Hortensia similis is a leafhopper in the Cicadellidae, originally described as Tettigonia similis by Walker in 1851. It is commonly known as the Common Green Leafhopper and has a wide distribution across the Americas, from the southwestern United States through Central America to South America. The species has been documented in California, Arizona, the British Virgin Islands, and several South American locations including Amazonas and Bahia. It is an agricultural pest associated with maize in parts of its range, where it serves as a for various egg parasitoid wasps.
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Distribution
Hortensia similis has a broad distribution across the Americas. Records indicate presence in the southwestern United States (California, Arizona), the Caribbean (British Virgin Islands), and South America (Amazonas, Bahia). In Argentina, it has been specifically documented in Tucumán province associated with maize crops.
Human Relevance
Hortensia similis is an agricultural pest of economic significance, particularly in maize-growing regions. In northwestern Argentina, it has been identified as a for multiple including Aprostocetus (Ootetrastichus) infulatus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), which represents a new parasitoid record for the region. The species is also a known host for parasitoids in the Mymaridae and Trichogrammatidae.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- Publications | Entomology Research Museum
- Encyrtid Holdings | Entomology Research Museum
- Bug Eric: A Jumping Spider, Tutelina similis
- Study Shows American Dog Ticks in Western U.S. Are a Separate Species
- new species | Blog - Part 3