AW Insect Book: Hopperbugs Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha

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Toko
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AW Insect Book: Bugs (Hemiptera) - Photos & Description

Post by Toko »

Twig Snout Bug Zanna sp.
Suborder: Auchenorrhyncha. Infraorder: Fulgoromorpha. Superfamily: Fulgoroidea. Family Fulgoridae

Image © steamtrainfan
Garden in Pretoria

Zanna is a genus of tropical lantern bugs found in Asia and Africa. Although usually placed in the family Fulgoridae, molecular studies question this placement.
They are mostly grey with black speckling with a long snout with some folds on the surface.


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Re: AW Insect Book: Hemiptera, Cicadellidae

Post by Klipspringer »

Kalahari Leafhopper Circulifer cf. obtusiceps (= Neoaliturus obtusiceps)
Infraorder Cicadomorpha. Superfamily Membracoidea. Family: Cicadellidae. Subfamily Deltocephalinae. Tribe Opsiini.


Image © ExFmem
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

The subfamily Deltocephalinae contains 6683 valid species and 923 genera currently making it the largest subfamily of Cicadellidae based on the number of described species. The subfamily is distributed worldwide, and it contains the majority of leafhopper vectors of economically important plant diseases, some of which cause significant damage and economic loss. Many species feed on herbaceous or woody dicotyledonous plants, while about 1/3 of the tribes specialize on grass and sedge hosts and are particularly diverse and abundant in grassland ecosystems.

Diagnosis Deltocephalinae:
Small to large, usually wedge-shaped leafhoppers. Head with ocelli on the anterior margin close to eyes; frontoclypeus not inflated, without carinae; lateral frontal sutures extending to ocelli; antennal ledges reduced or absent; gena with a fine erect seta laterad of lateral frontal suture; gena large, mostly concealing proepisternum. Forewing macropterous to brachypterous; if macropterous, with apices overlapping at rest; with 3 anteapical cells; often with 1 or more crossveins between A1 and claval suture; inner apical cell tapered distally, not extended to wing apex. Profemur AM1 seta distinct; row AV with short stout setae extending from base to 1/2 to 2/3 length of femur; intercalary row with numerous thin setae arranged in one row. Mesotrochanter with apical posteroventral stout seta. Metafemur macrosetal formula usually 2+2+1 with penultimate pair close-set. Metatibia usually anteriorly-posteriorly compressed, ventral side with median ridge. Male pygofer with basolateral oblique membranous cleft. Valve produced posteriorly, lateral margins short, articulated with pygofer laterally. Subgenital plates articulated with each other and with valve; triangular, more or less depressed or flattened; with dorsal slot or fold articulating with style. Connective Y-shaped or ‘linear’ (with anterior arms closely appressed), rarely T-shaped (with arms widely divergent); without anteromedial lobe or process. Style broadly bilobed basally; apophysis not elongate. First valvula convex to relatively straight; dorsal sculpturing pattern reaching or not reaching dorsal margin; sculpturing pattern strigate, concatenate, reticulate, imbricate, maculose, or granulose. Second valvula with basal fused section as long as or longer than distal paired blades; with or without median dorsal tooth; usually with small to large, regularly or irregularly shaped dorsoapical teeth on apical 1/3 or more; teeth sometimes restricted to apical 1/4, or absent.

Opsiini feed on a wide variety of herbaceous and woody dicots. This tribe contains several species of economic importance. Neoaliturus (Circulifer) tenellus (Baker) is the vector of beet curly top, tomato big bud, and 16SrV-16SrIX.

Circulifer leafhppers are relatively small and slender in shape, the mesal margin of the eye is notched, the forewing is macropterous-
There are three species within the Genus Circulifer recorded from South Africa: C. karrooensis, C. obtusiceps and C. tenellus.
The holotype of C. obtusiceps was collected at Twee Rivieren, Kgalagdi Transfrontier Park.

Links:
http://dmitriev.speciesfile.org/taxahel ... ura&lng=En
http://zahniser.speciesfile.org/JZlinks.asp
https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/in ... ew/150/214


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Re: AW Insect Book: Hopperbugs Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha

Post by ExFmem »

Lantern or Snout Bug Capocles podlipaevi
Family Fulgoridae Subfamily Strongylodematinae Tribe Capocleini


Image


Image
Kgalagadi TP by ExF

Description
Length (male) 3.5-3.8 mm, (female) 3.9-4.0 mm.
Colour - varying from pale stramineous (straw-colored/yellowish) with weakly developed irregular punctate pattern to dense brown mottling. Preocular area usually with dark stripe along lateral carina of metope; supraocular area with elongate dark spot parallel to preocular stripe. Area around base of antenna darkened. Postocular callus with dark spot.

Elytra of pale specimens with a pair of diffuse longitudinal darkened stripes (one on each elytron) in postcubital area. In dark specimens, light brown band at base of elytra and fore part of scutellum limited distally by dark brown part of elytra and scutellum, but apex of scutellum always pale. Elytra often with lighter net of veins, sometimes also with subapical light band, but with fore band indistinct on the dark background. In pale specimens, abdomen behind elytra (tergite Ill) with brown spots between carinae; in dark specimens, entire dorsal surface of abdomen irregularly brown to dark brown with light speckles, light intermediate carinae, and a little lightened median carina. Underside of body light brown, whitish or greenish, almost without spots; pale specimens with dark mesopleurae.

