Hoppers of North Carolina

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

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Arundanus rubralineus - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE	Subfamily: Deltocephalinae	Tribe: Deltocephalini
Taxonomic Author: (DeLong, 1935)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist
Description: A species with a distinctive coloration and a broad, bluntly angled vertex that is about 1/4 wider between the eyes than the median length. The margin of the vertex usually lacks dark or white bands and is typically without dark markings; occasionally there is a black line on the margin. The vertex is only marked by a pair of broad longitudinal orange stripes, with two faint dark spots near the vertex tip inside the orange bands; these orange bands extends onto the pronotum, with a couple more smaller orange bands on either side. The female pregenital sternite is truncated/emarginate with a narrow incision in the middle that extends 2/3 of the way to the anterior margin. The male genital plates have broad bluntly rounded apexes that are divergent from one another. Adults are around 5.0 mm long. (DeLong 1941)

Distribution in North Carolina

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

Distribution: Southeastern United States, previously known from MS and SC; now known from NC

Abundance: A few records from the Coastal Plain; likely more abundant in the right habitat.

Seasonal Occurrence

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

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Moist areas where the host plant grows.

Plant Associates: Cane/native bamboo (Arundinaria tecta)

Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.

Comment: NOTE: Arundanus is a genus that consists of a number of species that look like one another. It is therefore important to get a clear, detailed picture of the underside to determine species identification; however, rubralineus has a somewhat distinctive color pattern.

HOWEVER, there is some variation among individuals in this species. Some females have V-shaped notches in the pregenital sternite; this notch is quite broad and deep, with the excavation extending halfway to the base. There is a black spot at the apex of the excavation. DeLong denoted these individuals as A. rubralineus var. excavatus and noted "it is not possible to determine [at the time] whether the female character is variable or if this may be a distinct species" (DeLong 1941). Joel Kits notes that based on DeLong's diagrams, and the specimen from Gates county, var. excavatus is likely a different species (type locality in Mississippi) whereas individuals from the Carolinas are likely true rubralineus. Collecting females of this species, especially those with this variation in the pergenital sternite, can help determine if there is a cryptic species present.

Status: Native

Global and State Rank: [GNR] [S2S4]

See also Habitat Account for Coastal Plain Cane Thickets

Species Photo Gallery for Arundanus rubralineus No Common Name
	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Scotland Co. Comment: male, 4.6 mm	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Scotland Co. Comment: male, 4.6 mm
	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Scotland Co. Comment: male, 4.6 mm	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Scotland Co. Comment: male, 4.6 mm
	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Scotland Co. Comment: male, 4.6 mm	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Scotland Co. Comment: male, 4.6 mm
	Photo by: Bo Sullivan Scotland Co. Comment: male, 4.6 mm	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Gates Co. Comment: near mixed hardwood forest
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Gates Co. Comment: near mixed hardwood forest	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf Gates Co. Comment: near mixed hardwood forest

Arundanus rubralineus - No Common Name

Species Photo Gallery for Arundanus rubralineus No Common Name