Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

MEMBRACIDAE Members:	NC Records
Micrutalis dorsalis - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: MEMBRACIDAE	Subfamily: Smiliinae
Taxonomic Author: Fitch

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist
Description: This species resembles Micrutalis calva in shape and color pattern, but is almost twice as large as M. calva, measuring ~ 4 mm long. In fact, this species closely resembles Acutalis tartarea in size and pattern (some individuals of A. tartarea), differing only by the fact that A. tartarea has black wing venation while M. dorsalis has light venation. Compared to M. calva, M. dorsalis has the black on the pronotum more restricted (it does not extend across most of the pronotum, as in M. calva); the rest of the pronotum is a light brown color. See here and here for a couple dorsalis specimens.

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 United States

Abundance: Restricted to the mountains. Seasonal distribution: 11 July-21 August (CTNC)

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats:

Plant Associates: ?

Behavior: To listen to the male courtship call for this genus, listen here. These courtship calls are not audible to the human ear, and the calls here are produced by recording the substrate vibrations that the treehoppers use to communicate through the plants themselves. The recorded call is then amplified so that it is now audible to human ears. Research has shown that treehoppers use vibrations to attract mates, to announce the discovery of a good feeding site, or to alert a defending mother to the approach of a predator (T.IM).

Comment:

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Micrutalis dorsalis - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Micrutalis dorsalis No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Micrutalis dorsalis No Common Name
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis.rnrnI saw several - both male and female. Males have only a single facial stripe while females have two facial stripes. Males also have more black on their face and back.rnrnrnWeedy/Brushy habitat with Willows and Alders present. - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis.rnrnI saw several - both male and female. Males have only a single facial stripe while females have two facial stripes. Males also have more black on their face and back.rnrnrnWeedy/Brushy habitat with Willows and Alders present. - unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis.rnrnI saw several - both male and female. Males have only a single facial stripe while females have two facial stripes. Males also have more black on their face and back.rnrnrnWeedy/Brushy habitat with Willows and Alders present. - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis.rnrnI saw several - both male and female. Males have only a single facial stripe while females have two facial stripes. Males also have more black on their face and back.rnrnrnWeedy/Brushy habitat with Willows and Alders present. - unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis.rnrnI saw several - both male and female. Males have only a single facial stripe while females have two facial stripes. Males also have more black on their face and back.rnrnrnWeedy/Brushy habitat with Willows and Alders present. - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis.rnrnI saw several - both male and female. Males have only a single facial stripe while females have two facial stripes. Males also have more black on their face and back.rnrnrnWeedy/Brushy habitat with Willows and Alders present. - unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis.rnrnI saw several - both male and female. Males have only a single facial stripe while females have two facial stripes. Males also have more black on their face and back.rnrnrnWeedy/Brushy habitat with Willows and Alders present. - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis.rnrnI saw several - both male and female. Males have only a single facial stripe while females have two facial stripes. Males also have more black on their face and back.rnrnrnWeedy/Brushy habitat with Willows and Alders present. - unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis.rnrnI saw several - both male and female. Males have only a single facial stripe while females have two facial stripes. Males also have more black on their face and back.rnrnrnWeedy/Brushy habitat with Willows and Alders present. - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis.rnrnI saw several - both male and female. Males have only a single facial stripe while females have two facial stripes. Males also have more black on their face and back.rnrnrnWeedy/Brushy habitat with Willows and Alders present. - unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis.rnrnI saw several - both male and female. Males have only a single facial stripe while females have two facial stripes. Males also have more black on their face and back.rnrnrnWeedy/Brushy habitat with Willows and Alders present. - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis.rnrnI saw several - both male and female. Males have only a single facial stripe while females have two facial stripes. Males also have more black on their face and back.rnrnrnWeedy/Brushy habitat with Willows and Alders present. - unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva.rnrn I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis. I saw several - both male and female. The male has a single facial strap and more black. The female has two facial stripes and less black.rnrnWeedy, wet, brushy habitat.rn - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva.rnrn I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis. I saw several - both male and female. The male has a single facial strap and more black. The female has two facial stripes and less black.rnrnWeedy, wet, brushy habitat.rn - unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva.rnrn I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis. I saw several - both male and female. The male has a single facial strap and more black. The female has two facial stripes and less black.rnrnWeedy, wet, brushy habitat.rn - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis. I saw several - both male and female. The male has a single facial strap and more black. The female has two facial stripes and less black. Weedy, wet, brushy habitat.
	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:	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: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva.rnrn I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis. I saw several - both male and female. The male has a single facial strap and more black. The female has two facial stripes and less black.rnrnWeedy, wet, brushy habitat. - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva.rnrn I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis. I saw several - both male and female. The male has a single facial strap and more black. The female has two facial stripes and less black.rnrnWeedy, wet, brushy habitat. - unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva.rnrn I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis. I saw several - both male and female. The male has a single facial strap and more black. The female has two facial stripes and less black.rnrnWeedy, wet, brushy habitat. - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva.rnrn I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis. I saw several - both male and female. The male has a single facial strap and more black. The female has two facial stripes and less black.rnrnWeedy, wet, brushy habitat. - unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva.rnrn I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis. I saw several - both male and female. The male has a single facial strap and more black. The female has two facial stripes and less black.rnrnWeedy, wet, brushy habitat. - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva.rnrn I believe it to be Micrutalis dorsalis. I saw several - both male and female. The male has a single facial strap and more black. The female has two facial stripes and less black.rnrnWeedy, wet, brushy habitat. - unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. - unid_treehopper
	Photo by: Ted Wilcox Watauga Co. Comment: Noticeably larger than Micrutalis calva. - unid_treehopper	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: Boxford, MA; 4.5 mm
	Photo by: Solomon Hendrix Out Of State Co. Comment: Boxford, MA; 4.5 mm