treehoppers.

Treehoppers (families Aetalionidae, Membracidae, and Melizoderidae) are extravegant insects adorned by helmet-like thoracic structures that often bear distinct processes. These complex insects exhibit remarkable behaviors including maternal care, mutualistic relationships with ants, and defensive mimicry.

The radiation of these insects in the arid southwestern United States is of particular interest to me. Members of the tribes Smiliini and Telamonini are primarily associated with oaks, which are highly diverse in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts. The diversity of treehoppers associated with these oaks is mostly undescribed.