Eurybrachidae (sometimes misspelled "Eurybrachyidae" or "Eurybrachiidae") is a small family of planthoppers with species occurring in parts of Asia, Australia and Africa. They are remarkable for the sophistication of their automimicry.
The family name is derived from the Greek ευρος (euros) and βραχυς (brachus), meaning "broad" and "short". This presumably reflects the shape of adults of representative species.
DescriptionEdit
Eurybrachidae generally resemble related families of planthoppers in the Fulgoromorpha. They are moderate-sized insects, generally 1 to 3 cm long when mature, but they are unobtrusive and camouflaged with brown, grey or green blotches, mimicking foliage, bark or lichens.[1] Their mottled camouflage patterns are most intense on the large forewings of many species, hiding the broad and often aposematically colourful abdomen. The frons of the head is characteristic, being broader than it is long.[2]
Lateral view of a nymph of an unidentified species of Eurybrachidae from Botswana, showing the antennae-mimicking filaments on the abdomenDorsal view of a eurybrachid nymph with antennae-mimicking filaments on the abdomen
Eurybrachidae generally are sap-suckers of trees or shrubs. In Australia, the genus Platybrachys associates with Eucalyptus trees, while the genera Olonia and Dardus associate with Acacia.
Each eurybrachid female is likely to have an adult lifespan of some months, during which she lays several clutches of eggs. Females of many species deposit the eggs in clusters on bark or the undersides of leaves, placed in a fingerprint sized patch of white waxy material, covered by a white capsule that protects them from many predators. However, small parasitoid wasps are adapted to attack the eggs by piercing the capsules with their ovipositors, and some species of beetles, such as some Coccinellidae will chew through the capsule and eat the eggs if they find a clutch.[3]
The nymphs, being less agile than the adults, rely on mimicry, camouflage for direct protection. However, they also secrete honeydew that attracts ants. The ants in turn protect them from wide varieties of predators and parasitoids.
The southeast Asian genus Ancyra is well known for the adult insects having a pair of prolonged filaments at the tips of the forewings; the wings are folded back when the insect is not in flight, so that the tips with their attached filaments are at the posterior end. The tips arise near a pair of small glossy spots; this creates the impression of a pair of antennae, with corresponding "eyes", a remarkable example of automimicry.[4] The "false head" effect is further reinforced by the bugs' habit of walking backwards when it detects movement nearby, so as to misdirect predators to strike at its rear, rather than at its actual head, and to strike in the anticipated direction of leaping, whereas the insect jumps in the opposite direction, away from the false head and initial direction of movement.
Other genera, including many African, Asian, and Australasian species, have closely analogous habits, but the automimicry occurs in the wingless nymphs instead of the winged adults. The pseudo-antennae of such nymphs are attached to the sub-posterior dorsal surface of the abdomen of the wingtips. The structure is visible in some of the illustrations in this article. The adults lack the pseudo-antennae, as may be seen for example for example in the illustration of Paropioxys jucundus. When the nymphs with the posterior pseudo-antennae are disturbed they wave them and walk backwards towards the threat in much the same way as the adults of Asiatic species that have filaments on their wingtips. Such nymphs similarly leap in misleading directions when sufficiently alarmed. However, not all species are equipped for that characteristic automimicry; in some genera, such as Eurybrachys, whether this genus is correctly taxonomically assigned or otherwise, the nymphs bear caudal tufts of bristles such as one typically finds in other families of the Fulgoroidea.[5]
TaxonomyEdit
The oldest known Eurybrachid is from the middle Eocene of Messel.[6] The fossil genus Amalaberga is not placeable within the modern classification in two subfamilies Platybrachinae and Eurybrachinae.[7]
tribe Loxocephalini Schmidt, 1908 – tropical Africa, India, China, Indochina
Amychodes Karsch, 1895
Klapperibrachys Constant, 2006
Loxocephala Schaum, 1850
Macrobrachys Lallemand, 1950
Nesiana Metcalf, 1952
Nilgiribrachys Constant, 2007
Parancyra Synave, 1968
Paropioxys Karsch, 1890
Pest statusEdit
Most Eurybrachidae are not regarded as pests, but like many families of plant sucking Hemiptera, they do include some species of concern. For example, Eurybrachys tomentosa is regarded as a pest of tropical Asian forestry, causing damage in plantations of sandalwood and Calotropis.[5]
^Alan Weaving; Mike Picker; Griffiths, Charles Llewellyn (2003). Field Guide to Insects of South Africa. New Holland Publishers, Ltd. ISBN1-86872-713-0.
