REVSYS: Revisionary Synthesis of the Holarctic Leafhopper Genus Erythroneura Fitch (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae)

Erythroneura 叶蝉属在全世界有 600 种，其中 487 种分布在北美。 这些昆虫是森林生物多样性的主要组成部分，也是园艺作物特别是葡萄树的重要害虫。 该属的巨大多样性此前阻碍了为赤脉属物种制定全面的分类和识别指南的尝试。 几种新的节省劳动力的工具的出现使得这样的项目在所需的时间和成本方面变得可行。 这个为期3年的项目的具体目标是：（1）编制包含所有赤脉属物种插图的数字图像档案，并将其链接到已经完成的学名数据库； (2) 输入 ca 的地理参考收集记录。 40,000 个该属的博物馆标本，每个独特的采集事件/物种组合都有一个记录，存入数据库； (3) 编制赤脉属物种的解剖特征矩阵并分析这些数据以估计物种之间的进化关系； (4) 创建用于在网络上识别物种的交互式工具； （五）出版物种彩色图集和鉴定指南。通过整合各种节省劳动力的工具，该项目将成为对高度多样化的生物群体进行全面、有效分类的模型。 该项目还将促进以植物为食的昆虫中寄主植物关联的进化研究，以及特定植物的专业化在多大程度上促进了该类群的进化多样化。 该项目更广泛的影响包括：（1）升级伊利诺伊州自然历史调查的基础设施，以提高修订研究的效率以及科学界和公众对此类研究产品的可及性； (2) 培训一名来自发展中国家的博士后研究员，研究多种但鲜为人知的昆虫类群，使用先进的工具和方法进行系统专题研究； (3)改进识别和跟踪农业害虫和入侵物种传播的方法。

The leafhopper genus Erythroneura comprises 600 species worldwide, 487 of which occur in North America. These insects are a major component of forest biodiversity and are also important pests of horticultural crops, particularly grapevine. The tremendous diversity of this genus has previously hindered attempts to develop a comprehensive classification and identification guide for Erythroneura species. The availability of several new labor-saving tools has now rendered such a project feasible in terms of the time required and cost. The specific goals of this 3-year project are: (1) compile a digital image archive containing illustrations of all Erythroneura species and link it to an already completed database of scientific names; (2) enter georeferenced collection records for ca. 40,000 museum specimens of the genus, one record for each unique collecting event/species combination, into the database; (3) compile a matrix of anatomical features for Erythroneura species and analyze these data to estimate the evolutionary relationships among species; (4) create interactive tools for identifying species over the Web; (5) publish a color atlas and identification guide for species. By incorporating various labor-saving tools, this project will serve as a model for comprehensive and efficient classification of hyperdiverse groups of organisms. The project will also facilitate study of the evolution of host-plant associations in plant-feeding insects and the extent to which specialization on particular plants has facilitated evolutionary diversification in this group. Broader impacts of the project include: (1) upgrading the infrastructure of the Illinois Natural History Survey to improve the efficiency of revisionary studies and the accessibility of the products of such studies to the scientific community and general public; (2) training of a post-doctoral fellow from a developing country, studying a diverse but poorly known insect group, in the use of advanced tools and methods in systematic monography; (3) improvements in methods for identifying and tracking the spread of agricultural pests and invasive species.