Idiocerus tontonus
This record describes Idiocerus tontonus (species). Recorded family: Cicadellidae. Recorded order: Hemiptera.
Identification and Appearance
Resembling femoratus Ball, inclined to be broader, paler, and the nervures with setigerous punctures. Male face all light below vertex. Form of couleanus , n. sp., nearly, broad with an exceedingly broad head. The nervures setigerous, the outer ariteapical much shorter than in couleanus and somewhat shorter than in femoratus, the interruptions on cubitus few and slightly marked. Male antenna with a large obovate or elongate disc on a long filament. Female segment more than half as long as its width, the margin rounding and slightly bilobed on the median third. Color pale brown, the nervures smoky, lightly interrupted, the pronotum and scutellum heavily dark marked. Female face heavily marked above, omitting a light area around the black spots and two elongate areas between the ocelli and the eyes, these sometimes extending across face. Clypeus with numerous variable spots sometime aggregated along the submargins. Male face heavily marked above and outside the spots on vertex. Below pale, legs often dark lined. (Ball & Parker, 1946)
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
Arizona (type locality: Long Valley)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Salix (willow)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Idiocerus tontonus Ball & Parker, 1946
About True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hemiptera, the group containing Idiocerus tontonus. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Idiocerus tontonus
What is Idiocerus tontonus?
Idiocerus tontonus is a species in the family Cicadellidae, within the order Hemiptera.
How big is Idiocerus tontonus?
5.5mm
How do you identify Idiocerus tontonus?
Resembling femoratus Ball, inclined to be broader, paler, and the nervures with setigerous punctures. Male face all light below vertex. Form of couleanus , n. sp., nearly, broad with an exceedingly broad head. The nervures setigerous, the outer ariteapical much shorter than in couleanus and somewhat shorter than in femoratus, the interruptions on cubitus few and slightly marked. Male antenna with a large obovate or elongate disc on a long filament. Female segment more than half as long as its width, the margin rounding and slightly bilobed on the median third. Color pale brown, the nervures smoky, lightly interrupted, the pronotum and scutellum heavily dark marked. Female face heavily marked above, omitting a light area around the black spots and two elongate areas between the ocelli and the eyes, these sometimes extending across face. Clypeus with numerous variable spots sometime aggregated along the submargins. Male face heavily marked above and outside the spots on vertex. Below pale, legs often dark lined. (Ball & Parker, 1946)
Where is Idiocerus tontonus found?
Range: Arizona (type locality: Long Valley)
What does Idiocerus tontonus eat?
The diet of the Idiocerus tontonus includes Salix (willow).