Department of Entomology

Homoptera (Cicadas, Leafhoppers, Aphids, Scales, and others)

Family Fact Sheet

Back to Order List

Go to Tree of Life

Homoptera - Kenneth J. Stein, VPI & SU

I. Background information

A. Origin of name

1. Latin - homo, same; pteron, wing
2. Relates to more or less uniform structure of front wings

B. Classification

1. Suborders - 2
a. Auchenorrhyncha
1. Cicadoidea (cicadas, treehoppers, spittlebugs, leafhoppers)
2. Fulgoroidea (planthoppers)
b. Sternorrhyncha
1. Psylloidea (psyllids)
2. Aleyrodoidea (whiteflies)
3. Aphidoidea (aphids)
4. Coccoidea (scales, mealybugs)
2. America north of Mexico - 38 families, 1,044 genera, 6,970 species
3. World - ? families, ? genera, 32,000 species
4. Estimate of undescribe species - 38%

C. Common names - See classification above.

D. Type of metamorphosis - Paurometabolous

E. Phylogenetic relationships

1. Hemipteroid

II. Morphological characteristics

A. Mouthparts modified into beak which extends from back of head.

B. Antennae short, bristle-like.

C. Considerable variation in body form (winged, wingless, degenerate legs).

D. Both pairs of wings of uniform texture and held roof-like over body.

E. Sometimes secrete waxy covering.

III. Biological summary for the order

A. Life history (Because of the tremendous number of species it is virtually impossible to make generalized comments about the homopteran life history)

1. Eggs - inserted into plant tissue, glued to the surface of plants, , covered by mud cases, deposited in waxy egg sacs, protected by the body of the female, or simply dropped.
2. Nymphs - 2-7 instars; frequently gregarious; Aleyrodidae have an inactive last instar which is commonly called a pupa, and male coccoids have prepupal and pupal instars.
3. Adults
4. One to several generations per year
5. Some species are parthenogenetic, sometimes alternation of parthenogenetic and bisexual generations or winged and wingless generations, sometimes alternation of host plants. The majority are oviparous, but Coccoidea are oviparous or ovoviviparous, and many Aphididae are viviparous during some or all of their life cycle.

B. Habitat

1. Never far from host plants and can infest all parts of plants - roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits.
2. No true aquatic species.

C. Habits (mode of existence)

1. Mouthparts penetrate phloem and xylem and others act as cell bursters in leaf tissues.
2. Some species of aphids, as well as male scale insects, lack mouthpart and do not feed as adults.

D. Collecting and preserving

1. Light
2. Sweeping, beating vegetation, and searching flowers and foliage
3. Scale insects often collected with plant
4. Important to keep detailed records of host plants for all aphids, whiteflies, and scale insects.
5. Hard-bodied species may be pinned or pointed
6. Soft-bodied species in 80% alcohol
7. Slide mounts often used

E. Behavior

1. Many species transmit plant diseases
2. Several species secrete waxy covering
3. Spittle production by some species
4. Sound production in cicadas
5. Honeydew production in aphids emitted from the anus
6. Some species are beneficial through the production of dyes, waxes, shellac.

G. Significance

1. Economic - All homopteran groups contain economically important species.
2. Ecological - Hebivores but also important in transmission of diseases within and between different plant species. Often close association with ants and parasitic Hymenoptera.