subgenus Graphocephala

Candy-striped Sharpshooters

revised in (1)

The rhododendron leafhopper, G. fennahi (7.3-9.0 mm), is the only one that feeds on that particular plant, and is the only one found on the Pacific Coast. The stripes are unequal, with the ones on the back being fainter. In addition, males have a distinct spine on the terminal segment (you have to lift up the wings to see this).

The northeastern G. coccinea picta looks very much like G. fennahi but is found on other plants and is somewhat shorter (6.9-8.7 mm).

The remaining species (the widespread G. coccinea and G. c. teliformis, plus G. constricta from MS, AR and TX; 6.2-7.4 mm) all look much alike, but have somewhat different ranges.

G. coccinea varies much in color, from nearly all red with blue stripes to nearly all green with red stripes.

In the subspecies G. c. coccinea, confined to the Atlantic coast, males are 5.7-6.2 mm long, and females 6.7-7.3 mm. In the inland subspecies, G. c. quadrivittata, males are 6.6-7.6 mm and females are 7.2-8.4 mm.

G. coccinea teliformis, 7.2-9.1 mm long, usually (but not always!) typically has equally wide red and green stripes. Its eastern, western, and southern known range limits are somewhat constricted relative to those of G. coccinea. Areas where the latter is found, but not the former, include: the Atlantic coast; southern Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi; Florida; northwestern Arkansas; eastern Kansas; northern and western Minnesota; and southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

[adapted from (1) and K.G.A. Hamilton's comments on various images]

This is the genus Graphocephala in the strict sense. Our fauna appear to be a number of very closely related species within the same complex, though the morphological diversity increases south of the boarder.

Other species which are presumed to belong to this genus are:

Graphocephala bivittata Nielson & Godoy 1995

Graphocephala coronella Nielson & Godoy 1995

Graphocephala idonea Fowler, 1900