The evolution and dispersal of the grassland leafhopper Exitianus with keys to the Old World species

HEMIPTERA)* Keys and illustrations are presented for the identification of the five species-groups of Exitianus and for the identification of the species occurring in the Old World, the latter including seventeen species, nine new to science. Synonymy is included for the described Old World species plus a brief synopsis of their distribution. The phylogenetic relationships are adduced for the world fauna. When geographic distribution is compared with the postulated family tree there are strong indications that the genus evolved primarily in Africa with an ancient dispersal to the Americas and more recent dispersals to the Oriental and Australian regions.