Cixiid Planthoppers

Cixiidae

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Auchenorrhyncha
Infraorder: Fulgoromorpha
Superfamily: Delphacoidea
Family: Cixiidae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cixiidae: /sɪkˈsɪ.iː.aɪdiː/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Cixius nervosus (Cixiidae) - (imago), Arnhem, the Netherlands by

This image is created by user B. Schoenmakers at Waarneming.nl, a source of nature observations in the Netherlands.
. Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Bothriocera maculata (48698381841) by Christina Butler from Georgia, United States. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Planthopper - Bothriocera maculata, Highland Hammock State Park, Sebring, Florida by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Cixiid Planthopper - Flickr - treegrow by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Cixiid Planthopper - Flickr - treegrow (2) by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Cixiid Planthopper - Flickr - treegrow (1) by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Summary

Cixiidae are a family of small planthoppers with more than 2,200 species worldwide. They are significant both ecologically and economically but require further taxonomic study to clarify their classification.

Physical Characteristics

Cixiid species are typically small (body size less than a centimeter) and inconspicuous; the face is longer than wide, and the head is narrower than the pronotum. Forewings are at least partly transparent with minute setae on the veins. Hind tibiae end in a cluster of spines and may have spines along their length. Females may have impressive 'wax tails' at the tip of their abdomen.

Identification Tips

Identification often relies on the morphology of male genitalia; females are generally unidentifiable beyond genus without association with males.

Habitat

Nymphs are subterranean, feeding on roots; adults inhabit herbs, shrubs, and trees. Some species are cavernicolous and feed on roots in volcanic caves.

Distribution

Worldwide, with a rich fauna in the southwest United States (especially Arizona and California) and the poorest fauna in the northwest.

Diet

Adults feed on a variety of plants, often polyphagous but some are specialized (monophagous) on certain host plants. Nymphs feed on roots, and possibly fungi.

Life Cycle

Nymphs live underground and transition into adults which emerge to feed on foliage.

Reproduction

Females possess a well-developed ‘orthopteroid-type’ ovipositor, similar to a feature found in Delphacidae.

Ecosystem Role

Cixiids may play roles in plant health as they can transmit plant diseases via phytoplasma.

Economic Impact

Certain Cixiidae species like Hyalesthes obsoletus and Haplaxius crudus have economic importance due to their role in disease transmission in crops such as coconut palms, grapevines, and sugar beets.

Health Concerns

Phytoplasma are common parasites in Cixiidae, causing diseases in various important agricultural plants.

Evolution

The evolution of Cixiidae is not extensively documented in the fossil record, but the oldest confirmed taxa date back to the Early Cretaceous.

Similar Taxa

Misconceptions

There may be taxonomic confusion in genera like Melanoliarus, which is proposed to be broken into several valid genera.