Faunistic study of planthoppers infraorder Fulgoromorpha (Hem., Auchenorrhyncha) in different climatic regions of Gorgan, Iran

Planthoppers of Infraorder Fulgoromorpha are polyphagous insects that feed on the phloem of roots, torque and stems of herbaceous and sometimes phloem of leaves of woody plants. Many of these planthoppers can seriously damage crops in high population. Gorgan region has six various climates: arid, semi arid, Mediterranean, semi humid, humid and very humid. In this research, the distribution of planthoppers was studied in different climatic regions of Gorgan. The specimens were collected from 17 sites with different climatic condition during years 2008 and 2009 in different seasons. The collected specimens were recognized in 4 families Cixiidae, Delphacidae, Issidae, Tettigometridae, 12 genera and 14 species that were: Hyalesthes obsoletus, Thachycixius sp., Oliarus fulvus, Asirica clavicrnis, Laodelphax striatellus, Toya propinqua, Sogatella frucifera, Sogatella vibix, Kelisia praecox, Javesell sp., Mycteodus krameri, Tettigometra costulata, Tettigometra virescens, Muirodelphax aubei.The following genera and species have not been recorded from Golestan province previously and this is the first record of them: Thachycixius sp., Oliarus fulvus, Sogatella frucifera, Sogatella vibix, Kelisia praecox, Javesell sp., Mycteodus krameri, Tettigometra costulata, Muirodelphax aubei. Sogatella frucifera is new record from Iran. The distribution maps of the collected species were delineated by software Arc GIS.