Hoppers of North Carolina:
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CICADELLIDAE Members: NC Records

Acinopterus acuminatus - No Common Name

Acinopterus acuminatus
© Kyle Kittelberger- side view; note pointed
wingtip		Acinopterus acuminatus
© Kyle Kittelberger- top view		Acinopterus acuminatus
© Kyle Kittelberger- a darker
individual		Acinopterus acuminatus
© Kyle Kittelberger
Taxonomy
Family: CICADELLIDAESubfamily: DeltocephalinaeTribe: Acinopterini
Taxonomic Author: Van Duzee, 1892
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist  Google                                                                                  
Description: A species with distinctive pointed wing tips and a dark overall color, with wings darker than the head and body. When viewed from above, the head is distinctly narrower than the pronotum and the body bulges out near the pronotum before tapering at the wingtips, shaped almost like an upside down slender tear drop. The head and [part of the] pronotum are typically greenish, while the wings are typically dark brown in color, sometimes with a blue hue. The wings are smoky and iridescent, with the nervures fuscous; some cells, typically closer to the wing edge, may be darker than the rest of the wing, almost black in color, while other cells can be whitish. The legs are a similar greenish color to the face, except for the hindlegs which are bicolored with a dark brown base. The abdomen is pale, frequently black above, and infuscated at the basal and apical segments of the venter in females. The male subgenital plates are long and narrow, being a little longer than the last ventral segment and about one-third wider at the base than at their divergent tips. The female pregenital sternite is rather long, with the posterior margin notched in the middle; either side of the notch is a broadly rounded lobe sloping towards the lateral angles. The length is roughly 5.0-7.0 mm. (Lawson 1920, 1922; Beamer & Lawson 1938)

For images of specimens as well as diagrams of the species, see: 3I.

Nymphs are greenish overall.

Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Distribution: Transcontinental, though largely southern in distribution. Seemingly ranging from Alaska south to Colombia. (3I)
Abundance: Uncommon to locally common, recorded across the state; 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: Grassy, brushy, field-type habitats and forest edge (near grass).
Plant Associates: Grasses, Wild Geranium, Amphiachyris and Tetraneuris species (daisies) (Lawson 1920); Pinus rigida (3I)
Behavior:
Comment: While A. acuminatus is the common and widespread member of this genus in the East, there is another species, A. angulatus, that could potentially be encountered. It is primarily a Southwestern U.S. species, but there are a couple records from the Southeast from FL and DC. It is a reddish color overall, lacking dark coloration; supposedly the wing tips are more blunt too, not as pointed. For more on A. angulatus, see: DeLong & Severin 1947a, DeLong & Severin 1947b.
Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Acinopterus acuminatus No Common Name 47

Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Rutherford Co.
Comment: 		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Rutherford Co.
Comment:
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Scott Bolick
Rutherford Co.
Comment: 		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Rob Van Epps
Iredell Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping in weedy field.
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Craven Co.
Comment: female, 6.2 mm
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Craven Co.
Comment: female, 6.2 mm		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Craven Co.
Comment: female, 6.2 mm
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Craven Co.
Comment: female; is it A. angulatus? Something undescribed?		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Craven Co.
Comment: female; is it A. angulatus? Something undescribed?
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Craven Co.
Comment: female; is it A. angulatus? Something undescribed?		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Craven Co.
Comment: female; is it A. angulatus? Something undescribed?
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Craven Co.
Comment: female; is it A. angulatus? Something undescribed?		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: J. B. Sullivan
Craven Co.
Comment: male, 5.2 mm
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: J. B. Sullivan
Craven Co.
Comment: male, 5.2 mm		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: J. B. Sullivan
Craven Co.
Comment: male, 5.2 mm
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: J. B. Sullivan
Craven Co.
Comment: male, 5.2 mm		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 5.5 mm male, sweep of low vegetation 		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 5.5 mm male, sweep of low vegetation
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 5.5 mm male, sweep of low vegetation 		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: male, one of several caught in sweep of low area in weedy detention basin
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: male, one of several caught in sweep of low area in weedy detention basin		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 6.3 mm female, sweep through area with extensive weedy vegetation
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 6.3 mm female, sweep through area with extensive weedy vegetation		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 6.3 mm female, sweep through area with extensive weedy vegetation
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Rob Van Epps
Iredell Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping in weedy field. 		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: A very light colored individual. Caught sweeping. Grassy, weedy area near hardwoods.
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping. Grassy, weedy area near hardwoods. 		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 5.9mm, collected from sweep in overgrown retention area
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 5.9mm, collected from sweep in overgrown retention area		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 5.9mm, collected from sweep in overgrown retention area
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Weedy area near a hardwoods.		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: B. Bockhahn
Harnett Co.
Comment: CACR
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Paul Scharf
Halifax Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Paul Scharf
Halifax Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Paul Scharf
Halifax Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Vance Co.
Comment: Field/forest edge
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Vance Co.
Comment: Field/forest edge		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Vance Co.
Comment: Field/forest edge
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf
Halifax Co.
Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat		Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping
Acinopterus acuminatusPhoto by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught Sweeping