Systematics of a more broadly interpreted Chionomus Fennah (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae)

The genus Chionomus Fennah, 1971 contains three common species; two are Neotropical in their range and one is currently only known from South America. Chionomus haywardi is a known vector of Mal Rio de Cuarto virus (MRCV) (Velazquez et al. 2003). Due to their economic importance, a comprehensive understanding of the systematics of this genus is vital. Chionomus shares a number of features with certain members of the polyphyletic genus Delphacodes Fieber, 1866, indicating a need for a broader interpretation. Additionally, there has been recent molecular support that species such as Delphacodes puella are closely aligned with Chionomus havanae (Urban et al. 2010). Morphological and molecular sequence data, from the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome Oxidase I, provide insight into and support for a more broadly interpreted Chionomus.