the taxonomic field and on underlying aspects of the suppression of Zootaxa. Our major question is whether the suppression of any journal from JIF can really affect the production in the taxonomic field. We explored data metrics from the JCR (Web of Science Core Collection™) for 2010–2018 of the top ten zoological journals (eight are included in JCR) in the number of new taxa and journals focused on or regularly publishing taxonomic studies, totaling 123 journals. Zootaxa shows higher levels of self-citations than similar journals. We consider that two possible explanations provided for the high number of self-citations, i.e., Zootaxa’s scope on taxonomy and the fact that it is a mega-journal, are inadequate. Instead, putative explanations are related to the “Zootaxa phenomenon,” a sociological bias that includes visibility, and potential harmful myths that portray Zootaxa as the unique journal that publishes taxonomic studies with an inviting JIF value. Menaces to taxonomy as a science come from many sources and the low bibliometric values of its journals are only one of the factors that contribute for establishing the so-called taxonomic impediment. We suggest rejection of bibliometric indexes, including JIF, instead of considering them when convenient. Taxonomists as a community, instead of being deeply focused on journal metrics endorsing the villainy of bibliometric policies imposed by dominant companies, should be engaged with renewed strength in actions directly connected to the development and promotion of this science.

ABSTRACT Cavichiana Mejdalani et al., 2014 was a formerly monotypic Cicadellinae genus exclusively found in bromeliads from southeastern Brazil. Here a new species is described, diagnosed, and illustrated from Itatiaia National Park, municipality of Itamonte, state of Minas Gerais (Mantiqueira mountain range); specimens were collected on Vriesea spp. (Bromeliaceae). Cavichiana alpina sp. nov. (male holotype in DZRJ) can be recognized by the following combination of features: (1) forewing clavus with basal portion and area along commissural margin orange, remainder of claval area blue (except dark brown apex); (2) corium with large blue area adjacent to claval sulcus, connected to blue area of clavus; (3) distal portion of female and male pygofer not sclerotized; (4) aedeagus with distinct basidorsal lobe and with apex narrowly rounded, not bearing crown of spines; and (5) female sternite VII with deep V-shaped posterior emargination. Notes on the distribution of the genus are provided and C. bromelicola Mejdalani et al., 2014 is newly recorded from southern Brazil.

ABSTRACT A new species of the genus Dasmeusa Melichar, 1926 is described and illustrated from specimens collected in the State of Amazonas, Northern Brazil. Dasmeusa imperialis sp. nov. can be distinguished from the five known species of the genus, as well as from those of closely related genera, by the following combination of features: dorsum yellow with orange, preapical transverse irregular stripe on forewing; male pygofer moderately produced posteriorly, with posterior margin broadly rounded; style without preapical lobe, narrow and truncate apically; aedeagus with robust apical process directed ventrally, ventral margin of this process dentate; paraphyses with pair of dorsal dentiform projections on stalk, rami slender and directed posterodorsally; posterior margin of female sternite VII with small quadrate lobe; first ovipositor valvula with dentiform apex; second ovipositor valvula with apical third directed ventrally. This paper includes the first detailed description and illustrations of the female terminalia of a Dasmeusa species. In addition, the known geographic distribution of the genus is presented; D. pauperata (Fabricius, 1803) is newly recorded from the Brazilian states of Roraima, Amazonas, Pará, Sergipe, and Bahia; the records from the last two states are interesting because they are from areas of Atlantic Forest. Previously, the genus was known only from the Amazon Forest.

ABSTRACT The genus Hanshumba Young, 1977 is recorded from Southeastern and Southern Brazil (Atlantic Forest) and currently includes only three species. Here we describe and illustrate, based mainly on features of the male terminalia, two new species from State of Espírito Santo, Municipality of Santa Teresa: H. setifera sp. nov. and H. teresa sp. nov. The former can be distinguished by the male pygofer and anal tube with large processes bearing numerous setae and the aedeagus with pair of dentiform processes on median portion, whereas the latter has three pairs of longitudinal flanges on the aedeagal shaft. A key to males of the genus is added and its taxonomic status is briefly discussed.

ABSTRACT The South American sharpshooter genus Cardioscarta Melichar, 1932 comprises six species. In this paper we describe and illustrate C. splendida sp. nov. based on a specimen from Bolivia (male holotype deposited in DZUP). The new species can be recognized by the orange ground color with five transverse dark brown stripes on dorsum (one on crown and four on forewings), and by the aedeagus with two pairs of dorsal processes on the basal apodemes and a single process at the apex of the shaft. A female from Peru is tentatively assigned to the new species and is also described, since it has the same color pattern as the holotype. An updated key to males and females of all known species of the genus is also given.

ABSTRACT A second species of Angucephala DeLong & Freytag, 1975 is described and illustrated from Ecuador, A. freytagi sp. nov. (Napo Province). This species can be distinguished from the type species (A. mellana DeLong & Freytag, 1975) mainly by features of the male pygofer and styles. A redescription of the genus and illustrations of the type species are also provided.

ABSTRACT Paraulacizes munda (Fowler, 1899) has been considered a junior synonym of P. confusa (Signoret, 1855). These two species were described from Mexico. Here it is shown that P. munda can be distinguished from P. confusa by the color and size of the body. Hence, the former is revalidated from synonymy of the latter. Descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia of P. munda, which are necessary for an accurate identification of leafhopper species in general, are provided for the first time. Paraulacizes munda can be distinguished from the other 11 species currently included in Paraulacizes by the following combination of features: ground color of anterior dorsum yellow or pale yellow; dorsal processes of male pygofer strongly inflated apically; style with apex transversely truncate, not projected inward; atrial processes of aedeagus, in lateral view, not distinctly curved apically; female sternite VII with small median lobe on posterior margin and pair of dark brown marks posteromedially. This is the first detailed description of the first and second ovipositor valvulae of a Paraulacizes species. The female genitalia of Paraulacizes are compared with those of the related genera Aulacizes Amyot & Serville, 1843 and Proconosama Young, 1968.

The Neotropical sharpshooter Parasubrasaca felixi, gen. nov., sp. nov., is described and illustrated from the Atlantic Rainforest of Southeastern Brazil (state of Espírito Santo). The new genus can be distinguished from other members of the Cicadellini by several morphological features, including a unique modification of the basal portion of the aedeagus, which bears a conspicuous, ventrally directed projection that articulates with the connective. The projection bears a pair of strong spines directed posteriorly. In addition to the external morphology, color pattern, and male genitalia, the female genitalia of the new taxon are also described in detail. A discussion comparing the new genus with similar Neotropical taxa (Subrasaca Young, 1977, Soosiulus Young, 1977, Ramosulus Young, 1977, Geitogonalia Young, 1977, Ladoffa Young, 1977, and Scopogonalia Young, 1977) is provided.

A new species of Tipuana Melichar, 1926, T. similis sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on specimens from the state of Amazonas, northern Brazil. The new taxon is externally very similar to T. chirensis Young, 1977. It can be distinguished from the latter and from the other known species of the genus mainly by the aedeagus with a triangular, posteriorly directed projection between the basidorsal apodemes, and with shaft not expanded apically and bearing two sharp, short apical processes curved dorsally. Diagnostic features of the new species are also found in the paraphysis, which is symmetrical, expanded towards the apex and with a round apical excavation. A key to the species of Tipuana (males) is added.

This paper deals with two species of Scoposcartula Young, 1977 that are very similar to each other externally (form and color pattern): S. frontaliana (Metcalf, 1955) comb. nov. (from the state of Bahia, NE. Brazil) and S. talitae Leal, Mejdalani & Cavichioli, 2005 (from the state of Espírito Santo, SE. Brazil). The former species, previously positioned in Amblyscarta Stål, 1869, is redescribed and a male specimen is selected as the lectotype. The previously unknown female of the latter species is described for the first time. Scoposcartula frontaliana can be distinguished from S. talitae by features of the male and female genitalia. The most remarkable difference is in the male pygofer, which has a conspicuously concave posterior margin in S. frontaliana, whereas it is convex in S. talitae. The posterior margin of the female sternite VII is convex in S. frontaliana, whereas in S. talitae it has a pair of shallow concavities and a median dentiform projection.

Diestostemma Amyot & Serville, 1843 is a diverse sharpshooter genus with 32 species. A description and illustrations of Diestostemma nasutum Schmidt, 1910 are provided. The species, previously known from Ecuador, is newly recorded from Colombia. Both the male and female genitalia are described for the first time. This is the first detailed description of the female genitalia of a Diestostemma species. Diestostemma nasutum can be distinguished from the other species of the genus by the following features of the aedeagus: shaft with the distal third distinctly curved dorsally; base of basiventral aedeagal process with a lobe directed anteriorly; and basiventral aedeagal process bifurcated on its basal portion. The style of D. nasutum, whose apical portion is broad, distinctly curved inward, and with the apex subtruncate, is also quite distinctive. We compared the female genitalia of D. nasutum with those of other Proconiini genera. Our results confirm the perception that the female genitalia in this tribe can be a source of useful taxonomic characters.

The male of the leafhopper Deselvana falleni (Stål, 1858) is for the first time described and illustrated based on material from the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Notes comparing D. falleni to other species of Deselvana Young, 1968 are given. Males and females of D. falleni can be recognized by the dark brown to black dorsum with four well-defined yellow maculae on each forewing, two on clavus and two on corium. The sexual dimorphism of color found in other Deselvana species was not observed in D. falleni.