Community structure of Auchenorrhyncha (Homoptera) in montane rain forest in Vietnam

Elevational gradient of Hemiptera (Heteroptera, Auchenorrhyncha) on a tropical mountain in Papua New Guinea

Malaise trap sampling of Hemiptera (Heteroptera; Auchenorrhyncha) was conducted at 500 m intervals along an elevational gradient from 200 m to 3,700 m on the east slope of Mount Wilhelm, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. Hemiptera had a decrease in morphospecies richness and overall abundance with increasing elevation, however, the Heteroptera did not exhibit either pattern. A few species were relatively abundant at each elevation, whereas the majority of species were represented by ≤5 specimens. Morphospecies richness of Auchenorrhyncha, Cicadomorpha, Fulgoromorpha, Cicadellidae, Cixiidae, and Derbidae also decreased with increasing elevation but abundance decline was not significant due to the large number of specimens captured at 200 m relative to those captured at higher elevations. The percentage of Cicadomorpha specimens decreased with increasing elevation relative to that of the Fulgoromorpha which increased with increasing elevation. Environmental factors that may influence patterns of species richness along the elevational gradient are discussed.

Spatial and temporal components of species diversity in Auchenorrhyncha (Insecta: Hemiptera) communities of Indochinese montane rain forest

The Auchenorrhyncha community within the understorey of a montane monsoon rain forest in Vietnam is described. It was highly diverse, with 328 morphospecies in a sample of 1611 specimens. The community was variable in species composition with respect to space (between sites 1–5 km distant) and time (between early and late wet seasons). Differences in species composition attributable to spatial heterogeneity and to seasonal variation were of a comparable magnitude when examined by the CCA ordination. Auchenorrhyncha density, estimated by sweeping, was generally low, at 1 to 2 individuals m−3 of vegetation. There was a negative correlation between the species' population size in the early and the late wet seasons.