Cixiidae

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Cixiidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Auchenorrhyncha
Infraorder: Fulgoromorpha
Superfamily: Fulgoroidea
Family: Cixiidae
Genera

see text.

Cixiidae is a family of fulgoroid insects, one of many families commonly known as planthoppers, distributed worldwide and comprising more than 2,000 species from over 150 genera.

Cixiid species are typically comparatively small (body size less than a centimeter) and usually inconspicuous. Nymphs live underground, feeding on roots. Adults feed on herbs, shrubs and/or trees; some are polyphagous, while others are specialised on their host plants (monophagous). A couple of species are cavernicolous, feeding on roots in volcanic caves. Females occasionally bear impressive "wax tails" produced by wax-producing plates at the tip of their abdomen.

Several species are of economic importance (e.g. Hyalesthes obsoletus, Haplaxius crudus). Phytoplasma are common parasites in these insects, causing diseases in coconut palms and foliage, grapevines, sugar beets, and lilies.

[edit] References

Hoch H. 1994: Homoptera (Auchenorrhyncha Fulgoroidea). In: Juberthie C. & Decu V. (Eds): Encyclopaedia Biospeologica, Tome I, pp. 313-325.

Holzinger W. E., Emeljanov A. F., Kammerlander I. 2002: The family Cixiidae Spinola 1839 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromropha) - a review. Denisia (Linz, Austria) 4: 113-138

Wilson S.W. 2005: Keys to the families of Fulgoromorpha with emphasis on planthoppers of potential economic importance in the southeastern United States (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha). Florida Entomologist 88(4), 464-481

[edit] External links

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