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Hoppers of Zihuatanejo

SUBORDER AUCHENORRYNCHA

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-True Bugs, Hoppers, Aphids, and Allies (Order Hemiptera)

-True Hoppers (Suborder Auchenorrhyncha)

-Spittlebugs, Cicadas, Leafhoppers and Treehoppers (Infraorder Cicadomorpha)

-Leafhoppers and Treehoppers (Superfamily Membracoidea)

-Typical Treehoppers (Family Membracidae)

-​Subfamily Darninae

-Tribe Darnini

-Genus Stictopelta

-Stictopelta varians


Stictopelta varians is a species of treehopper in the tribe Darnini, within the family Membracidae, a group known for their often elaborate and distinctive pronotal structures. They typically inhabit trees or shrubs and feed on plant sap using their specialized piercing-sucking mouthparts.

Stictopelta varians

Stictopelta varians

Description

  • Stictopelta varians is a small treehopper in the family Membracidae. It has a compact body, prominent eyes, strong hind legs, and an enlarged, irregularly sculptured pronotum that gives the insect a distinctive profile. Colouration is variable, ranging from brown and grey to greenish or mottled tones.

Range

  • Stictopelta varians is a Neotropical species occurring from Mexico through Central America into northern South America. In Mexico, it is associated with warm western and southern regions, including Guerrero and the Zihuatanejo area.

Habitat

  • It inhabits tropical and subtropical forest, seasonally dry woodland, scrub, forest edges, clearings, and areas of shrubs and low vegetation. Adults are usually found on stems and branches of woody plants and shrubs.

Diet

  • Stictopelta varians feeds on plant sap, using piercing-sucking mouthparts to obtain fluids from stems and other plant tissues. As with many treehoppers, the honeydew it produces may attract ants, which can provide protection from predators.

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