Hoppers of North Carolina:
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Cicadellidae Members: NC Records

Chlorotettix orbonatus - No Common Name

Chlorotettix orbonatus
© Kyle Kittelberger- side view		Chlorotettix orbonatus
© Kyle Kittelberger- top view		Chlorotettix orbonatus
© Kyle Kittelberger- female; note pregenital
sternite shape
Taxonomy
Family: CicadellidaeSubfamily: DeltocephalinaeTribe: PendariniSynonym: Chlorotettix orbonata
Taxonomic Author: (Ball, 1903)
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist  Google                                                                                  
Description: Greenish overall with a slight brown tinge to the wings, pronotum and scutellum. The wing venation is a combination of both pale, indistinct and dark veins. The female pregenital sternite is extremely distinctive as it lacks an excavation and instead extends outwards, with a sinuous shape. Adults are around 5.0 mm long, at least.
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: Recorded from several counties in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont; likely under collected and therefore under reported.
Seasonal Occurrence
Jan
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Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Has been found in open grassy areas, forest edge
Plant Associates: ?
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: NOTE: Chlorotettix is a notriously difficult genus to identify to species visually; a majority of the species are various shade of yellow and green, and they can only be reliably distinguished by looking at genital features. Therefore, it is very important for all Chlorotettix species other than necopinus and tergatus to obtain a picture of the underside.

This species in particular is a little bit of an enigma. There is a specimen (photographed below) from the NCSU collection labeled as this species. However, in his 1988 review of the genus, Cwikla portrays the sternite for orbonatus as looking a bit different. Perhaps this is an indication that these "orbonatus" individuals are something undescribed. For now, this page will serve as an umbrella for individuals that share this distinctive convex pregenital sternite.

Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Chlorotettix orbonatus No Common Name 13

Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Scotland Co.
Comment: female, 5.2 mm		Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Scotland Co.
Comment: female, 5.2 mm
Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Scotland Co.
Comment: female, 5.2 mm		Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Scotland Co.
Comment: female, 5.2 mm
Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Scotland Co.
Comment: female, 5.2 mm		Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Carteret Co.
Comment: female; 5.4 mm
Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Carteret Co.
Comment: female; 5.4 mm		Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Bo Sullivan
Carteret Co.
Comment: female; 5.4 mm
Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger
Out Of State Co.
Comment: female; NCSU specimen		Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Cumberland Co.
Comment: female, 4.9 mm
Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Cumberland Co.
Comment: female, 4.9 mm		Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn
Cumberland Co.
Comment: female, 4.9 mm
Chlorotettix orbonatusPhoto by: Kyle Kittelberger
Out Of State Co.
Comment: female; NCSU specimen