Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

MEMBRACIDAE Members:	NC Records
Telamona stephani - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: MEMBRACIDAE	Subfamily: Smiliinae	Tribe: Telamonini
Taxonomic Author: (Wallace, 2018)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist
Description: A dark species that is sexually dimorphic in size, coloration and some features of the pronotal crest. In males, the pronotal crest is low in elevation and curves from the front of the pronotum before angling downward posteriorly. Males have mostly a dark brown to black pronotum with pale but vibrant light greenish-white to green marks. In females, the pronotal crest is much larger, taller and less rounded, angling downwards posteriorly very sharply. Females also have dark and pale mottling similar to the males, but much less vibrantly and with more pale than dark areas; the dark patches are also more of a brownish rather than dark brown to black color. The wings have dark brown to black tips, and the venation is a bold black. The legs are dark with pale spots, and the underside of the body is dark. Males are 8.0-8.4 mm long, females are 9.3-9.5 mm. (Wallace, 2018) The nymph of this species is unknown.

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: Eastern United States

Abundance: Scattered records across the state, where it is uncommon; possibly more abundant in the right habitat. This species differs from other telamonine species in its seasonal occurrence, being found in late summer and fall; most other telamonines in the eastern U.S. are found in the late spring and early summer. (Wallace, 2018)

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, including in higher elevations (Pilot Mountain).

Plant Associates: ?

Behavior: Rarely encountered but usually observed at night with a light. (Wallace, 2018)

Comment: Males of this species are very distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other eastern Telamona. This species was recently described (2018), it was previously misidentified or confused primarily with T. salvini but also with T. dubiosa. This is the first Telamona species described from the United States in 50 years, since 1968. The type locality for this species is from Bladen county, NC. (Wallace, 2018)

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Telamona stephani No Common Name
	Photo by: tom ward Buncombe Co. Comment:	Photo by: tom ward Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Photo by: tom ward Buncombe Co. Comment:	Photo by: Lior Carlson Orange Co. Comment:
	Photo by: Vin Stanton Buncombe Co. Comment:	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: uv light
	Photo by: Randy Emmitt Orange Co. Comment: landed on my shirt as soon as I got out there! Then went to the UV lights.	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: open habitat near mixed hardwood forest edge; on a lawn
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: open habitat near mixed hardwood forest edge; on a lawn	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: open habitat near mixed hardwood forest edge; on a lawn
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment: open habitat near mixed hardwood forest edge; on a lawn	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Surry Co. Comment: open habitat near mixed hardwood forest on top of pinnacle
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Surry Co. Comment: open habitat near mixed hardwood forest on top of pinnacle	Photo by: Patrick Coin Orange Co. Comment:
	Photo by: B. Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment:

Telamona stephani - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Telamona stephani No Common Name