Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

DELPHACIDAE Members:	NC Records
Stenocranus vittatus - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: DELPHACIDAE	Subfamily: Stenocraninae
Taxonomic Author: Stål, 1862

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist Google
Description: This species very closely resembles S. lautus and in some instances there may not be a way to differentiate between the two. Charles Bartlett notes that he is "not sure that the two can be consistently separated without tails, but there is some coloration difference" (pers. comment). Hamilton (2006) notes that in S. vittatus, the dorsomedial length of the hind tibia is greater than that of the hind tarsus, whereas in S. lautus the lengths are essentially the same. Furthermore, males of S. vittatus are 4.5 mm or longer while females are 5.0 mm or longer; adults of S. lautus are listed at being 5-6 mm long. See vittatus and lautus for comparisons of pinned specimens. See here and here for two probable vittatus individuals that show the hind tibia longer than the hind tarsus. As in S. lautus, the head is rounded and the face is dark with a pale midline. (UDEL)

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: Eastern North America; Bartlett notes that records are generally Maryland and North

Abundance: Recorded from several counties in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, likely under collected and more abundant in the right habitat, but probably not a common species.

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Has been found near mixed hardwood forest.

Plant Associates:

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: NOTE: As mentioned above, S. lautus and S. vittatus can be very difficult to distinguish from one another. Since lautus is much more common than vittatus, on default individuals that fall in this category can be tentatively identified as lautus. However, having a clear view of the side, showing the hind tibia and tarsus would allow for a proper identification

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Stenocranus vittatus No Common Name
	Photo by: John Petranka Dare Co. Comment: Hind tarsus length > tibia?	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5.2 mm female, collected in a sweep through a weedy detention basin, hind tibia 1.7 X hind foretarsus
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5.2 mm female, collected in a sweep through a weedy detention basin, hind tibia 1.7 X hind foretarsus	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5.2 mm female, collected in a sweep through a weedy detention basin, hind tibia 1.7 X hind foretarsus
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5.2 mm female, collected in a sweep through a weedy detention basin, hind tibia 1.7 X hind foretarsus	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50620313
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50620313	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50620313
	Photo by: Margarita Lankford Orange Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50620313	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5.6 mm female
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5.6 mm female	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5.6 mm female
	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5.6 mm female	Photo by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5.6 mm female
	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment: ID based on lengths of hind tibia and tarsus. Came to UV light in back yard.	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: uv light - unid_planthopper
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: mixed hardwood forest habitat

Stenocranus vittatus - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Stenocranus vittatus No Common Name