Fore and middle femora and tibiae with dark bands, those on femora less dark and less distinct, partly disappearing in pale specimens. Each femur with two dark bands; its base, middle part and apex light. Bands on tibiae more distinct and darker, up to black. Each tibia with three dark bands: one occupying distal half of basal third of tibia, one behind middle, and one apical, narrow. Hind femora with subapical incomplete band; in dark specimens, in addition, lower surface brown with light speckles. Hind tibiae always with side darkened, brown or dark brown. Tarsi from light to rather dark, especially on dorsal surface.

Complete description can be found here: (https://www.hemiptera-databases.org/flowpdf/3443.pdf)

The species in the small subfamily Strongylodematinae are all brachypterous and restricted to South Africa and Namibia.


https://www.hemiptera-databases.org/flowpdf/2500.pdf

https://www.hemiptera-databases.org/flowpdf/3443.pdf


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Re: AW Insect Book: Hopperbugs Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha

Post by ExFmem »

Planthopper
Family Dictyopharidae Subfamily Dictyopharinae

Image


Image
Kgalagadi TP, Mata Mata Camp by ExF


Dictyopharidae is a large family of small to medium-sized plant hoppers with elongated head forming a snout. Wings narrow, often clear, but without network of tiny veins in anal area, distinguishing them from lantern bugs (Fulgoridae).

The biology of most Dictyopharidae is poorly known, but both adults and nymphs are phytophagous and suck phloem sap from above-ground portions of plants. Most species are known to be associated with dicotyledonous herbs, dwarf shrubs or trees but there are also some dictyopharids feeding on grasses.

Dictyopharidae currently includes approximately 740 described species in 169 genera, most of which are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. In the Afrotropical region, 104 species are known from sub-Saharan continental Africa (Stroiński & Szwedo 2015). Dictyopharidae is currently divided into two subfamilies. The larger nominotypic Dictyopharinae is further split in 15 extant tribes.

The taxonomy and morphology of the Afrotropical genera and species are still only poorly known with the exception of Fernandea.


(http://www.europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu ... e/view/402)
http://library.ioz.ac.cn


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Re: AW Insect Book: Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha.

Post by Klipspringer »

Family Meenoplidae (Small Planthoppers)

The family Meenoplidae is a small family of of 23 genera (161 species) found in the Old World tropics, generally resembling Cixiidae.
All species are moderately small, with the body strongly compressed and the tegmina tectiform. The head has the vertex and frons (usually) broad and the lateral carinae strongly elevated. The antennae are generally short and simple. The last segment of the labium is elongate. The median ocellus is generally present. The thorax is usually large, with the carinae indistinct or wanting. The tegulae are large, the pronotum is short, broader than the head, and the mesonotum is broader than the pronotum. The tegmina are always macropterous and normally are held vertically in repose. The venation is in general cixiid-like, with the basal costal area more or less expanded. Subcosta and radius are typically united for more than half their lengths. Radius and media are usually simple, but cubitus is complex, generally with supernumerary veins. One or both claval veins are typically granulate (they have sensory pits) on either side of the vein. The abdomen is compressed, with the sixth, seventh and eighth tergites bearing wax-secreting pores.
Meenoplidae are divided into two subfamilies, the Meenoplinae and the Kermesiinae. In the Meenoplinae the first claval vein has a single row of sensory pits, and the second claval vein is more or less covered with them. In the Kermesiinae the claval veins are fused near the apex of the clavus. The first claval vein has a row of sensory pits on either side of the vein.
The biology of most species is poorly known, although known plant associations suggest they largely feed on monocots.

Meenoplidae recorded from South Africa:
Afronisia muiri
Anigrus bergrothi
Anigrus sordidus
Meenoplus turneri
Nisia albinotata


Links:
https://sites.udel.edu/planthoppers/cla ... enoplidae/
https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/233781 ... f90134f80e


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Re: AW Insect Book: Hopperbugs Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha

Post by Klipspringer »

Small Planthopper Anigrus sp. Possibly Anigrus sordidus
Family Meenoplidae. Subfamily Meenoplinae

hopper.jpg
hopper.jpg (131.3 KiB) Viewed 1087 times
Mpumalanga © Richprins

Anigrus sordidus is dirty white and has a granulated radial vein.

Original description by Stål (1866):
Anigrus sordidus.jpg
Anigrus sordidus.jpg (96.11 KiB) Viewed 1087 times

Links:
http://v3.boldsystems.org/index.php/Tax ... xid=898366
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ite ... 9/mode/1up
https://www.hemiptera-databases.org/flo ... ry&id=1233


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Re: AW Insect Book: Hopperbugs Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha

Post by ExFmem »

Planthopper; Primitive Snout Bug
Family: Cixiidae

Planthoppers or Fulgoroidea are an exceedingly diverse yet excessively puzzling section of the order Hemiptera. Their superficial resemblance to leafhoppers and spittlebugs has misled taxonomic and phylogenetic studies for nearly two hundred years.

