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Treehopper

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Treehopper
Ceresa taurina
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Auchenorrhyncha
Infraorder: Cicadomorpha
Superfamily: Membracoidea
Family: Membracidae
Rafinesque, 1815
Subfamilies

Centronodinae (disputed)
Centrotinae
Darninae
Endoiastinae
Heteronotinae
Membracinae
Nicomiinae (disputed)
Smiliinae
Stegaspidinae (disputed)
and see text

Synonyms

Nicomiidae

Treehoppers (more precisely typical treehoppers to distinguish them from the Aetalionidae) and thorn bugs are members of the family Membracidae, a group of insects related to the cicadas and the leafhoppers. About 3,200 species of treehoppers in over 400 genera are known.[1] They are found on all continents except Antarctica; only five species are known from Europe. Individual treehoppers usually live for only a few months.

Morphology

A treehopper of the species Heteronotus nodosus investigated by Micro-CT, revealing the interior morphology. The interior of the extended pronotum, in this species mimicking a wasp's body, is empty.

Treehoppers, due to their unusual appearance, have long interested naturalists. They are best known for their enlarged and ornate pronotum, expanded into often fantastic shapes that enhance their camouflage or mimicry, often resembling plant thorns (thus the commonly used name of "thorn bugs" for a number of treehopper species). The specialised pronotum (or helmet) may not be simply an expansion of the prothoracic sclerite, but a fused pair of dorsal appendages of the first thoracic segment.

These may be serial homologues of insect wings, which are dorsal appendages of the second and/or third thoracic segments, although this interpretation has been seriously challenged.[2] Evidence for this theory included the development of the helmet, which arises as a pair of appendages attached to each side of the dorsal prothorax by an articulation with muscles and a flexible membrane that allow it to be mobile (also, similar genes are involved in development of the helmet and the wings[3]).

Distinguishing males from females is accomplished only by looking at the genitalia.

big bug

Systematics

The diversity of treehoppers has been little researched, and their systematic arrangement is tentative. It seems three main lineages can be distinguished; the Endoiastinae are the most ancient treehoppers, still somewhat resembling cicadas. Centrotinae form the second group; they are somewhat more advanced but the pronotum still does not cover the scutellum in almost all of these. The Darninae, Heteronotinae, Membracinae and Smiliinae contain the most apomorphic treehoppers.

Several proposed subfamilies seem to be paraphyletic. Centronodinae and Nicomiinae might need to be merged into the Centrotinae to result in a monophyletic group.

References

  1. ^ Treehoppers. Dr. Metcalf. NCSU Libraries. North Carolina State University.
  2. ^ Yoshizawa, K. (2012) The treehopper’s helmet is not homologous with wings (Hemiptera: Membracidae) Systematic Entomology. 37, 2–6.
  3. ^ B. Prud'homme et coll (2011). "Body plan innovation in treehoppers through the evolution of an extra wing-like appendage". Nature. 473 (7345): 83–86. Bibcode:2011Natur.473...83P. doi:10.1038/nature09977. PMID 21544145.

Further reading

  • Godoy, C., et al. Membrácidos de la América Tropical (Treehoppers of Tropical America(bilingual, English and Spanish).). Santo Domingo de Heredia: INBIO, Inst. Nacional de Biodiversidad. 2006. ISBN 9968-927-10-4
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