College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

This site is a compilation of information about delphacid planthoppers. The content of this site is currently being developed. Most importantly, when finished, it will include Lucid3 identification keys to North American delphacid species, plus about 40 possibly invasive species of economic interest. In addition, this site will compile information on economic importance, host plants, taxonomy, morphology, phylogeny, life history, collecting and preservation techniques, and other topics of interest.

What are delphacids?
Delphacids planthoppers are insects related to leafhoppers, treehoppers, spittlebugs and cicadas.  Most species are between 2-4 mm in size. Delphacids are mostly grass-feeders, although some feed on sedges, rushes, and broad-leaved plants, especially those in the aster family.   

Number of species
Worldwide, there over 2,100 described species of delphacids (my count: 2,134 species in 377 genera);  however, there are also many species that are not described (i.e., not “known to science”), mostly from the tropics.  Some new species will turn up from otherwise well-known regions, such as the eastern United States.  North of Mexico, there are 58 genera and 322 species.  From Mexico and south there are 63 genera and 284 described species (excluding 1 nomium dubium and 2 subspecies).

Distribution
Delphacids are broadly and rather evenly distributed from tropical to arctic latitudes, including all continents and islands, except Antarctica.  While it might be true that species diversity is highest in moist tropical regions, at present the most species have been described from temperate regions.  Far northern regions, such as Alaska, northern Canada, and Siberia have surprisingly diverse faunas (however, the reported fauna of Iceland is a single species).  Distant oceanic islands such as Hawaii and the Galapagos have endemic faunas as well has introduced species (Hawaii has 143 endemic species plus 10 introduced.)