Note EGG BROCHOSOMES OF PROCONIINI ( HEMIPTERA : CICADELLIDAE , CICADELLINAE ) SPECIES ASSOCIATED WITH CULTIVATION OF GRAPEVINES

Brochosomes production is considered a feature of Cicadellidae, and may represent an outstanding innovation which has played an important role in the development and diversification of this insect group. The objective of this study was to identify the species of Proconiini that produced egg brochosomes associated with grapevines in the Serra Gaúcha region of Brazil. Egg brochosome characteristics and an identification key are also discussed. The specimens were collected using yellow sticky cards in four vineyards (Vitis vinifera L.) from October 2004 to May 2006. Eight species capable of producing egg brochosomes were identified: Acrogonia citrina Marucci & Cavichioli; Homalodisca ignorata Melichar; Molomea consolida Schröder; Molomea lineiceps Young; Molomea personata (Signoret); Oncometopia facialis (Signoret); Oncometopia fusca Melichar; and Tapajosa rubromarginata (Signoret). Egg brochosomes are useful structures to identify Proconiini species in vine.


INTRODUCTION
Grape vine crops have suffered serious losses due to the occurrence of fungal and viral diseases, and insect pests.Currently, other countries are facing problems caused by the Pierce's disease caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, Cicadellidae and Cercopidae, popularly known as leafhoppers and spittlebugs, being the main vector groups (Varela et al., 2001).This plant pathogen, although not yet detected colonizing grape vine in Brazil, is common in plum, coffee, and citrus crops (Matiello & Almeida, 1998;Hickel et al., 2001;Marucci et al., 2002), representing a constant threat to the development of the Brazilian winery and vineyard industry.The availability of new characters to identify leafhoppers associated with vineyards is an important tool within the context of an integrated management of these insects.
Egg brochosomes, either elongated or spherical (Figure 1A-D), can be found near the apical half of the forewings in the form of convex masses, occurring in females (Figure 2A).Brochosome masses are attached to the wing surfaces by means of microbristles concentrated on the first discal cell, apex of the second, and part of the costal margin (Figure 1E-F).The macrobristles of the metathoracic tibiae (Figure 1G) are used to place the egg brochosomes on the wings and subsequently remove them, spreading them directly onto the egg mass or onto the scar made on the leaf during egg insertion (Rakitov, 1995(Rakitov, , 1998(Rakitov, , 1999;;Hix, 2001).The females of species that produce this functional type of brochosome present longer macrobristles (metathoracic tibiae) than the corresponding males (Pollard & Yonce, 1965) (Figure 1G-H).The functions of these structures are still little known, but some authors emphasize the possibility that they are associated with egg protection and to signal to other females that a given leaf has already been oviposited (Hix, 2001;Rakitov, 2002).
The objectives of this study were to identify egg brochosome-forming Proconiini species associated with grape vine crops (Vitis vinifera L.) prepare a dichotomous key for species by using these brochosomes; and characterize their structures relating them to their corresponding species.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Insect collections were made using yellow adhesive-coated cards (Biocontrole -8.5 × 11.5 cm) in four commercial vineyards in the cities of Bento Gonçalves (three vineyards, 29°04' S; 51°32' W of the cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon moved from the traps using solvent (kerosene -to dissolve the glue from the cards) and then mounted on pins.The leafhoppers were identified based on Schröder (1959), Young (1968), andAzevedo-Filho &Carvalho (2004).The egg brochosome study, together with its corresponding illustrations and measurements followed the methods described in Azevedo-Filho & Carvalho (2005).The specimens are deposited with Coleção Entomológica da Embrapa Uva e Vinho (Entomological Collection), Bento Gonçalves/RS -Brazil (CEEUV).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The egg brochosome-forming Proconiini species that occur on grape vine (V.vinifera) in the Serra Gaúcha region are: Acrogonia citrina Marucci & Cavichioli; Homalodisca ignorata Melichar; Molomea consolida Schröder; Molomea lineiceps Young; Molomea personata (Signoret); Oncometopia facialis (Signoret); Oncometopia fusca Melichar; and Tapajosa rubromarginata (Signoret).These species constitute new records on this crop.The egg brochosomes for the species M. personata and T. rubromarginata are characterized ahead.With regard to the other Proconiini that were found, their structures are described in Azevedo-Filho & Carvalho (2005).Because this egg brochosome analysis demonstrated that each species presents its structural type, these ultramicroscopic bodies represent another tool that can be used to identify Proconiini species on grape vine.
Comment -These are similar to the M. consolida egg brochosomes found in the present study, however, they can be easily distinguished for their conspicuous, significantly larger reticula, and for the lack of depressed areas; the species has egg brochosomes very similar to Pseudophera contraria (Walker), especially in relation to the reticulum shape and arrangement discussed by Rakitov (2004).
Comment -Similar to integument brochosomes, also showing spherical and reticulate structures, found attached to the bodies of several leafhoppers, but with a more irregular reticulate configuration.Egg brochosomes generally display an elongate shape, but spherical shapes can be found in some species of the following genera: Homalodisca; Oncometopia, and Tapajosa (Rakitov, 2004).This species has egg brochosomes very similar to those of Tapajosa spinata Young, discussed by Rakitov (2004).