Hoppers of North Carolina

Hoppers of North Carolina:
Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, Treehoppers, and Planthoppers

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Chlorotettix tergatus - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE	Subfamily: Deltocephalinae	Tribe: Pendarini
Taxonomic Author: (Fitch, 1851)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: This species is ochraceous greenish yellow in color, with the forewings brownish subhyaline. The eyes are [usually] dark, and the crown is roundly produced, being slightly longer in the middle than near the eyes. The male subgenital plates are large and broad, with the sides slightly sinuated; the apices are broad, obtuse, and rounded, not pointed like in many other species, giving each plate a trapezoidal appearance. The female pregenital sternite is long, with a broad V-shaped excavation extending half way on the posterior margin toward the base (there does seem to be some slight variation in the shape of the excavation across specimens); the lateral lobes are rounded, and the margin of the excavation is brown. Adult males are 7.1-7.9 mm long, females are 7.3-8.3 mm. (DeLong 1918, DeLong 1948, Cwikla 1988) For diagrams of the genitalia of this species, see: Dmitriev. For additional images of a male with dissected genitalia, see: BG.

Distribution in North Carolina

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.

Out of State Record(s)

Distribution: Eastern North America (Cwikla 1988)

Abundance: A widespread species, recorded across the Piedmont and Coastal Plain; likely more abundant in the right habitat.

Seasonal Occurrence

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Sedgy meadows and other grassy, brushy areas; open woodlands, forest edge

Plant Associates: Cut-rice grass (Leersia oryzoides), tall coarse grass and sedge association

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: NOTE: Chlorotettix is a notriously difficult genus to identify to species visually; a majority of the species are various shades of yellow and green, and many can only be reliably distinguished by looking at genital features. Therefore, it is very important for all Chlorotettix species other than necopinus and tergatus to obtain a picture of the underside.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Chlorotettix tergatus No Common Name
	Photo by: Scott Bolick Watauga Co. Comment:	Photo by: Scott Bolick Watauga Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: female from Massachusetts	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: female from Massachusetts
	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: female from Massachusetts	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: male swept from tall grasses; coastal MA
	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: male swept from tall grasses; coastal MA	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping. Weedy field.
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping. Weedy field.	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Caught sweeping. Weedy field.
	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment: female	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment: female
	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment: female	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: Opening in woods. Attracted to black light.
	Photo by: Paul Scharf, B Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: Caught sweeping	Photo by: Paul Scharf, B Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment: Caught sweeping
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: microstygium in clearing among mixed hardwood forest	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: microstygium in clearing among mixed hardwood forest

Chlorotettix tergatus - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Chlorotettix tergatus No Common Name