Flatidae

Definition

A family of fulgoroid planthoppers (Hemiptera) characterized by broad, often flattened bodies and distinctive wing morphology in which the forewings (tegmina) are thickened and frequently brightly colored, contrasting with the membranous hindwings used for flight. Adults and nymphs feed on phloem sap and engage in substrate-borne vibrational communication through plant stems for mate location and mutualistic interactions with ants, which tend nymphs and collect honeydew in exchange for protection. Species identification typically requires microscopic examination and dissection due to cryptic morphological similarity among many taxa.

Etymology

From Latin 'flatus' (blowing, wind) or referring to the flattened body form characteristic of the group; family name established by Spinola, 1839.

Example

The widespread planthopper Flatida coccinea, with its striking pink and yellow tegmina, exemplifies the aposematic coloration found in many Flatidae that advertises chemical defenses to predators.

Related Terms

• planthopper
• Fulgoroidea
• tegmen
• phloem feeding
• Vibrational communication
• myrmecophily
• Auchenorrhyncha
• Hemiptera

Usage Notes

Flatidae is a family-rank taxon; use as a plural proper noun in formal contexts (e.g., 'Flatidae are distributed worldwide'). Distinguish from the similar-sounding genus Flatida, a member of this family. The family's cosmopolitan distribution and plant-sap feeding ecology make them significant in agricultural contexts as potential pest species and in ecological studies of insect-plant and insect-ant mutualisms. Color patterns in adults are often species-specific but unreliable for identification without genitalic dissection.