Carystoterpa fingens, commonly known as the variegated spittlebug, is a spittlebug of the family Aphrophoridae.[1] It is endemic to New Zealand.
| Carystoterpa fingens | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Auchenorrhyncha |
| Family: | Aphrophoridae |
| Genus: | Carystoterpa |
| Species: | C. fingens
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| Binomial name | |
| Carystoterpa fingens (Walker, 1851)
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| Synonyms | |
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Taxonomy edit
C. fingens was first described by Francis Walker in 1851 using a specimen collected by William Colenso and was originally named Ptyelus fingens.[2] In 1966 John William Evans placed this species in the genus Carystoterpa.[3] The lectotype specimen, assumed to have been collected in the Auckland vicinity by Colenso, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[1]
Description edit
Walker originally described this species as follows:
Yellow, shining: head and chest flat: head concave along the hind border, more convex in front where it has a slight notch on each side ; its length less than half its breadth ; face convex, almost oval, with a punctured middle stripe, on each side of which are nine shallow oblique cross ridges ; epistoma slightly keeled : mouth tawny, reaching to the middle hips ; maxillae ferruginous ; chest punctured, slightly impressed across in front, with a pitchy stripe extending on each side from the eye to the base of the forewing ; abdomen tawny ; tips of the feet pitchy : fore-wings whitish, pale tawny towards the hind border, with an undulating ferruginous stripe, which extends through the disk from the base to the tip ; hind-wings colourless ; veins pale yellow. Length of the body 2 lines ; of the wings 6 lines.[2]
C. fingens is very variable in appearance.[1]
Distribution edit
C. fingens is endemic to New Zealand.[4] The species has been observed in the North, South and Stewart Islands as well as many of the off shore islands of New Zealand.[5][1]
Habitat edit
This species tends to inhabit coastal localities.[1]
Hosts edit
The adults of this species feed on a variety of plant species[1] including species in the genus Hieracium[6] and grape leaves (Vitis vinifera Sauvignon blanc).[7] Individuals of C. fingens fed on all four potential host plants studied in a controlled experiment, including Hebe pubescens, Arthropodium cirratum, Dietes bicolor and Brassica oleracea.[8]
Human interactions edit
C. fingens is regarded by New Zealand's Ministry of Primary Industries as a likely vector of Xylella, a serious bacterial disease that is fatal to grape vines.[9]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f Hamilton, K. G. A.; Morales, C. F. (1992). "Cercopidae (Insecta: Homoptera)". Fauna of New Zealand. 25: 1–37 – via Biotaxa.
- ^ a b Walker, Francis (1851). "Part III". List of the Specimens of Homopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum. 3: 637–1118. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.9063 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
- ^ J. W. Evans (31 December 1966). "The leafhoppers and froghoppers of Australia and New Zealand (Homoptera: Cicadelloidea and Cercopoidea)" (PDF). The Australian Museum Memoir. 12: 323. doi:10.3853/J.0067-1967.12.1966.425. ISSN 0067-1967. Wikidata Q54571205.
- ^ "Carystoterpa fingens (Walker, 1851) - Biota of NZ". biotanz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ "Carystoterpa fingens (Walker, 1851)". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ P. Syrett; L. A. Smith (13 August 2010). "The insect fauna of four weedy Hieracium (Asteraceae) species in New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 25 (1): 73–83. doi:10.1080/03014223.1998.9518138. ISSN 0301-4223. Wikidata Q112808160.
- ^ Sandanayaka, W. R. M.; Nielsen, M.; Davis, V. A.; Butler, R. C. (2017-08-08). "Do spittlebugs feed on grape? Assessing transmission potential for Xylella fastidiosa". New Zealand Plant Protection. 70: 31–37. doi:10.30843/NZPP.2017.70.23.
- ^ Sandanayaka, Manoharie; Chhagan, A.; Ramankutty, P. (2007-08-01). "Host plant testing of the spittle bug carystoterpa fingens by stylet penetration behaviour". New Zealand Plant Protection. 60: 78–84. doi:10.30843/NZPP.2007.60.4613.
- ^ Marshall, Kate (2018-07-30). "Serious risks: 4 pests & diseases MPI says to watch out for". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
External links edit
- Carystoterpa fingens discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week, 1 December 2023
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