^Scholtz, C.H.; Holm, E. (1985). Insects of Southern Africa. Butterworths. p. 158. ISBN0-409-10487-6.
Media related to Eurybrachidae at Wikimedia Commons
Australian species review
Photo of African species in defensive pose
October 16, 2023
eurybrachidae, sometimes, misspelled, eurybrachyidae, eurybrachiidae, small, family, planthoppers, with, species, occurring, parts, asia, australia, africa, they, remarkable, sophistication, their, automimicry, paropioxys, jucundusscientific, classificationdom. Eurybrachidae sometimes misspelled Eurybrachyidae or Eurybrachiidae is a small family of planthoppers with species occurring in parts of Asia Australia and Africa They are remarkable for the sophistication of their automimicry EurybrachidaeParopioxys jucundusScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ArthropodaClass InsectaOrder HemipteraSuborder AuchenorrhynchaInfraorder FulgoromorphaSuperfamily FulgoroideaFamily EurybrachidaeStal 1862SubfamiliesSee text Contents 1 Etymology 2 Description 3 Biology 4 Taxonomy 4 1 Platybrachinae 4 2 Eurybrachinae 5 Pest status 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksEtymology EditThe family name is derived from the Greek eyros euros and braxys brachus meaning broad and short This presumably reflects the shape of adults of representative species Description EditEurybrachidae generally resemble related families of planthoppers in the Fulgoromorpha They are moderate sized insects generally 1 to 3 cm long when mature but they are unobtrusive and camouflaged with brown grey or green blotches mimicking foliage bark or lichens 1 Their mottled camouflage patterns are most intense on the large forewings of many species hiding the broad and often aposematically colourful abdomen The frons of the head is characteristic being broader than it is long 2 nbsp Paropioxys jucundusdorsal view nbsp Paropioxys jucundusventral view nbsp Australian Eurybrachid showing broad fronsBiology Edit nbsp Lateral view of a nymph of an unidentified species of Eurybrachidae from Botswana showing the antennae mimicking filaments on the abdomen nbsp Dorsal view of a eurybrachid nymph with antennae mimicking filaments on the abdomenEurybrachidae generally are sap suckers of trees or shrubs In Australia the genus Platybrachys associates with Eucalyptus trees while the genera Olonia and Dardus associate with Acacia Each eurybrachid female is likely to have an adult lifespan of some months during which she lays several clutches of eggs Females of many species deposit the eggs in clusters on bark or the undersides of leaves placed in a fingerprint sized patch of white waxy material covered by a white capsule that protects them from many predators However small parasitoid wasps are adapted to attack the eggs by piercing the capsules with their ovipositors and some species of beetles such as some Coccinellidae will chew through the capsule and eat the eggs if they find a clutch 3 The nymphs being less agile than the adults rely on mimicry camouflage for direct protection However they also secrete honeydew that attracts ants The ants in turn protect them from wide varieties of predators and parasitoids The southeast Asian genus Ancyra is well known for the adult insects having a pair of prolonged filaments at the tips of the forewings the wings are folded back when the insect is not in flight so that the tips with their attached filaments are at the posterior end The tips arise near a pair of small glossy spots this creates the impression of a pair of antennae with corresponding eyes a remarkable example of automimicry 4 The false head effect is further reinforced by the bugs habit of walking backwards when it detects movement nearby so as to misdirect predators to strike at its rear rather than at its actual head and to strike in the anticipated direction of leaping whereas the insect jumps in the opposite direction away from the false head and initial direction of movement