Phylogenetic Analysis of Reveals New Insights Into the Invasion History of (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae) in Europe.

The genus is one of the most diverse groups in Deltocephalinae with significant pest species, including the American grapevine leafhopper Ball, the vector of Flavescence dorée phytoplasma in European grapevines. Despite the diversity and the agricultural importance of these species, limited information regarding the phylogenetic relationships of species is available. Furthermore, although is one of the most important pest of grapevine in Europe, details on its intraspecific genetic variation are limited to only a few studies based on single mitochondrial markers. By sequencing the complete mitochondrial genomes of Osborn, Osborn, Osborn, Li, and , we examined the phylogenetic relationships among these species. We specifically investigated the genetic differences between populations from North America and Europe to reveal new insights on the invasion history of this species in Europe. Based on our dataset, two distinct genetic clades of with more than 10% pairwise genetic distance were identified in the native range: one comprising Midwestern USA and Quebec, Canada and a second one with individuals from Ontario, Canada. Morphological analysis of the aedeagus showed differences between the two clades, suggesting that they should be considered as different species. Invasive European populations share high mitochondrial similarity with those from Ontario, supporting the hypothesis that the invasion originated from this region. Our data reveal new insights into the invasion history of this important pest species and highlight the need for a taxonomic revision of the species complex.