Species Spissistilus festinus - Three-cornered Alfalfa Hopper

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Range · Food · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited

Three-cornered alfalfa treehopper - Spissistilus festinus

Three-cornered Alfalfa Hopper? - Spissistilus festinus

What kind of treehopper is this? - Spissistilus festinus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)

Suborder Auchenorrhyncha (True Hoppers)

Infraorder Cicadomorpha (Cicadas, Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, and Treehoppers)

Superfamily Membracoidea (Leafhoppers and Treehoppers)

Family Membracidae (Typical Treehoppers)

Subfamily Smiliinae

Tribe Ceresini (Buffalo Treehoppers and allies)

Genus Spissistilus

Species festinus (Three-cornered Alfalfa Hopper)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Spissistilus festinus (Say) (1)

Orig. Comb: Ceresa festina Say 1830

Size

6-7 mm(2)

Range

e. US to Calif. / Mex. to Panama / W. Indies - Map (2)(1)(3), mostly s. half of US (BG data)

Food

many plant species, including most cultivated legumes and grasses, although seldom is the resultant damage considered significant(2)

Nymphs will damage black locust seedlings by feeding on the stems, 1-2" above the base. Gall-like swellings or calluses develop above the feeding puncture. The seedling can break at die at these points. (4)

Remarks

common in Florida (2)

Internet References

Membracidae of Florida(2)

Works Cited

1.	Richness of the Nearctic treehopper fauna (Hemiptera: Aetalionidae and Membracidae) Deitz L.L., Wallace M.S. 2012. Zootaxa 3423: 1–26.

2.	Rothschild M.J. (2012) A checklist of the Membracidae of Florida

3.	Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

4.	Eastern Forest Insects Whiteford L. Baker. 1972. U.S. Department of Agriculture · Forest Service.

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 22 January, 2005 - 1:04am
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, Mike Quinn, v belov, Marci Hess
Last updated 15 July, 2023 - 4:23pm

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