EXTERNAL MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE LEAFHOPPER EMPOASCA DECEDENS PAOLI (HOMOPTERA: CICADELLIDAE) FROM IRAQ

Abstract

This work presents external morphological study of the leafhopper Empoasca decedens
Paoli, 1932 particularly male genitalia, which were dissected and illustrated.
The genus Empoasca Walsh (Typhlocybinae: Empoascini) contains small, slender, fragile
and generally green leafhoppers. The overall length ranges from 3-3.5 mm. Members of this
genus are charachterized by their uniformly green color, inner and outer apical cells of
forewing not attaining wing apex, second and third apical cells are sessile or triangular or
even short stalked, submarginal vein of hindwing extends around wing apex and turned
beneath costal margin, apical thirds of tibiae and tarsal segments including claws are
prominently green while other parts of legs are yellow (Ribaut, 1936;Young, 1952; Dlabola,
1958; Le Quesne and Payne, 1981).
Inspite of the many check lists appeared about the insect fauna in Iraq, members of this
genus are still poorely understood taxonomically. Derwesh (1965) was the only one to
include E. decedens within the insect fauna of Iraq.