Hoppers of North Carolina:
Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, Treehoppers, and Planthoppers
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ISSIDAE Members: NC Records

Thionia elliptica - No Common Name

Thionia elliptica
© Scott Bolick- note wider than long vertex		Thionia elliptica
© Rob Van Epps		Thionia elliptica
© Scott Bolick- nymph		Thionia elliptica
© Kyle Kittelberger- nymph
Taxonomy
Family: ISSIDAESubfamily: IssinaeTribe: Thioniini
Taxonomic Author: (Germar, 1830)
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist  Google                                                                                  
Description: This species varies in color from grayish to brown but is generally yellowish or greenish-tan with brown speckling. It has a characteristic vertex (top of the head) that is concave from the frontal view, with the lateral margins flared prominently, and from the dorsal view, the vertex is wider than long (BG). See here and here for a nice depiction of the noticeably wider than long vertex.

Nymphs exhibit a strong degree of variation in pattern and coloration, ranging from light brown to black in color and typically heavily marked with cream spots, though some individuals have a paler midline; individuals also tend to have red eyes. See W & W 1987 for more information and drawings of the nymphs of T. elliptica. (BG)

Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Distribution: Eastern and central United States, north into Ontario (UDEL)
Abundance: Uncommon to locally abundant, no records yet from the Coastal Plain.
Seasonal Occurrence
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
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Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Mixed hardwood forest, where oaks are present.
Plant Associates: Quercus ilicifolia (bear oak, Fagaceae), Q. marilandica (blackjack oak) (UDEL); nymphs have also been found on red maple and Nyssa sylvatica (tupelo, black gum).
Behavior:
Comment: This species can be most similar to Thionia bullata. See that species page for info on how to identify T. bullata. Charles Bartlett notes "elliptica has a much shorter vertex (described as wider than long) and bullata is slightly longer than wide; also in frontal view elliptica has the lateral margins of the vertex keeled, whereas in frontal view bullata is essentially flat. Elliptica is also more robust than bullata." (BG)
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Thionia elliptica No Common Name 66

Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: scott_bolick - Scott Bolick
Rutherford Co.
Comment: iNat record: 295494744		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: whiteoak - Alan Weakley
Chatham Co.
Comment: iNat record: 222238248
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: paulach81
Orange Co.
Comment: iNat record: 342010207		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: West
Graham Co.
Comment: UDCC_TCN 00004313. female. specimen deposited at UDCC. photographs taken by Solomon Hendrix.
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: West
Graham Co.
Comment: UDCC_TCN 00004313. female. specimen deposited at UDCC. photographs taken by Solomon Hendrix.		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: West
Graham Co.
Comment: UDCC_TCN 00004313. female. specimen deposited at UDCC. photographs taken by Solomon Hendrix.
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: West
Graham Co.
Comment: UDCC_TCN 00004313. female. specimen deposited at UDCC. photographs taken by Solomon Hendrix.		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: West
Graham Co.
Comment: UDCC_TCN 00004313. female. specimen deposited at UDCC. photographs taken by Solomon Hendrix.
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: D.A. Young
Graham Co.
Comment: UDCC_TCN 00118366. male. photographs taken by S.V. Hendrix. specimen deposited at UDCC.		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: D.A. Young
Graham Co.
Comment: UDCC_TCN 00118366. male. photographs taken by S.V. Hendrix. specimen deposited at UDCC.
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: D.A. Young
Graham Co.
Comment: UDCC_TCN 00118366. male. photographs taken by S.V. Hendrix. specimen deposited at UDCC.		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: D.A. Young
Graham Co.
Comment: UDCC_TCN 00118366. male. photographs taken by S.V. Hendrix. specimen deposited at UDCC.
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: D.A. Young
Graham Co.
Comment: UDCC_TCN 00118366. male. photographs taken by S.V. Hendrix. specimen deposited at UDCC.		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Wilkes Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: B bockhahn
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: B bockhahn
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Alleghany Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Suburban yard near woods
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Suburban yard near woods		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Suburban yard near woods
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Wilkes Co.
Comment: 		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Wilkes Co.
Comment:
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Stokes Co.
Comment: found on red maple		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Stokes Co.
Comment: found on red maple
Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping		Thionia ellipticaPhoto by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping