Seasonal diversity of canopy dwelling planthoppers (Fulgoroidea: Hemiptera) in Terre Firme forests of Amazonian Ecuador

An ongoing inventory of canopy dwelling planthoppers of terre firme forests at Tiputuni Biodiversity Station and Reserva Etnica Waorani indicates a total fauna of over 800 species and counting in 15 families. Samples were collected using canopy fogging in two localities in wet and dry seasons from 1994 to 2006. The total collection encompasses approximately 12,000 specimens. Initial work indicates there is a high faunal turnover between sites, while seasonal differences only appear to affect overall abundance. The Derbidae exhibit the highest species diversity with 725. A single taxon of Delphacid (Tetrasteira sp.) accounts for one sixth of the total number of initially sorted specimens.