Image
Kruger Natl Park by ExF


Family Cixiidae
Worldwide Cixiidae consists of approximately 192 genera and 2,523 species (Holzinger et al. 2002, Bartlett et al. 2018, Bourgoin 2019), making them the largest family of planthoppers. Emeljanov (2002)  and Holzinger et al. (2002) provide an overview of the current classification of Cixiidae, which now includes 3 subfamilies (Borystheninae, Bothriocerinae and Cixiinae) and 16 tribes. The higher taxonomy of Cixiidae has been examined by Emeljanov (1989, 2002), Holzinger et al. (2002), Ceotto et al. 2008, Ceotto & Bourgoin (2008), but has not yet been firmly established and our knowledge remains inadequate.

Identification
Cixiidae is defined primarily by plesiomorphic features (i.e., they lack the derived features found in other planthopper families). They are the earliest derived extant family of planthoppers, originating at least 130 mya, and possibly up to 200 mya.

Cixiid species are typically comparatively small (body size less than a centimeter) and usually inconspicuous. The face is longer than wide and the head is narrower than the pronotum. Cixiids and kinnarids (and some meenoplids) are the only planthopper families that have a median ocellus, which is located just above the frontoclypeal suture. The forewings are at least partly transparent and the veins bear minute setae. The hind tibiae end in a cluster of spines and may sometimes have spines along their length.

Enigmatic Morphological Features
Females occasionally bear impressive "wax tails" produced by wax-producing plates at the tip of their abdomen. The aims of these wax products in cixiids and other Fulgoromorpha are not sufficiently clarified yet, as experimental studies are lacking completely. They may protect against wetting and desiccation, especially in nymphs. SULC (1928) describes, that nymphs of Reptalus panzeri covered the walls of their burrows with wax by “wagging" with the abdomen. In adults, the wax filaments are supposed to protect against getting smudged with own honeydew, and might cover eggs and protect them against desiccation. Also protection against enemies is assumed.

The sensory organ equipment of cixiids (and other Fulgoromorpha taxa) is impressive, but the morphology and function of these structures are still unclear in many cases. Perhaps the comparatively best investigated, but still insufficiently known, sensory organs are those of the antennae.
Beyond the antennae, sensory organs can be found on different parts of the body : Sensory pits with horizontal hairs are the most numerous, present on tergal parts in nymphs in most families, and showing a wide range of morphological variation. The function of these sensory pits is unclear; SuLC (1928) considers them to obtain information about atmospheric humidity.
Studying nymphs of Cixius nervosus, SuLC (1928) also found several very long, thin hairs on the lateral parts of the sternites V and VI. He called them “anemestheterias" and assumed a sensory function concerning air movements.

Diet
Adult cixiids live on a wide variety of plants, feeding on phloem. The host plant range of most species is unknown, as no more information than a diagnostic description is present in the literature. Although the percentage of polyphagous species in cixiids is higher than in many other Auchenorrhyncha families, most taxa seem to be closely restricted to species specific, distinct habitat types. A couple of species are cavernicolous, feeding on roots in volcanic caves.

Biology
Females use their ovipositors to deposit their eggs into the soil. The eggs are covered and thus protected by wax filaments. In some species, females obviously creep along clefts deep into the soil, as they are sometimes recorded from traps several decimeters beyond the soil surface. Cixiid nymphs live subterraneously, feeding on roots of their - often herbaceous - hostplants and/or as fungivorous on rotten wood. Very little data about their ecology is available. The life cycle (of those species, where we know something about it) usually lasts one year, with hibernation - if necessary - in nymphal instar. Cixiid nymphs, as many other Hemiptera taxa, sometimes are associated with ants.

Adult cixiids are both diurnal and nocturnal, but with a distinct priority to daytime activity. As other Fulgoromorpha, they communicate by substrate-borne vibrations. Compared to other families, the acoustic repertoire of cixiids seems to be rather simple, territorial signals and rivalry calls are obviously missing.

Economic Importance
Some Cixiid species are pests of economically important plants. The highest number of economically important Cixiid species can be found on palms, where they act as phytoplasma vectors, causing diseases of the Lethal Yellowing type, in tropical and subtropical regions. Infested trees first drop mature and immature coconuts, then the flower stalks blacken, the fronds turn yellow, beginning by the lower, older ones and progressing up through the crown, until the tree is dead and only a telephone pole like stem remains. Unless treated, the tree dies within three to six months after the appearance of the first symptoms. Up to now, there is no cure for LY. Effective control is only possible by regular antibiotic injections (osytetracycline) to the trunk, but the most efficient way to deal with LY is by replanting with resistant coconut palms.

Image
In tropical Africa, extensive damage is reported from coconut plantations both in the east and west.



https://www.hemiptera-databases.org/flowpdf/2359.pdf
https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/DENISIA_0004_0113-0138.pdf
https://sites.udel.edu/planthoppers/nor ... -cixiidae/


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