Achilidae

Stål, 1866

Achilid Planthoppers, Achilids

Tribe Guides

is a of planthoppers in the order Hemiptera, suborder Auchenorrhyncha, and superfamily Fulgoroidea. The family contains at least 520 described distributed across three : Achilinae, Apatesoninae, and Myconinae. Members are commonly referred to as achilid planthoppers. The family exhibits considerable morphological diversity, with some groups showing distinctive modifications of the capsule and wing venation that are taxonomically diagnostic.

Achilidae by (c) Ana Ka'ahanui, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ana Ka'ahanui. Used under a CC-BY license.

Cixidia opaca by no rights reserved, uploaded by Chrissy McClarren and Andy Reago. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Achilidae: /əˈkɪlɪdiː/

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

Identification

can be distinguished from other planthopper by a combination of wing venation characters, including the structure of C1 on the tegmen and the branching pattern of CuA on the hind wing. Some tribes exhibit unique modifications of the capsule, such as subdivision of the frontal area in Afrachilini. Male genitalia, particularly the structure of the , provide reliable specific characters for identification within . The and vertex shape, along with color and markings, are useful external diagnostic features.

Images

Habitat

occupy diverse across their broad geographic range. Members of the Epiptera are associated with conifers in North America. The South African Afrachilus montanifynbosensis inhabits montane fynbos vegetation. Australian species of Anabunda represent short-range endemics in eastern Queensland and New South Wales, where rapid urbanization threatens their persistence.

Distribution

has a distribution spanning multiple continents. Documented occurrences include North America (Canada, United States), South Africa (Western Cape), Australia (Queensland, New South Wales), China (Fujian, Guizhou, Yunnan, Hainan, Xizang, Chongqing provinces), and the United Arab Emirates. GBIF records indicate presence in Norway and Sweden. The Deferunda has its westernmost distribution point in the UAE, representing the first record from the Arabian Peninsula.

Host Associations

conifers - associated with Epiptera in North America

Similar Taxa

CixiidaeBoth belong to Fulgoroidea and share general planthopper ; differs in wing venation details including C1 structure and CuA branching on hind wing
DerbidaeAnother of Fulgoroidea with similar body plan; can be distinguished by characteristic capsule modifications and male genitalia structure present in certain tribes

More Details

Subfamily classification

FLOW (Fulgoromorpha Lists on the Web) recognizes three : Achilinae (with tribes Achilini and Cixidiina), Apatesoninae (with four tribes), and Myconinae (with six tribes including Plectoderini and Rhotalini). A fourth tribe, Afrachilini, was described in 2025 within Myconinae.

Conservation concern

Some Australian , particularly in the Anabunda, represent short-range endemics potentially threatened by loss from rapid urbanization within their restricted ranges.

Taxonomic history

The was established by Stål in 1866. Historical confusion has existed among certain , notably Epiptera, due to misinterpretations of original descriptions leading to misidentifications in regional faunal records.