Hoppers of North Carolina:
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ISSIDAE Members: NC Records

Thionia elliptica - No Common Name


© Scott Bolick- note wider than long vertex
© Rob Van Epps
© Scott Bolick- nymph
© Kyle Kittelberger- nymph
Taxonomy
Family: ISSIDAESubfamily: IssinaeTribe: Thioniini
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist                                                                                  
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 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
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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

Photo by: Scott Bolick
Wilkes Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Montgomery Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Photo by: B bockhahn
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: B bockhahn
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_planthopper		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper		Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper
Photo by: Ted Wilcox
Watauga Co.
Comment: unid_treehopper		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Alleghany Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Suburban yard near woods		Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Suburban yard near woods
Photo by: Rob Van Epps
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Suburban yard near woods		Photo by: Scott Bolick
Wilkes Co.
Comment:
Photo by: Scott Bolick
Wilkes Co.
Comment: 		Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Stokes Co.
Comment: found on red maple
Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Stokes Co.
Comment: found on red maple		Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping
Photo by: Paul Scharf
Warren Co.
Comment: Caught sweeping