Hoppers of North Carolina:
Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, Treehoppers, and Planthoppers
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CICADELLIDAE Members: NC Records

Eratoneura complex 4 - Eratoneura trivittata group


Eratoneura complex 4
© Marilyn Westphal- note pattern
Taxonomy
Family: CICADELLIDAESubfamily: TyphlocybinaeTribe: Erythroneurini
Identification
Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF  iNaturalist  Google                                                                                  
Description: Yellow or white with a red, orange, or brown color pattern. The vertex has orange parallel submedial lines, and the vertex midline is pale; the face is also pale. The mesonotum is entirely dark. The underside of the thorax is entirely pale. The wings have 3 narrow red to black crossbands, with the basal one extending across the scutellum. The forewings have a dark spot on the costal margin.

For additional images of members of this complex, see: BG.

Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Distribution: Eastern United States
Abundance: Rare, a single recent record from the mountains.
Seasonal Occurrence
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Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Plant Associates: Quercus imbricaria
Behavior: Can be attracted at night with a light.
Comment: This page serves as an umbrella for any individuals of Eratoneura that have a red three-striped color pattern. Four species fall within this category and are morphologically identical, requiring the dissection of a male specimen in order to differentiate from one another. These species are: alicia, amethica, arpegia, and trvittata. Below are the descriptions in the 3I database for the various Eratoneura in the eastern United States that have this color pattern, and links to specimens of each species. As you can see, these species are very similar to one another. It also does not help that all four species are noted as having the same host plant, so that cannot be used to filter potential species.

E. alicia- Dorsum yellow or white. Color pattern red or orange. Vertex unicolorous. Vertex midline pale. Anteclypeus pale, concolorous with rest of face. Pronotum pale. Mesonotum entirely dark, apex concolorous with rest of mesonotum. Thoracic venter entirely pale. Forewings without oblique vittae, with 3 narrow crossbands. Clavus with separate basal and distal vittae. Forewings with dark spot on costal margin. Forewing apical cell II without distal spot, inner apical cell with brown spot basally.

E. amethica- Dorsum yellow or white. Color pattern red or orange or brown. Vertex unicolorous. Vertex midline pale. Anteclypeus pale, concolorous with rest of face. Pronotum pale. Mesonotum entirely dark, apex concolorous with rest of mesonotum. Thoracic venter entirely pale. Forewings without oblique vittae, with 3 narrow crossbands. Clavus with separate basal and distal vittae. Forewings with dark spot on costal margin. Forewing apical cell II without distal spot, inner apical cell with brown spot basally.

E. arpegia- Dorsum yellow or white. Color pattern red or orange. Vertex unicolorous. Vertex midline pale. Anteclypeus pale, concolorous with rest of face. Pronotum with Y- or V-shaped medial vitta. Mesonotum entirely dark, apex concolorous with rest of mesonotum. Thoracic venter entirely pale. Forewings without oblique vittae, with 3 narrow crossbands. Clavus with separate basal and distal vittae. Forewings with dark spot on costal margin. Forewing apical cell II without distal spot, inner apical cell with brown spot basally.

E. trivittata- Dorsum yellow or white. Color pattern red or orange or brown. Vertex with orange parallel submedial lines (often with lateral branch). Vertex midline pale. Anteclypeus pale, concolorous with rest of face. Pronotum with Y- or V-shaped medial vitta. Mesonotum entirely dark, apex concolorous with rest of mesonotum. Thoracic venter entirely pale. Forewings without oblique vittae, with 3 narrow crossbands. Clavus with separate basal and distal vittae. Forewings with dark spot on costal margin. Forewing apical cell II without distal spot, inner apical cell with brown spot basally.

Status: Native
Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Eratoneura complex 4 Eratoneura trivittata group 2

Eratoneura complex 4Photo by: Marilyn Westphal
Henderson Co.
Comment: Attracted to UV light sheet
Eratoneura complex 4Photo by: Marilyn Westphal
Henderson Co.
Comment: Attracted to UV light sheet