Other genera including many African Asian and Australasian species have closely analogous habits but the automimicry occurs in the wingless nymphs instead of the winged adults The pseudo antennae of such nymphs are attached to the sub posterior dorsal surface of the abdomen of the wingtips The structure is visible in some of the illustrations in this article The adults lack the pseudo antennae as may be seen for example for example in the illustration of Paropioxys jucundus When the nymphs with the posterior pseudo antennae are disturbed they wave them and walk backwards towards the threat in much the same way as the adults of Asiatic species that have filaments on their wingtips Such nymphs similarly leap in misleading directions when sufficiently alarmed However not all species are equipped for that characteristic automimicry in some genera such as Eurybrachys whether this genus is correctly taxonomically assigned or otherwise the nymphs bear caudal tufts of bristles such as one typically finds in other families of the Fulgoroidea 5 Taxonomy EditThe oldest known Eurybrachid is from the middle Eocene of Messel 6 The fossil genus Amalaberga is not placeable within the modern classification in two subfamilies Platybrachinae and Eurybrachinae 7 Unplaced genera Amalaberga Szwedo amp Wappler 2006 Gastererion Perroud amp Montrouzier 1864 Kamabrachys Constant 2023Platybrachinae Edit nbsp Platybrachys sp nbsp Hackerobrachys viridiventrisTribe Ancyrini Schmidt E 1908 monotypic Ancyra White A 1845 Tribe Dardini Schmidt E 1908 Dardus Stal 1859 Gelastopsis Kirkaldy 1906 Metoponitys Karsch 1890 Ricanocephalus Melichar 1898 Tribe Platybrachini Schmidt E 1908 Aspidonitys Karsch 1895 Euronotobrachys Kirkaldy 1906 Fletcherobrachys Constant 2006 Gedrosia Stal 1862 Hackerobrachys Constant 2006 Kirkaldybrachys Constant 2006 Loisobrachys Constant 2008 Maeniana Metcalf 1952 Mesonitys Schmidt E 1908 Neoplatybrachys Lallemand 1950 Nirus Jacobi 1928 Olonia Stal 1862 Platybrachys Stal 1859 Stalobrachys Constant 2018 Usambrachys Constant 2005 Eurybrachinae Edit nbsp Eurybrachys sp Authority Stal 1862 tribe Eurybrachini Stal 1862 India Indochina Malesia Eurybrachys Guerin Meneville 1834 type genus Messena Stal 1861 Nicidus Stal 1858 Purusha Distant 1906 Thessitus Walker 1862 tribe Frutini Schmidt 1908 Malesia Chalia Walker 1858 tribe Loxocephalini Schmidt 1908 tropical Africa India China Indochina Amychodes Karsch 1895 Klapperibrachys Constant 2006 Loxocephala Schaum 1850 Macrobrachys Lallemand 1950 Nesiana Metcalf 1952 Nilgiribrachys Constant 2007 Parancyra Synave 1968 Paropioxys Karsch 1890Pest status EditMost Eurybrachidae are not regarded as pests but like many families of plant sucking Hemiptera they do include some species of concern For example Eurybrachys tomentosa is regarded as a pest of tropical Asian forestry causing damage in plantations of sandalwood and Calotropis 5 See also EditBrochosomeReferences Edit Alan Weaving Mike Picker Griffiths Charles Llewellyn 2003 Field Guide to Insects of South Africa New Holland Publishers Ltd ISBN 1 86872 713 0 Scholtz C H Holm E 1985 Insects of Southern Africa Butterworths p 158 ISBN 0 409 10487 6 Australian Eurybrachyid Planthoppers Wickler W 1968 Mimicry in plants and animals McGraw Hill New York a b David B Vasantharaj E John Larsen 1978 General and Applied Entomology Tata McGraw Hill Education p 398 ISBN 978 0 07 043435 6 Szwedo Jacek Wappler Torsten 2006 New planthoppers Insecta Hemiptera Fulgoromorpha from the Middle Eocene Messel maar Annales Zoologici 56 3 555 566 FLOW databaseExternal links Edit nbsp Data related to Eurybrachidae at Wikispecies nbsp Media related to Eurybrachidae at Wikimedia Commons Australian species review Observations in the Brisbane area Australia Photo of African species in defensive pose Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eurybrachidae amp oldid 1178251076, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
