First report of Graphocephala versuta in Algeria and the EPPO region
During an inventory of insect fauna around the lake of Reghaia (Northern Algeria) between September 2013 and April 2014, the leafhopper Graphocephala versuta (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) was collected for the first time in Algeria. At the time it was misidentified as Graphocephala fennahi, a North American species introduced in Europe in the 1930s. The specimen was recently identified as G. versuta. The species was found again in August 2019 in a vineyard in the region of Skikda (also in the Northern part of Algeria, but 350 km eastwards). No damage to grapevine or other plants have been reported as part of these observations.
G. versuta is a vector of Xylella fastidiosa (EPPO A2 List) in the USA. It should be noted that X. fastidiosa is not recorded from Algeria. This is considered to be the first record of G. versuta in the Palaearctic region.
Sources
Boulaouad BA, Merzouki Y, Boulaouad D, Saci A, Daoudi‐Hacini S, Doumandji S (2022) Graphocephala versuta (Homoptera: Cicadellidae): a first record for Algeria and the Palaearctic region. EPPO Bulletin 52(2), 484–486.