Taxonomy of Jumping Plant Lice in Brazil
The fauna of jumping plant lice of Brazil contains probably over 1,000 species. Of these, only around 100 have been recorded so far. In collaboration with Brazilian scientists, we collect jumping plant lice in different biomas and identify them . The vast majority represents undescribed species requiering detailed revisions of relevant genera. This is possible due to the large collection of jumping plant lice in the Natural History Museum Basel.
A shared research project with the Forestry Research Institute (EMBRAPA Florestas) in Colombo was instigated to explore the almost unknown psyllid fauna of Brazil.
During previous expeditions in the states of Roraima, Amazonas, Pará, Matto Grosso, Matto Grosso do Sul, Goias, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, we found around 400 species, most of which had not been described. Among the new taxa are also five undescribed genera.
Among the collected species were several serious or sporadic pests to agriculture and forestry, such as Diaphorina citri and four species of eucalypt psyllid.
