Idiocerus ensiger
This record describes Idiocerus ensiger (species). Recorded family: Cicadellidae. Recorded order: Hemiptera.
Identification and Appearance
Size and form of alternatus nearly, slightly longer, but with a remarkably long ovipositor in the female. Colour pale chestnut and white. Face moderately convex, retreating from the narrow vertex, front short, broad, sharply angulate at antennae; elytra with a moderately long outer anteapical cell. Female segment moderately long, transverse, the posterior margin straight; ovipositor as long as the rest of the body, exceeding the long pygofers by more than one-third, sometimes almost half, of its length. Colour: vertex and face pale chestnut, a pair of small spots on vertex and the ocelli dark; pronotum and scutellum chestnut, the basal angles of the latter sometimes dark; elytra subhyaline, with a pale cinnamon-brown reflection, a few of the nervures darkened and usually a light stripe along the suture, which may be emphasized as a pair of spots or continued as a stripe on the pronotum. (Ball, 1902) Original description only concerns females.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
- Suborder
- Auchenorrhyncha
- Superfamily
- Membracoidea
- Family
- Cicadellidae (Typical Leafhoppers)
- Subfamily
- Eurymelinae
- Tribe
- Idiocerini
- Genus
- Idiocerus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Southwestern U.S. (type localities: Home and Dutch Gorges, Colorado)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Idiocerus ensiger Ball, 1902
About True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hemiptera, the group containing Idiocerus ensiger. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hemiptera (true bugs) includes over 80,000 described species across cicadas, aphids, leafhoppers, shield bugs, and bed bugs. Aphids alone cost global agriculture an estimated $2.5 billion annually in crop losses.
Ecological role of the group
Many Hemiptera are essential food sources for birds and predatory insects. Cicadas provide massive nutrient pulses during emergence events - a single Brood X emergence can involve trillions of individuals across 15 states.
Economic and practical significance of the group
The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) caused $37 million in apple crop losses in a single year in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. Bed bug infestations in the U.S. increased by 500% between 2001-2010, costing the hotel industry hundreds of millions annually.
Recorded sources for this group: USDA, EPA, University research. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Idiocerus ensiger (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Joyce Gross; Additional contributions by antarctica
Frequently Asked Questions About Idiocerus ensiger
What is Idiocerus ensiger?
Idiocerus ensiger is a species in the family Cicadellidae, within the order Hemiptera.
How big is Idiocerus ensiger?
5.25mm
How do you identify Idiocerus ensiger?
Size and form of alternatus nearly, slightly longer, but with a remarkably long ovipositor in the female. Colour pale chestnut and white. Face moderately convex, retreating from the narrow vertex, front short, broad, sharply angulate at antennae; elytra with a moderately long outer anteapical cell. Female segment moderately long, transverse, the posterior margin straight; ovipositor as long as the rest of the body, exceeding the long pygofers by more than one-third, sometimes almost half, of its length. Colour: vertex and face pale chestnut, a pair of small spots on vertex and the ocelli dark; pronotum and scutellum chestnut, the basal angles of the latter sometimes dark; elytra subhyaline, with a pale cinnamon-brown reflection, a few of the nervures darkened and usually a light stripe along the suture, which may be emphasized as a pair of spots or continued as a stripe on the pronotum. (Ball, 1902)
Where is Idiocerus ensiger found?
Range: Southwestern U.S. (type localities: Home and Dutch Gorges, Colorado)