Centrotinae
Guides
Centrodontus
Centrodontus is a genus of treehoppers in the family Membracidae, tribe Centrodontini, established by Goding in 1892. Members of this genus possess the enlarged pronotum characteristic of treehoppers, which extends backward over the thorax and often develops into distinctive projections. The genus is part of the diverse New World treehopper fauna, with species distributed primarily in the Americas. Centrodontus species, like other membracids, feed on plant sap using piercing-sucking mouthparts.
Centrodontus atlas
Centrodontus atlas is a treehopper species in the family Membracidae, described by Goding in 1892. The species belongs to the tribe Centrodontini within the subfamily Centrotinae. As a member of the treehopper family, it is characterized by an enlarged pronotum that extends over the body. Available distributional data comes primarily from observation records rather than comprehensive systematic surveys.
Centrodontus atlas reticulatus
Centrodontus atlas reticulatus is a subspecies of treehopper in the family Membracidae, first described by Cook in 1952. As a member of the subfamily Centrotinae, it possesses the distinctive pronotal extensions characteristic of this group. The species Centrodontus atlas occurs within the Nearctic region, and this subspecies represents a geographically or morphologically distinct population. Treehoppers in this genus are typically associated with woody host plants.
Gargara genistae
Gargara genistae is a small treehopper in the family Membracidae, subfamily Centrotinae, characterized by a prominent backward-projecting pronotum and dark brown coloration. The species is oligophagous, feeding exclusively on phloem sap of shrubby Fabaceae including brooms and related genera. It is widely distributed across the Holarctic, Ethiopian, and Oriental regions, with occasional records in North America as an apparent introduction. Males produce species-specific substrate-borne calling signals used for mate recognition; cryptic species within this group are distinguished by acoustic rather than morphological characters.
Gargarini
Gargarini is a tribe of treehoppers (family Membracidae, subfamily Centrotinae) containing over 400 species across 28 genera. First described by William Lucas Distant in 1908, it represents one of the most species-rich tribes within the primitive subfamily Centrotinae, which occurs in both Old and New Worlds. Members are characterized by highly diverse pronotal structures, including suprahumeral horns and posterior pronotal processes that range from simple to complex morphologies. Molecular phylogenetic studies place Gargarini as sister to the tribes Leptocentrini, Hypsauchenini, Centrotini, and Leptobelini, with diversification estimated in the Late Cretaceous approximately 79.6 million years ago.
Multareoides
Multareoides is a genus of treehoppers in the family Membracidae, subfamily Centrotinae, and tribe Centrodontini. It was described by Cook in 1953. Members of this genus are characterized by their distinctive pronotal modifications, a defining feature of treehoppers. The genus is part of the diverse and ecologically significant treehopper fauna, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Multareoides bifurcatus
Multareoides bifurcatus is a treehopper species (Membracidae) described by Cook in 1953. The species is characterized by its bifurcated pronotal structure, as suggested by its specific epithet. It belongs to the tribe Centrodontini within the subfamily Centrotinae. The genus Multareoides is a small group of treehoppers with limited published biological information.
Platycentrus
Platycentrus is a genus of treehoppers in the family Membracidae, subfamily Centrotinae, and tribe Platycentrini. The genus was established by Stål in 1869 and contains at least three described species: P. acuticornis, P. obtusicornis, and P. brevicornis. These species have been recorded from Mexico and the southwestern United States (California). As members of the primitive subfamily Centrotinae, they are characterized by an exposed scutellum, unlike most other membracid subfamilies where the pronotum covers this structure.
Platycentrus acuticornis
Platycentrus acuticornis is a treehopper species in the tribe Platycentrini, subfamily Centrotinae. The species was described by Stål in 1870 and is known from Mexico and the southwestern United States. Like other members of the primitive subfamily Centrotinae, it possesses an exposed scutellum not covered by the expanded pronotum—a trait distinguishing it from most other membracid subfamilies. The specific epithet "acuticornis" refers to acute (sharp) horns, likely describing pronotal projections.
Selenacentrus
Selenacentrus is a monotypic genus of treehoppers in the family Membracidae, subfamily Centrotinae, described by Morris and Dietrich in 2016. The genus contains a single species, Selenacentrus wallacei, found in Texas and northern Mexico. The genus was named in honor of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, the "Queen of Tejano Music." Selenacentrus lacks diagnostic features of currently recognized tribes within Centrotinae, including specific male genital capsule structures and femoral setae patterns, and does not fit into existing tribal classifications based on wing venation.
Selenacentrus wallacei
Selenacentrus wallacei is a treehopper species in the family Membracidae, described by Morris and Dietrich in 2016. It represents the sole species of the monotypic genus Selenacentrus. The species was discovered among mislabeled specimens in multiple museum collections and is known from Texas and northern Mexico. Its taxonomic placement required the establishment of a new genus due to unique morphological characteristics that do not align with any recognized tribes within the subfamily Centrotinae.
Tylocentrus quadricornis
Tylocentrus quadricornis is a treehopper species in the family Membracidae, subfamily Centrotinae, described by Funkhouser in 1919. It belongs to the tribe Platycentrini, characterized by exposed scutella and relatively unmodified pronota compared to other membracid subfamilies. The species is distributed across the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Like other members of its genus, it exhibits the primitive centrotine body plan with reduced pronotal ornamentation.