This site compiles information about delphacid planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Delphacidae), with a particular emphasis on American north of Mexico. The content of this site is currently being developed. One of the goals is to provide materials for state identifiers, APHIS, or USDA-PPQ to be able to quickly recognize potentially invasive species.  When finished, this site will include Lucid3 identification keys to North American delphacid species, plus about 40 possibly invasive species of economic interest, plus 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 (ranging from ~1.5 - ~10.0 mm). 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: 2,163 species in 378 genera);  however, there are also many species that are not described (i.e., not “known to science”).  Most new species are from the tropics, but some new species will turn up from otherwise well-known regions, such as the eastern United States.  North of Mexico, there are 61 genera and 338 species.  From Mexico and south (including Caribbean) there are 67 genera and 304 described species (excluding 1 nomen dubium and 2 subspecies).  In total for the New World, there are 100 genera and 571 species.

Distribution
Delphacids are broadly and rather evenly distributed from tropical to arctic latitudes, including all continents and islands, except Antarctica.  While species diversity may eventually be shown to be highest in moist tropical regions, at present 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).

Below: Eurysa brunnea Melichar, 1896

Suggested citation of web site:

Bartlett, C. R. and contributors. 2011 (and updates). Delphacid planthoppers of North America. http://ag.udel.edu/enwc/research/delphacid/index.html, visited on [date].

Contact: Bartlett[at]udel.edu.