Abstract.Analysis of thirty‐four macrosteline and twenty‐eight non‐macrosteline leafhopper genera (Homoptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) suggests that the ability to transmit plant viruses has arisen on at least three separate occasions within the Macrostelini. The tribe, including the Coryphaelinisyn.n.and Balcluthini, is shown to be monophyletic. A revised diagnosis of the Macrostelini is presented, together with a key to genera. Five new genera and eight new species are described:Adergannagen.n.,Cicadabaragen.n.Kadrabolinagen.n.,Masafueragen.n.andScaphostelesgen.n.,Yamatotettix remaneisp.n.,Masafuera oceanicasp.n.,Aderganna aethiopicasp.n.,A.nigrasp.n.,Scaphosteles nukahivasp.n.,Kadrabolina elongatasp.n.,K.sinuatasp.n.andK.bispinosasp.n.Four new combinations and five new synonymies are established:Cicadabara dorsalis(Osborn)comb.n.,C.minuta(Osborn)comb.n.,C.tintorella(Osborn)comb.n.,Balclutha thea(Distant)comb.n.,B.smaragdulaMatsumura as a junior synonym ofB.thea(Distant)syn.n.,B.modestaAhmed, Murtaza&Malik as a junior synonym ofB.incisa(Matsumura)syn.n.,B.karachiensisAhmed, Murtaza&Malik as a junior synonym ofB.rubrostriata(Melichar)syn.n.,B.versicoloroidesGhauri as a junior synonym ofB.sternalis(Distant)syn.n.andB.knightiRao&Ramakrishnan as a junior synonym ofB.sujawalensisAhmed