Grapevine-red-blotch-virus

Guides

• Tortistilus

  Tortistilus is a genus of treehoppers (Membracidae: Ceresini) established by Caldwell in 1949. The genus includes at least one well-documented species, T. wickhami, which has been studied in California and Mexican vineyards as a potential vector of grapevine red blotch virus. Members of this genus are morphologically cryptic and difficult to distinguish from related genera such as Spissistilus without molecular diagnostics. The genus belongs to the diverse New World treehopper fauna.

  Membracidaetreehoppervineyard-pestvector-biologymolecular-identificationCalifornia-faunaMexican-faunaagricultural-entomologyCeresinicryptic-speciesgrapevine-red-blotch-virus

• Tortistilus wickhami

  A North American treehopper in the family Membracidae, recently documented for the first time in Mexico's Baja California peninsula. Previously known from the western and southwestern United States, this species was collected from grapevines in Valle de Guadalupe vineyards during 2023. Its presence in commercial vineyards raises concerns about potential economic impact, as it is suspected to be a candidate vector for grapevine red blotch virus.

  treehopperMembracidaevineyard-pestgrapevine-red-blotch-virusagricultural-pestMexico-first-recordBaja-CaliforniaValle-de-GuadalupeVitis-viniferaDNA-barcoding-identification2023-detectioneconomic-entomologyplant-virus-vectorSmiliinaeCeresiniHemipteraCicadomorphaNorth-Americawestern-United-Statesinvasive-potentialviticulturewine-grape-pest