Calophyidae

Definition

A family of small sap-feeding hemipterans in the superfamily Psylloidea, commonly known as jumping plant-lice or psyllids. Calophyids are distinguished from related psyllid families by wing venation and host-plant associations, typically specializing on woody angiosperms. The family is relatively small compared to Psyllidae and Triozidae, containing genera such as Calophya.

Etymology

From the type genus Calophya (Greek kalos 'beautiful' + phyton 'plant'), with the family suffix -idae.

Example

Calophya rhois, a North American species in Calophyidae, develops on sumac (Rhus) and produces characteristic pit galls on leaf petioles.

Related Terms

• Psylloidea
• Hemiptera
• Sternorrhyncha
• Psyllidae
• Triozidae
• jumping plant-louse
• gall psyllid

Usage Notes

Distinguished from the larger families Psyllidae and Triozidae by reduced wing venation and genitalic characters; specialists sometimes note Calophyidae as a 'basal' or 'early-diverging' lineage within Psylloidea, though phylogenetic resolution remains partial. Not to be confused with Calophyllaceae, a plant family.